Western District of Pennsylvania • 3:26-cv-00603

#1

Apr 03, 2026

PETITION for Writ of Habeas Corpus (Filing fee, including Administrative fee, $5, receipt number APAWDC-9479612), filed by Rigoberto Mejia Mejia. (Attachments: # 1 Civil Cover Sheet, # 2 Exhibit, # 3 Exhibit, # 4 Proposed Order) (Driscoll, Ryan) (Entered: 04/03/2026)

Apr 06, 2026

Judge J. Nicholas Ranjan added. (bjr)

#2

Apr 07, 2026

Case Management Order

#3

Apr 08, 2026

CERTIFICATE OF SERVICE by Rigoberto Mejia Mejia (Attachments: # 1 Exhibit) (Driscoll, Ryan) (Entered: 04/08/2026)

#4

Apr 09, 2026

NOTICE of Appearance by Nicole A. Stockey on behalf of TODD BLANCHE, TODD LYONS, MARKWAYNE MULLIN, LEONARD ODDO. (Stockey, Nicole) (Entered: 04/09/2026)

#5

Apr 20, 2026

RESPONSE to 1 Petition for Writ of Habeas Corpus,, filed by TODD BLANCHE, TODD LYONS, MARKWAYNE MULLIN, LEONARD ODDO. (Stockey, Nicole) (Entered: 04/20/2026)

#6

Apr 21, 2026

ORDER. For the reasons stated in Villagrez v. Bondi, et al., No. 26-72, 2026 WL 545380 (W.D. Pa. Feb. 26, 2026) (Ranjan, J.), the Court GRANTS the 1 habeas petition. Additionally, to the extent that the government argues that the presence of 8 U.S.C. § 1182(d)(5)(A) subjects Petitioner to mandatory detention, the Court disagrees. See Qasemi v. Francis, No. 25-CV-10029 (LJL), 2025 WL 3654098, at *1011, 13 (S.D.N.Y. Dec. 17, 2025) (finding that Section 1182(d)(5)(A)'s language of "returned to the custody from which he was paroled" refers to DHS's control over Petitioner, not the prior detention status to which Petitioner was subjected to at an earlier time). The Court ISSUES the writ, on these terms. (1) Respondents shall cause Petitioner to be taken to a neutral immigration judge of the Executive Office of Immigration Review for an individualized bond hearing to occur within 30 days of this order, or else release Petitioner by such date. (2) Respondents shall ensure that such a hearing include the required due process, i.e., at a minimum, factfinding based on a record produced before the decisionmaker and disclosed to Petitioner; an opportunity to make arguments on the Petitioner's behalf; and the right to an individualized determination of Petitioner's interests. See Ghanem v. Warden Essex Cnty. Corr. Facility, No. 21-1908, 2022 WL 574624, at *2 (3d Cir. Feb. 25, 2022). (3) Petitioner shall be responsible for securing the necessary transcripts and record of the bond hearing. The Court further finds that Respondents' position was substantially justified in this case, so no fees shall be awarded. The Clerk of Court shall administratively CLOSE this case. Signed by Judge J. Nicholas Ranjan on 4/21/2026. Text-only entry; no PDF document will issue. This text-only entry constitutes the Order of the Court or Notice on the matter. (pak) (Entered: 04/21/2026)

#7

Apr 21, 2026

FINAL JUDGMENT, entered consistent with the above order (ECF 6). Signed by Judge J. Nicholas Ranjan on 4/21/2026. Text-only entry; no PDF document will issue. This text-only entry constitutes the Order of the Court or Notice on the matter. (pak) (Entered: 04/21/2026)

Apr 21, 2026

Order

Apr 21, 2026

Judgment (Rule 58)