Case Name: UNITED STATES of America, Plaintiff-Appellee, v. Ivan ALVARADO, also known as Erik Fuentes-Garcia, Defendant-Appellant
Court: United States Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit
Jurisdiction: United States
Decision Date: 2006-03-14
Citations: 170 F. App'x 880
Docket Number: No. 05-40082
Parties: UNITED STATES of America, Plaintiff-Appellee, v. Ivan ALVARADO, also known as Erik Fuentes-Garcia, Defendant-Appellant.
Judges: Before HIGGINBOTHAM, BENAVIDES, and DENNIS, Circuit Judges.
Reporter: West's Federal Appendix
Volume: 170
Pages: 880–881

Head Matter:
UNITED STATES of America, Plaintiff-Appellee, v. Ivan ALVARADO, also known as Erik Fuentes-Garcia, Defendant-Appellant.
No. 05-40082.
Summary Calendar.
United States Court of Appeals, Fifth Circuit.
Decided March 14, 2006.
James Lee Turner, Assistant U.S. Attorney, U.S. Attorney’s Office Southern District of Texas, Houston, TX, for Plaintiff-Appellee.
Marjorie A. Meyers, Federal Public Defender, Philip G. Gallagher, Federal Public Defender’s Office Southern District of Texas, Houston, TX, for Defendant-Appellant.
Before HIGGINBOTHAM, BENAVIDES, and DENNIS, Circuit Judges.

Opinion:
PER CURIAM:
Ivan Alvarado appeals his sentence following his guilty plea conviction for illegal reentry. Alvarado argues that the "felony" and "aggravated felony" provisions of 8 U.S.C. § 1326(b)(1) and (b)(2) are unconstitutional in light of Apprendi v. New Jersey, 530 U.S. 466, 120 S.Ct. 2348, 147 L.Ed.2d 435 (2000). Alvarado's constitutional challenge is foreclosed by Almendarez-Torres v. United States, 523 U.S. 224, 235, 118 S.Ct. 1219, 140 L.Ed.2d 350 (1998). Although Alvarado contends that Almendarez-Torres was incorrectly decided and that a majority of the Supreme Court would overrule Almendarez-Torres in light of Apprendi, we have repeatedly rejected such arguments on the basis that Almendarez-Torres remains binding. See United States v. Garza-Lopez, 410 F.3d 268, 276 (5th Cir.), cert. denied — U.S. -, 126 S.Ct. 298, 163 L.Ed.2d 260 (2005). Alvarado properly concedes that his argument is foreclosed in light of Almendarez-Torres and circuit precedent, but he raises it here to preserve it for further review.
Alvarado also argues that the district court erred under United States v. Booker, 543 U.S. 220, 125 S.Ct. 738, 160 L.Ed.2d 621 (2005), by sentencing him under a mandatory application of the federal sentencing guidelines. The government concedes that Alvarado preserved this issue for appeal. However, the government cannot show that the error was harmless. See United States v. Walters, 418 F.3d 461, 463-64 (5th Cir.2005). Accordingly, we REMAND to the district court to allow the district court to resentence Alvarado if, in its discretion under the now-advisory Guidelines, it chooses to do so.
CONVICTION AFFIRMED; REMANDED FOR RESENTENCING.
Pursuant to 5th Cir. R. 47.5, the court has determined that this opinion should not be published and is not precedent except under the limited circumstances set forth in 5th Cir. R. 47.5.4.