The Eleventh Circuit recently denied a petition for review of a decision of the Board of Immigration Appeals, effectively ending a Sri Lanka citizen’s asylum case. In Senthooran Murugan vs. U.S. Attorney General, No. 19-13715 (August 24, 2021), a Sri Lankan citizen, Senthooran Murugan, fled Sri Lanka and entered the United States with the intent to seek asylum. He was issued a notice to appear in removal proceedings and his case was heard before an immigration judge.
During the removal hearing, Mr. Murugan applied for asylum, withholding of removal and CAT (Convention against Torture) relief. Mr. Murugan testified that he had been persecuted based on his membership in a particular social group (Tamils) and based on imputed political opinion. Mr. Murugan testified that he had been arrested on three occasions in Sri Lanka and on one occasion he was held for four hours and slapped and kicked by soldiers. Mr. Murugan testified that he thought he was going to die.
The immigration judge denied Mr. Murugan’s asylum, withholding and CAT claims and ordered him removed. Mr. Murugan appealed to the Board of Immigration Appeals, who affirmed the immigration judge’s decision. Mr. Murugan then appealed to the Eleventh Circuit Court of Appeals.