Chuchman v. Garland, No. 20-3205 (7th Cir. 2021)
Annotate this Case
In 2010, Chuchman, a 17-year-old student, joined the Ukrainian Democratic Alliance for Reform (UDAR), a political party that opposed then-president Yanukovych. In 2012, her university’s dean warned Chuchman that she could be expelled for her political activity. Two months later, police assaulted, arrested, and detained Chuchman at a rally. The dean again implored Chuchman to stop her political activity, saying she could be expelled. In 2013, Chuchman was assaulted by the police after attending another protest, suffering a broken nose, and a concussion; she was hospitalized for three weeks. Chuchman entered the U.S. using a cultural exchange visa. Two months later, Ukrainian police began searching for her. They sent summonses to her dormitory and to her parents’ house. While Chuchman was in the U.S., demonstrations and civil unrest broke out across Ukraine, culminating in Yanukovych’s ouster in 2014. UDAR merged with the new president’s party.
Chuchman applied for asylum, withholding of removal, and protection under the Convention Against Torture. In Ukraine, the police continued to search for Chuchman, citing “public disturbances.” Chuchman testified that she feared reprisal from the many pro-Yanukovych officials who remained in office. The IJ found Chuchman credible but denied relief. The BIA affirmed. The Seventh Circuit denied a petition for review. Substantial evidence supports the conclusion that Chuchman’s experience in Ukraine did not rise to the level of persecution; she failed to present compelling evidence that the new government would persecute her if she returned.
Some case metadata and case summaries were written with the help of AI, which can produce inaccuracies. You should read the full case before relying on it for legal research purposes.
This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply.