Court Opinion

ID: 42011
Source: CourtListenerOpinion
Date Created: 2010-04-25 21:14:08+00
Date Added: 2024-06-11T09:03:04.377391
License: Public Domain

United States Court of Appeals
                                                                  Fifth Circuit
                                                               F I L E D
                 IN THE UNITED STATES COURT OF APPEALS
                         FOR THE FIFTH CIRCUIT                  April 12, 2006

                                                            Charles R. Fulbruge III
                                                                    Clerk
                              No. 05-40844
                          Conference Calendar

UNITED STATES OF AMERICA,

                                      Plaintiff-Appellee,

versus

MIGUEL ALBERTO PALACIO-GARCIA,

                                      Defendant-Appellant.

                          --------------------
             Appeal from the United States District Court
                  for the Southern District of Texas
                       USDC No. 5:04-CR-2593-ALL
                          --------------------

Before JONES, Chief Judge, and JOLLY and DAVIS, Circuit Judges.

PER CURIAM:*

     Miguel Alberto Palacio-Garcia appeals his guilty-plea

conviction for being an alien unlawfully found in the United

States after deportation, having previously been convicted of an

aggravated felony, in violation of 8 U.S.C. § 1326(a) and

§ 1326(b).

     Palacio-Garcia challenges the constitutionality of

§ 1326(b).     His constitutional challenge is foreclosed by

Almendarez-Torres v. United States, 523 U.S. 224, 235 (1998).

     *
       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this opinion should not be published and is not precedent except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.
                          No. 05-40844
                               -2-

Although Palacio-Garcia contends that Almendarez-Torres was

incorrectly decided and that a majority of the Supreme Court

would overrule Almendarez-Torres in light of Apprendi v. New

Jersey, 530 U.S. 466 (2000), 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, 126 S. Ct. 298 (2005).   Palacio-Garcia 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.

     The judgment of the district court is AFFIRMED.