Alex Tito Benitez, a native and citizen of El Salvador, has petitioned this court for review of the Board of Immigration Appeals’ (BIA’s) order rejecting, as untimely, his appeal of the immigration judge’s removal decision. He argues that the BIA erred by declining to accept “jurisdiction by certification,” of his untimely appeal, as provided in 8 C.F.R. § 1003.1(c). The Respondent argues that this court lacks jurisdiction to review the decision of the BIA because it was purely discretionary and this court has no legal standard by which to review the ruling.

We do not decide the jurisdictional issue presented herein because even assuming that jurisdiction exists, Benitez has not adequately briefed his argument that the BIA erred in finding no extraordinary circumstances warranting an untimely appeal. Accordingly, the argument is deemed abandoned. See Soadjede v. Ashcroft, 324 F.3d 830, 833 (5th Cir. 2003); Yohey v. Collins, 985 F.2d 222, 224-25 (5th Cir. 1993).

PETITION DENIED.