                                                       United States Court of Appeals
                                                                Fifth Circuit
                                                             F I L E D
               IN THE UNITED STATES COURT OF APPEALS
                       FOR THE FIFTH CIRCUIT                  April 24, 2003

                                                         Charles R. Fulbruge III
                                                                 Clerk
                             No. 02-20933
                         Conference Calendar



UNITED STATES OF AMERICA,

                                          Plaintiff-Appellee,

versus

ROBERTO YANEZ NORIEGA,

                                          Defendant-Appellant.

                      --------------------
          Appeal from the United States District Court
               for the Southern District of Texas
                    USDC No. H-01-CR-899-ALL
                      --------------------

Before DAVIS, BARKSDALE, and STEWART, Circuit Judges.

PER CURIAM:*

     Roberto Yanez Noriega appeals his guilty plea conviction and

sentence for being found in the United States after

deportation/removal in violation of 8 U.S.C. § 1326.     Noriega

argues that the sentencing provisions in 8 U.S.C. § 1326(b) are

unconstitutional on their face and as applied in his case.        He

contends that the unconstitutional portions of 8 U.S.C. § 1326

should be severed from the statute.   He asks us to vacate his




     *
       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this opinion should not be published and is not precedent except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. 02-20933
                                 -2-

conviction and sentence, reform the judgment to reflect a

conviction only under 8 U.S.C. § 1326(a), and remand his case for

resentencing under that provision.

       In Almendarez-Torres v. United States, 523 U.S. 224, 235

(1998), the Supreme Court held that the enhanced penalties in

8 U.S.C. § 1326(b) are sentencing provisions, not elements of

separate offenses.    The Court further held that the sentencing

provisions do not violate the Due Process Clause.     Id. at 239-47.

Noriega acknowledges that his argument is foreclosed by

Almendarez-Torres, but asserts that the decision has been called

into doubt by Apprendi v. New Jersey, 530 U.S. 466, 489-90

(2000).    He seeks to preserve his argument for further review.

       Apprendi did not overrule Almendarez-Torres.   See Apprendi,

530 U.S. at 489-90; United States v. Dabeit, 231 F.3d 979, 984

(5th Cir. 2000).    This court must follow Almendarez-Torres

“unless and until the Supreme Court itself determines to overrule

it.”    Dabeit, 231 F.3d at 984 (internal quotation marks and

citation omitted).    Accordingly, the judgment of the district

court is AFFIRMED.

       The Government has moved for a summary affirmance in lieu of

filing an appellee’s brief.    The Government asks that an

appellee’s brief not be required.    The motion is GRANTED.

       AFFIRMED; MOTION GRANTED.
