District of New Jersey • 2:26-cv-00678

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Jan 21, 2026

PETITION for Writ of Habeas Corpus ( Filing fee $ 5 receipt number ANJDC-17017643.), filed by THOMAS GAEL ZAMBRANO ZAMBRANO. (Attachments: # 1 Supplement, # 2 Text of Proposed Order, # 3 Exhibit ICE LOCATOR, # 4 Exhibit NTA, # 5 Exhibit Parole, # 6 Exhibit Appeal, # 7 Civil Cover Sheet)(CARDENAS, VERONICA) (Entered: 01/21/2026)

Jan 22, 2026

Case Assigned to Judge Julien Xavier Neals. (ps)

Jan 22, 2026

Case Assigned/Reassigned

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Jan 23, 2026

Memorandum AND Order to Answer

Jan 23, 2026

Notice of Judicial Preferences. Click here for the Judge's Individual Procedure Requirements. (kd)

Jan 23, 2026

Notice of Judicial Preferences

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Jan 28, 2026

Substitution of Attorney

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Feb 05, 2026

Response to Habeas Petition

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Feb 25, 2026

Reply to Response (NOT Motion)

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Apr 03, 2026

Amended Complaint

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Apr 15, 2026

TEXT ORDER - Before the Court is Petitioner Thomas Gael Zambrano-Zambrano's ("Petitioner") Amended Petition for Writ of Habeas Corpus ("Amended Petition") pursuant to 28 U.S.C. § 2241, challenging his continued detention by immigration authorities without an individualized bond hearing. (ECF No. 6 .) Respondents have filed a Petitioner, a native of Ecuador, who entered the United States in September 2021 and was subsequently released into the country on humanitarian parole under 8 U.S.C. § 1225(b)(1), contends that he is unlawfully detained. (See id.) Based on this Court's statutory interpretation in Caiza Guevara v. Tsoukaris, No. 26-967 (JXN), the Court finds the facts asserted in the Amended Petition establish that Petitioner cannot be mandatorily detained under the plain text of § 1225(b)(1), as he was previously paroled into the country, and his continued detention under that statute is unlawful. Although Respondents may have been able to lawfully detain Petitioner under a different statute, they instead detained him under § 1225(b)(1). The Court will no longer correct Respondents' unlawful application of § 1225(b)(1) and detention of Petitioner by converting Petitioner's detention to a "potentially lawful alternate form under a different statute with different procedural requirements and rules." Fajardo-Nugra v. Soto, No. 26-975, 2026 WL 579192, at *2 (D.N.J. Mar. 2, 2026) (granting Petitioner's habeas petition and ordering Petitioner's release based on the Government's flawed application of § 1225(b)(2).) Accordingly, it is ORDERED that, subject to the following, Petitioner's Amended Petition (ECF No. 6 ) is GRANTED and Respondents shall RELEASE Petitioner within twenty-four (24) hours of the entry of this Text Order, under the same conditions, if any, that existed prior to his detention. It is further ORDERED that Respondents shall return to Petitioner all personal property belonging to Petitioner - including but not limited to, any driver's license, passport, immigration documents, currency, or cellphone - that was seized at the time of detention. It is further ORDERED that Respondents are permanently enjoined from detaining Petitioner under 8 U.S.C. § 1225(b)(1) which the Court has found in inapplicable to him. And it is further ORDERED that Respondents shall not arrest, detain, or otherwise take Petitioner into custody under 8 U.S.C. § 1226(a) for a period of 14 days following his release, so as to ensure full effectuation of this Court's judgment and to prevent circumvention of the relief granted. It is further ORDERED that within three (3) days of the date of entry of this Text Order, Respondents shall file a written notice on the docket confirming Petitioner's release from custody; and it is finally ORDERED that the Clerk of Court shall CLOSE the case.So Ordered by Judge Julien Xavier Neals on 4/15/2026. (kd) (Entered: 04/15/2026)

Apr 15, 2026

Text Order

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Apr 16, 2026

Letter

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Apr 17, 2026

Order of Dismissal