Case Explained: LAURANT, ET AL. V. BLANCHE

Court: United States Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit

Filed: 2026-07-15

The Ninth Circuit denied the petition for review filed by Haitian nationals seeking asylum, withholding of removal, and protection under the Convention Against Torture (CAT). The court applied the substantial evidence standard of review, under which administrative findings are conclusive unless any reasonable adjudicator would be compelled to conclude otherwise. The panel held that substantial evidence supported the Board of Immigration Appeals’ adverse credibility determination, citing specific and cogent reasons including the petitioners’ repeated nonresponsive answers, inconsistencies regarding their mother’s time of death and reporting of her murder, and discrepancies concerning a certificate documenting an alleged attack on their family home. The court rejected the petitioners’ argument that translation difficulties caused these inconsistencies, noting they rarely sought clarification and their counsel never objected to the translation. Because the petitioners lacked credible testimony, the remaining evidence was insufficient to meet their burden for asylum or withholding of removal. Additionally, the court found substantial evidence supported the denial of CAT relief, as the record did not demonstrate that it was more likely than not the petitioners would be tortured upon return or that government officials would acquiesce in such torture. As a result, the petition is denied, and while the stay of removal remains in effect until the mandate issues, any pending motions to stay removal are otherwise denied.

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