CA1: NACARA relief denied

Valdez De Mansilla v. Mukasey, No. 07-1550 (2/1/08) (unpublished).  The petitioner says that she was entitled to a “merits hearing” under the Nicaraguan Adjustment and Central American Relief Act of 1997 (“NACARA”).  She acknowledged she left the United States for more than 180 days in 2003 but argued “that was not a meaningfully interruptive period.”  But 8 C.F.R. § 1240.66(b)(2) says that people are not eligible for such “special rule” cancellation of removal  if they are outside the country for 180 days.  So a hearing on the issue wasn’t required.