District of Rhode Island • 1:26-cv-00086

#1

Feb 10, 2026

PETITION for Writ of Habeas Corpus ( Filing fee $ 5.00 receipt number ARIDC-2241584.), filed by Joao Carlos Pinto. (Attachments: # 1 Civil Cover Sheet Civil Cover sheet)(Bremer, Hans) (Entered: 02/10/2026)

#3

Feb 10, 2026

ORDER re 1 PETITION for Writ of Habeas Corpus ( Filing fee $ 5.00 receipt number ARIDC-2241584.) filed by Joao Carlos Pinto. To give the Court time to consider the pending petition, unless otherwise ordered by the Court, the petitioner shall not be moved outside the District of Rhode Island without providing the Court with at least 72 hours advance notice of the move and the reason therefore. Any such 72- hour notice period shall commence at the date and time such notice is filed and expire 72 hours later, except [i]f the period would end on a Saturday, Sunday, or legal holiday, the period continues to run until the same time on the next day that is not a Saturday, Sunday, or legal holiday. Fed. R. Civ. P. 6(a)(2)(C). So Ordered by Chief Judge John J. McConnell, Jr. on 2/10/2026. (Simoncelli, Michael) (Entered: 02/10/2026)

Feb 10, 2026

Case Assigned/Reassigned

Feb 10, 2026

Case assigned to Chief Judge John J. McConnell, Jr. and Magistrate Judge Patricia A. Sullivan. (Hill, Cherelle)

Feb 11, 2026

TEXT ORDER: Respondents shall file a response to the 1 PETITION for Writ of Habeas Corpus filed by Joao Carlos Pinto on or before Tuesday, February 17, 2026. So Ordered by Chief Judge John J. McConnell, Jr. on 2/11/2026. (Jackson, Ryan)

Feb 11, 2026

Order

#5

Feb 17, 2026

Response in Opposition

#6

Feb 18, 2026

Judgment

Feb 18, 2026

Order on Petition for Writ of Habeas Corpus

Feb 18, 2026

TEXT ORDER granting 1 Petition for Writ of Habeas Corpus: Joao Carlos Pinto has filed a habeas petition, arguing that his arrest and continued detention by Immigrations and Customs Enforcement ("ICE") is unlawful, and that he must be released or given a bond hearing before an immigration judge ("IJ") under 8 U.S.C. § 1226(a). ECF No. 1. In its Response, the Government stated that the legal issues presented in this case are like those recently addressed by the Court in Tomas Elias v. Hyde, No. 25-cv-540-JJM-AEM, 2025 WL 3004437 (D.R.I. Oct 27, 2025). ECF No. 5 at 1. The Government also acknowledged that, should the Court follow its reasoning in Tomas Elias, it would reach the same result in Mr. Pinto's case. The Court finds that the reasoning provided in Tomas Elias remains correct and, as such, finds that Mr. Pinto is entitled to a bond hearing under 8 U.S.C. § 1226(a). Therefore, the Court GRANTS Mr. Pinto's Petition. ECF No. 1. The Government is hereby ORDERED (1) to provide Joao Carlos Pinto with a bond hearing before an IJ under 8 U.S.C. § 1226(a) within ten days of the date of this order; and (2) the Government must release Joao Carlos Pinto immediately pending the bond hearing. Per its request, the Government is permitted to transfer Mr. Pinto to Burlington, Massachusetts for the sole purpose of processing his release. ECF No. 5 at 1 n.2. However, effectuating this transfer shall not in any way impede Mr. Pinto's immediate release. Finally, (3) the Court ORDERS the Government to file a status report within five days of Mr. Pinto's bond hearing, stating whether he has been granted bond and, if his request for bond was denied, the reason for that denial. So Ordered by Chief Judge John J. McConnell, Jr. on 2/18/2026. (Jackson, Ryan)

#7

Feb 25, 2026

Status Report