Case Explained: Ernestine Endam Nwachan v. Todd Wallace Blanche, Acting U.S. Attorney General

Court: United States Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit Filed: 2026-06-22 The Fifth Circuit denied the petition for review of the Board of Immigration Appeals’ (BIA) decision upholding the denial of asylum, withholding of removal, and protection under the Convention Against Torture (CAT), as well as the denial of a motion for a continuance. The court applied the substantial evidence standard to factual findings, holding that reversal is improper unless the evidence compels a contrary conclusion, and reviewed questions of law de novo. Regarding the substantive claims, the court found no error in the BIA’s dismissal based on the applicant’s failure to provide reasonably available corroborating evidence, noting that the agency was not required to address credibility determinations when corroboration issues were dispositive. Similarly, the court upheld the denial of CAT protection, confirming that the decision rested on the lack of corroboration rather than solely on adverse credibility findings. Regarding the motion for a continuance, the court applied an abuse of discretion standard and concluded the BIA acted within its sound discretion by finding the petitioner failed to show good cause, citing her failure to gather evidence beyond general country conditions, lack of documentation regarding attempts to obtain evidence, and the unlikelihood that restricted communication access in Cameroon would be resolved by a delay. Consequently, the petition is denied and the BIA’s order remains in effect. Do It For The Case Law is a news reporting service. Nothing in this episode constitutes legal advice.