⚖ Oral Arguments, with Context

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Hayatullah Zahid v. Todd Blanche — 5th Cir. (Aug 31, 2026)

No. 25-60296 Argued August 31, 2026 Published September 3, 2026; updated September 7, 2026

The Fifth Circuit hears two consolidated petitions from Hayatullah Zahid, a former Afghan education official seeking protection from removal under the Convention Against Torture. An immigration judge found past persecution but denied that protection. The Board of Immigration Appeals affirmed, declined to send the case back for new evidence, and later denied reconsideration. The court will examine whether the agency adequately considered the record and properly handled Zahid's new evidence.

Hayatullah Zahid v. Todd Blanche (No. 25-60296) — U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit, argued August 31, 2026.

Sources
Argument audio — U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit (public domain, 17 U.S.C. § 105):https://www.ca5.uscourts.gov/OralArgRecordings/25/25-60296_08-31-2026.mp3
Argument record — U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit:https://www.ca5.uscourts.gov/oral-argument-recordings/results?docket=25-60296
Argument calendar — U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit:https://www-dev.ca5.uscourts.gov/oral-argument-information/court-calendars/Details/1976/
Related filed petition reproducing the immigration history — Zahid v. Garite:https://habeasdockets.org/media/documents/71929803/001_181035371928-1baa4dcd69b8.pdf
Related filed government response reproducing the immigration history — Zahid v. Garite:https://habeasdockets.org/media/documents/71929803/007_181035455794-9d9fce69246f.pdf
8 C.F.R. Part 1208 — U.S. Government Publishing Office:https://www.govinfo.gov/content/pkg/CFR-2025-title8-vol1/pdf/CFR-2025-title8-vol1-part1208.pdf
8 C.F.R. § 1208.16 — Cornell Legal Information Institute:https://www.law.cornell.edu/cfr/text/8/1208.16
8 C.F.R. § 1208.17 — Cornell Legal Information Institute:https://www.law.cornell.edu/cfr/text/8/1208.17
Suate-Orellana v. Barr — U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit:https://www.ca5.uscourts.gov/opinions/pub/19/19-60729-CV0.pdf
8 C.F.R. § 1003.2 — Cornell Legal Information Institute:https://www.law.cornell.edu/cfr/text/8/1003.2
Patrick G. O'Brien — Akin Gump:https://www.akingump.com/en/lawyers-advisors/patrick-g-o-brien

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