Western District of Pennsylvania • 3:26-cv-00707

#1

Mar 17, 2026

PETITION for Writ of Habeas Corpus lodged as no filing fee was paid and no Motion for In Forma Pauperis was filed, filed by Aleksandr Karataev. (Attachments: # 1 Exhibit List, # 2 Exhibit A - Power of Attorney, # 3 Exhibit B - Form I-213, # 4 Exhibit C - Form I-589, # 5 Exhibit D - Form I-862, # 6 Exhibit E - Document not submitted with filing, # 7 Exhibit F - BIA Appeal, # 8 Exhibit H - Getting Out Message. (Exhibit G not submitted with filing)) (ea) (Entered: 03/17/2026)

#2

Mar 17, 2026

PRO SE LETTER ISSUED providing the case number and the AO 85 Notice & Consent Form. (Attachments: # 1 AO 85 Notice & Consent Form) (ea) (Entered: 03/17/2026)

#3

Apr 16, 2026

ORDER TRANSFERRING CASE: It is ORDERED that this case be transferred to the United States District Court for the Western District of Pennsylvania for further proceedings. The Clerk of Court is directed to close this matter here. Signed by Honorable Karoline Mehalchick on 4/16/2026. (kl) (Entered: 04/16/2026)

#4

Apr 17, 2026

Case transferred in from District of Pennsylvania Middle; Case Number 3:26-cv-00678. Original file certified copy of transfer order and docket sheet received. (Entered: 04/17/2026)

Apr 17, 2026

Judge J. Nicholas Ranjan added. (rjr)

#5

Apr 20, 2026

DEFICIENCY ORDER re 1 lodged habeas petition. The habeas petition was submitted without the $5 filing fee or a completed IFP application to waive the fee. The case will be administratively closed until the Clerk of Court receives the filing fee or completed IFP application. More information can be found at the Court's website: https://www.pawd.uscourts.gov. Signed by Judge J. Nicholas Ranjan on 4/20/2026. 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: 04/20/2026)

Apr 20, 2026

Order for Administrative Case Closing

#6

Apr 28, 2026

Remark: Amended Habeas Petition lodged without Motion for In Forma Pauperis or payment of filing fee (Attachments: # 1 Exhibit List, # 2 Exhibit A, # 3 Exhibit B, # 4 Exhibit C, # 5 Exhibit D, # 6 Envelope) (bjr) (Entered: 04/28/2026)

#7

May 05, 2026

Filing fee: $5, receipt number 200019244 (ljs) (Entered: 05/05/2026)

#8

May 06, 2026

AMENDED PETITION for Writ of Habeas Corpus, filed by Aleksandr Karataev. (Attachments: # 1 Exhibit List, # 2 Exhibit A, # 3 Exhibit B, # 4 Exhibit C, # 5 Exhibit D, # 6 Envelope) (pak) (Entered: 05/06/2026)

#9

May 06, 2026

CASE MANAGEMENT ORDER. The Clerk of Court shall mark this case as RE-OPENED. Copies of this order and the amended petition were emailed by the Court to the USAO. This email service is deemed sufficient to accomplish formal service of the petition on Respondents. Respondents' counsel shall file a notice of appearance within 3 days of this date. Respondents shall file any responses or answers to the petition within 7 days of the date of service. Petitioner's reply is due within 5 days of Respondents' response. Signed by Judge J. Nicholas Ranjan on 5/6/2026. (pak) (Entered: 05/06/2026)

#10

May 06, 2026

STANDING ZADVYDAS ORDER. In alien habeas cases, petitioners often challenge their detention as being unconstitutionally prolonged, either at the outset or later during the pendency of their cases. See Zadvydas v. Davis, 533 U.S. 678 (2001) ("The serious constitutional problem arising out of a statute that, in these circumstances, permits an indefinite, perhaps permanent, deprivation of human liberty without any such protection is obvious.") In order to monitor and assess the validity of any such potential claim, Respondents shall file a status report updating the Court on Petitioner's detention status six months from today. No such report need be filed if Petitioner has been released prior to that date. Signed by Judge J. Nicholas Ranjan on 5/6/2026. 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: 05/06/2026)

May 06, 2026

Order

#11

May 07, 2026

NOTICE of Appearance by Lee Alfred Fry on behalf of TODD M. LYONS, MARK WAYNE MULLIN, WARDEN. (Fry, Lee) (Entered: 05/07/2026)

#12

May 08, 2026

RESPONSE to 8 Amended Petition for Writ of Habeas Corpus, filed by TODD M. LYONS, MARK WAYNE MULLIN, WARDEN. (Fry, Lee) (Entered: 05/08/2026)

#13

May 11, 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 Court trusts the immigration judge to comply with this order and ensure that Petitioner is provided due process, and therefore the immigration judge shall explain his or her individualized determination on the record. See Kamara v. Atty Gen. of U.S., 420 F.3d 202, 212 (3d Cir. 2005). The Clerk of Court shall administratively CLOSE this case. Signed by Judge J. Nicholas Ranjan on 5/11/2026. 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: 05/11/2026)

#14

May 11, 2026

FINAL JUDGMENT, entered consistent with the above order (ECF 13). Signed by Judge J. Nicholas Ranjan on 5/11/2026. 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: 05/11/2026)

May 11, 2026

Judgment (Rule 58)

May 11, 2026

Order