DISCLAIMER:  The following unofficial case summaries are prepared by the clerk's office
                        as a courtesy to the reader. They are not part of the opinion of the court.

171123P.pdf   08/08/2018  Sandra Pena De Rivas  v.  Jefferson B. Sessions, III
   U.S. Court of Appeals Case No:  17-1123
   Petition for Review of an Order of the Board of Immigration Appeals   
[PUBLISHED] [Colloton, Author, with Smith, Chief Judge and Murphy, Circuit Judge] Petition for Review - Immigration. This opinion is issued by Chief Judge Smith and Judge Colloton pursuant to 8th Cir. R. 47E. In reviewing petitioner's asylum claim, the BIA did not err in determining petitioner's proposed social group - targeted gang girlfriends - lacked particularity and was not socially distinct; nor did the BIA err in concluding her second proposed group - witnesses who report crimes to the police - was not cognizable; the record does not support a conclusion that a family relationship was a central reason for petitioner's persecution; petitioner also failed to meet her burden of proof on her CAT claim; the petitioner's children raised at least one unique basis for relief and requested an independent evaluation of their claims, and IJ erred in determining the children had not filed separate applications; the Board failed to decide the children's applications separately from their mother's, and matter must be remanded for further proceedings on the children's applications.