Salvador Canas-Rivas v. U.S. Attorney General

[DO NOT PUBLISH]
In the
United States Court of Appeals
For the Eleventh Circuit
____________________
No. 23-12233
Non-Argument Calendar
____________________
SALVADOR CANAS-RIVAS,
Petitioner,
versus
U.S. ATTORNEY GENERAL,
Respondent.
____________________
Petition for Review of a Decision of the
Board of Immigration Appeals
Agency No. A208-558-070
____________________
USCA11 Case: 23-12233 Document: 28-1 Date Filed: 02/22/2024 Page: 1 of 3

-- 1 of 3 --

2 Opinion of the Court 23-12233
Before B RASHER , ABUDU , and ANDERSON , Circuit Judges
PER CURIAM:
Salvador Canas-Rivas petitions for review of the decision of
an immigration judge (“IJ”) denying his application for asylum,
withholding of removal, and Convention Against Torture (“CAT”)
relief, which the Board of Immigration Appeals (“BIA”) affirmed
without opinion.
Where the BIA affirms the IJ’s decision without opinion, we
review the IJ’s decision as the final agency decision. Sepulveda v.
U.S. Att’y Gen., 401 F.3d 1226, 1230 (11th Cir. 2005). We review the
agency’s legal conclusions de novo and the agency’s factual findings
under the substantial evidence test. Perez-Zenteno v. U.S. Att’y Gen.,
913 F.3d 1301, 1306 (11th Cir. 2019).
We deem issues not raised in the petitioner’s appellate brief
to be abandoned. Ruga v. U.S. Att’y Gen., 757 F.3d 1193, 1196 (11th
Cir. 2014). We have “long held that [the petitioner] abandons a
claim when he either makes only passing references to it or raises
it in a perfunctory manner without supporting arguments and au-
thority.” Sapuppo v. Allstate Floridian Ins. Co., 739 F.3d 678, 681
(11th Cir. 2014). Abandoned issues “have no bearing on our deci-
sion.” Ruga, 757 F.3d at 1196.
Here, while Canas-Rivas’s brief argues generally that he is
eligible for asylum, withholding of removal, and CAT protection,
he fails to mention, let alone challenge, the actual grounds upon
USCA11 Case: 23-12233 Document: 28-1 Date Filed: 02/22/2024 Page: 2 of 3

-- 2 of 3 --

23-12233 Opinion of the Court 3
which the IJ denied those claims. Accordingly, he has abandoned
any challenge to the agency’s denial of his claims.
PETITION DENIED.
USCA11 Case: 23-12233 Document: 28-1 Date Filed: 02/22/2024 Page: 3 of 3

-- 3 of 3 --