Tomas Lara-Salgado v. U.S. Attorney General


Case: 17-14365 Date Filed: 09/04/2018 Page: 1 of 4 [DO NOT PUBLISH] IN THE UNITED STATES COURT OF APPEALS FOR THE ELEVENTH CIRCUIT ________________________ No. 17-14365 Non-Argument Calendar ________________________ Agency No. A090-993-502 TOMAS LARA-SALGADO, Petitioner, versus U.S. ATTORNEY GENERAL, Respondent. ________________________ Petition for Review of a Decision of the Board of Immigration Appeals ________________________ (September 4, 2018) Before WILSON, WILLIAM PRYOR, and ANDERSON, Circuit Judges. PER CURIAM: Case: 17-14365 Date Filed: 09/04/2018 Page: 2 of 4 Tomas Lara-Salgado seeks review of a final order of the Board of Immigration Appeals (BIA) affirming the Immigration Judge’s (IJ) order of removal, on the basis that Lara-Salgado had been convicted of a controlled substance offense and that he had abandoned his application for relief by failing to file it within a 30-day deadline set by the IJ. On appeal, Lara-Salgado raises two issues. In one claim, he argues that the IJ abused its discretion by ruling that he had abandoned his application for relief when he failed to meet the 30-day deadline and by denying his request for a 2- week continuance to prepare and file the application once he was represented by counsel. Lara-Salgado also raises a procedural due process claim. We review our subject matter jurisdiction de novo. Alvarado v. U.S. Att’y Gen., 610 F.3d 1311, 1314 (11th Cir. 2010). We review for abuse of discretion an IJ’s decision that an immigration application was abandoned as untimely. See Tang v. U.S. Att’y Gen., 578 F.3d 1270, 1276 (11th Cir. 2009) (“We conclude that the IJ’s decision to exclude evidence offered for submission after a court-ordered filing deadline is discretionary.”). We review the denial of a motion for continuance for abuse of discretion. Zafar v. U.S. Att’y Gen., 461 F.3d 1357, 1362 (11th Cir. 2006). An individual subject to removal who was convicted of a controlled substance offense, other than a single offense involving possession for one’s own 2 Case: 17-14365 Date Filed: 09/04/2018 Page: 3 of 4 personal use of 30 grams or less of marijuana, is deportable. 8 U.S.C. § 1227(a)(2)(B)(i). We lack jurisdiction to review a final order of removal by reason of having been convicted of a controlled substance offense. 8 U.S.C. § 1252(a)(2)(C); see 8 U.S.C. § 1227(a)(2)(B)(i). However, § 1252(a)(2)(C) does not deprive us of jurisdiction to entertain constitutional claims or questions of law. 8 U.S.C. § 1252(a)(2)(D). We do not have jurisdiction to review a claim unless the petitioner has exhausted his administrative remedies with respect to that claim. 8 U.S.C. § 1252(d)(1); Amaya-Artunduaga v. U.S. Att’y Gen., 463 F.3d 1247, 1250 (11th Cir. 2006) (per curiam) (holding that we lack jurisdiction to consider claims that have not been raised before the BIA). Lara-Salgado’s petition is due to be dismissed for lack of jurisdiction. First, under § 1252(a)(2)(C), we lack jurisdiction to entertain Lara-Salgado’s claim that the IJ abused its discretion, because Lara-Salgado was found removable by reason of having been convicted of a controlled substance offense.1 Second, although § 1252(a)(2)(C) does not prevent consideration ...

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