Opinion
No. 05-74541.
The panel unanimously finds this case suitable for decision without oral argument. See Fed.R.App.P. 34(a)(2).
Filed August 1, 2008.
Bruce C. Wong, Esq., Duxford Law Group, San Francisco, CA, for Petitioner.
Ronald E. LeFevre, Chief Counsel, Office of the District Counsel, San Francisco, CA, U.S. Department of Justice, Washington, DC, for Respondent.
On Petition for Review of an Order of the Board of Immigration Appeals. Agency No. A79-586-572.
Before: B. FLETCHER, THOMAS, and WARDLAW, Circuit Judges.
This disposition is not appropriate for publication and is not precedent except as provided by 9th Cir. R. 36-3.
Nilesh Singh, a native and citizen of Fiji, petitions for review of the Board of Immigration Appeals' ("BIA") order dismissing an immigration judge's ("IJ") decision denying his application for asylum, withholding of removal, and relief under the Convention Against Torture ("CAT"). We have jurisdiction under 8 U.S.C. § 1252. We review for substantial evidence and will uphold the agency's decision unless the evidence compels a contrary conclusion. INS v. Elias-Zacarias, 502 U.S. 478, 481 n. 1, 112 S.Ct. 812, 117 L.Ed.2d 38 (1992). We grant the petition for review.
The BIA did not address the issue of whether the IJ's decision to allow the case to be submitted on the documentary evidence rather than continue Singh's merits hearing was in error. Because "IJs and the BIA are not free to ignore arguments raised by a petitioner," we grant the petition for review and remand for the BIA to address the issue in the first instance. Sagaydak v. Gonzales, 405 F.3d 1035, 1040 (9th Cir. 2005).
PETITION FOR REVIEW GRANTED; REMANDED.