Opinion ID: 2756501
Heading Depth: 2
Heading Rank: 3

Heading: October 2005 Removal Proceeding

Text: On October 18, 2005, the Department of Homeland Security (“DHS”) filed with the Atlanta immigration court the September 12, 2005 NTA charging ReyesAlmendarez as removable. As noted above, this NTA had been served on ReyesAlmendarez at the border on September 12, 2005. However, back in 2005, DHS did not file the certificate of service executed by Reyes-Almendarez with this NTA. Instead, DHS filed a certificate of service signed by an individual named 4 Case: 13-15688 Date Filed: 12/02/2014 Page: 5 of 17 Andres Olivo Salmeron, indicating that Salmeron was personally served with an NTA on May 18, 2005. On August 15, 2006, the immigration court sent an NOH via regular mail to Reyes-Almendarez at the Chamblee, GA address listed on both the I-213 Form and the NTA. The NOH scheduled Reyes-Almendarez’s removal hearing for September 5, 2006, in Atlanta. However, the record indicates that the Postal Service returned the NOH as undeliverable. Reyes-Almendarez did not appear at her scheduled hearing. Accordingly, on September 5, 2006, an IJ ordered Reyes-Almendarez removed in absentia. The IJ stated that jurisdiction over the matter was established by the filing of the NTA and by service of the NTA on Reyes-Almendarez. The IJ also found that DHS had sent to Reyes-Almendarez (at the Chamblee, GA address) written notice of the date, time, and location of her removal hearing as well as the consequences of failing to appear, and that DHS established the truth of the factual allegations in the NTA charging Reyes-Almendarez as removable. Reyes-Almendarez did not appeal the in absentia removal order to the BIA.