Case: 19-60399 Document: 00515487553 Page: 1 Date Filed: 07/13/2020 IN THE UNITED STATES COURT OF APPEALS FOR THE FIFTH CIRCUIT United States Court of Appeals Fifth Circuit FILED No. 19-60399 July 13, 2020 Lyle W. Cayce ARMANDO MATADI, Clerk Petitioner v. WILLIAM P. BARR, U. S. ATTORNEY GENERAL, Respondent Petitions for Review of Orders of the Board of Immigration Appeals BIA No. A216 540 427 Before HAYNES, WILLETT, and OLDHAM, Circuit Judges. PER CURIAM:* Petitioner Armando Matadi asks us to review the BIA’s denial of his (1) applications for asylum, withholding of removal, and Convention Against Torture (CAT) protection, and (2) motion to reopen proceedings. As the BIA committed no reversible error, we deny Matadi’s Petition for Review. 1 * Pursuant to 5TH CIR. R. 47.5, the court has determined that this opinion should not be published and is not precedent except under the limited circumstances set forth in 5TH CIR. R. 47.5.4. 1 Matadi filed his original petition for review, concerning the BIA’s denial of his applications, on August 6, 2019. Nearly ten months later, on May 26, 2020, Matadi filed a supplemental brief challenging the BIA’s denial of his motion to reopen. We refer to these documents collectively as Matadi’s Petition for Review. Case: 19-60399 Document: 00515487553 Page: 2 Date Filed: 07/13/2020 No. 19-60399 I Matadi, a native and citizen of Angola, applied for admission into the United States on or around February 22, 2018, though he lacked valid documentation, based on his fear of returning to Angola. Specifically, as a Christian pastor, Matadi believes he was persecuted—and will be persecuted if returned to Angola—by the government’s controlling party, the People’s Movement for the Liberation of Angola (MPLA), for his refusal to encourage churchgoers to join the party. Matadi’s relationship with the MPLA, in relevant part, began in 2013 when the party invited him and other church members to attend a meeting. During the meeting, MPLA representatives asked the attendees to vote for the MPLA; they even offered to buy Matadi an apartment if he encouraged his parishioners to vote for the party. Realizing that the meeting did not concern Christianity, Matadi left, seemingly without consequence. The next year, Matadi moved to Zango, near Angola’s capitol, where he became involved in building a new church in the town. After the building was completed, the government recognized the church through proper documentation and the community legally authorized Matadi to be the church’s leader. From 2013 through most of 2016, Matadi was not threatened or harmed by the MPLA. Then, in November 2016, members of the military came to Matadi’s home and demolished the structure. When Matadi asked why his home was being destroyed, the military commander threw him to the ground and repeatedly kicked him, resulting in a cut on Matadi’s right leg. Matadi reported the incident to municipal administrators, who informed him that they would send people to investigate; however, no one ever came. Without a home, Matadi sent his wife and daughter to stay with his uncle. ...
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