Lumaj v. Ashcroft

OPINION OF THE COURT

SCIRICA, Chief Judge.

Petitioner Nike Lumaj seeks review of the Board of Immigration Appeals’ decision affirming without opinion the decision of the Immigration Judge to deny his application for political asylum and withholding of removal. We have jurisdiction to review the Board’s order under 8 U.S.C. § 1252. We will affirm.

I. Background

Nike Lumaj is a native and citizen of Albania who grew up in northern Albania near the Yugoslavian border. For most of his life, Lumaj lived with his parents and four siblings, all of whom are Catholic. Lumaj maintains that his family’s…