Arnoldo Velasquez Ramirez v. LORETTA E. LYNCH, Attorney General

NOT FOR PUBLICATION
UNITED STATES COURT OF APPEALS
FOR THE NINTH CIRCUIT
ARNOLDO VELASQUEZ RAMIREZ,
Petitioner,
v.
LORETTA E. LYNCH, Attorney General,
Respondent.
No. 13-70092
Agency No. A070-951-497
MEMORANDUM*
On Petition for Review of an Order of the
Board of Immigration Appeals
Submitted June 22, 2015**
Before: HAWKINS, GRABER, and W. FLETCHER, Circuit Judges.
Arnoldo Velasquez Ramirez, a native and citizen of Guatemala, petitions for
review of the Board of Immigration Appeals’ (“BIA”) order dismissing his appeal
from an immigration judge’s decision denying his application for asylum,
withholding of removal, and protection under the Convention Against Torture
FILED
JUL 07 2015
MOLLY C. DWYER, CLERK
U.S. COURT OF APPEALS
* This disposition is not appropriate for publication and is not precedent
except as provided by 9th Cir. R. 36-3.
** The panel unanimously concludes this case is suitable for decision
without oral argument. See Fed. R. App. P. 34(a)(2).

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(“CAT”). We have jurisdiction under 8 U.S.C. § 1252. We review de novo
questions of law and for substantial evidence the agency’s factual findings.
Wakkary v. Holder, 558 F.3d 1049, 1056 (9th Cir. 2009). We deny the petition for
review.
Substantial evidence supports the agency’s determination that the harm
Velasquez Ramirez experienced from guerrillas did not rise to the level of
persecution. See Hoxha v. Ashcroft, 319 F.3d 1179, 1182 (9th Cir. 2003)
(harassment, threats, and one beating did not compel finding of past persecution).
Substantial evidence also supports the agency’s finding that Velasquez Ramirez
did not establish a well-founded fear of persecution on account of a protected
ground. See Zetino v. Holder, 622 F.3d 1007, 1016 (9th Cir. 2010) (“[a]n alien’s
desire to be free from harassment by criminals motivated by theft or random
violence by gang members bears no nexus to a protected ground”). We reject
Velasquez Ramirez’s contention that the agency did not apply the pre-REAL ID
Act nexus standard, and his contentions of error in the BIA’s waiver finding.
Because Velasquez Ramirez failed to meet the lower standard of proof for
asylum, his claim for withholding of removal necessarily fails. See Zehatye v.
Gonzales, 453 F.3d 1182, 1190 (9th Cir. 2006).
13-70092 2

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Finally, Velasquez Ramirez has not made any argument regarding the
agency’s denial of CAT relief. See Martinez-Serrano v. INS, 94 F.3d 1256, 1259-
60 (9th Cir. 1996) (issues not specifically raised and argued in a party’s opening
brief are waived).
PETITION FOR REVIEW DENIED.
13-70092 3

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