U.S. Department of Justice

EOIR BIA Decision

The Board of Immigration Appeals has issued a decision in Matter of D-G-E-A- & N-G-G-E-, 29 I&N Dec. 570 (BIA 2026).

(1) Disapproval of or opposition to criminal gangs is not sufficient to establish a political opinion under the Immigration and Nationality Act.

(2) To establish a political opinion under the INA, an alien must have an actual or imputed belief or conviction regarding a discrete cause that is tied to a government of a country, including a de facto government.

                                                                                        
Executive Office for Immigration Review
Office of Policy
PAO.EOIR@usdoj.gov
703-305-0289