Western District of Pennsylvania • 3:26-cv-00708

BRIONES ESPINOZA v. MULLIN

Completed

Case Information

Filed: April 17, 2026
Assigned to: J. Nicholas Ranjan
Referred to:
Nature of Suit: Habeas Corpus - Alien Detainee
Cause: 28:2241 Petition for Writ of Habeas Corpus (Pretrial Detainee)
Completed: April 22, 2026
Last Activity: April 22, 2026
Parties: View All Parties →

Docket Entries

#1
Apr 17, 2026
PETITION for Writ of Habeas Corpus (), filed by GUILLERMO BRIONES ESPINOZA. (Attachments: # 1 Civil Cover Sheet, # 2 Receipt, # 3 Exhibit, # 4 Exhibit, # 5 Exhibit, # 6 Exhibit, # 7 Exhibit, # 8 Exhibit, # 9 Exhibit, # 10 Exhibit) (Mark, Eric) (Entered: 04/17/2026)
Main Document: ATTORNEY Petition for Writ of Habeas Corpus (Credit Card Required)
#2
Apr 17, 2026
MOTION for attorney Eric M Mark to Appear Pro Hac Vice, (Filing fee $70, Receipt # APAWDC-9512969) by GUILLERMO BRIONES ESPINOZA. (Attachments: # 1 Affidavit, # 2 Proposed Order, # 3 Exhibit) (Mark, Eric) (Entered: 04/17/2026)
Main Document: Appear Pro Hac Vice (for Attorney filers only, Credit Card required)
Apr 17, 2026
Judge J. Nicholas Ranjan added. (cel)
#3
Apr 20, 2026
ORDER granting 2 Motion for Eric M. Mark to Appear Pro Hac Vice. Signed by Judge J. Nicholas Ranjan on 4/20/2026. (pak) (Entered: 04/20/2026)
Main Document: Order on Motion to Appear Pro Hac Vice
#4
Apr 20, 2026
CASE MANAGEMENT ORDER. Petitioner's counsel shall serve Respondents with a copy of this Order and the Petition via e-mail, as specified, and file a notice of compliance. Respondents' counsel shall file a notice of appearance within 3 days of the filing of Petitioner's Certificate of Compliance of Service. 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 4/20/2026. (pak) (Entered: 04/20/2026)
Main Document: Case Management Order
#5
Apr 20, 2026
CERTIFICATE of Compliance re 4 Case Management Order, 1 Petition for Writ of Habeas Corpus, by Eric M Mark on behalf of GUILLERMO BRIONES ESPINOZA (Mark, Eric) Modified text on 4/21/2026. (cel) (Entered: 04/20/2026)
Main Document: CERTIFICATE
#6
Apr 21, 2026
NOTICE of Appearance by Molly W. Anglin on behalf of TODD BLANCHE, ANGELA KLAPAKIS, TODD LYONS, MARKWAYNE MULLIN, LEONARD ODDO. (Anglin, Molly) (Entered: 04/21/2026)
Main Document: NOTICE
#7
Apr 21, 2026
RESPONSE to 1 Petition for Writ of Habeas Corpus,, filed by TODD BLANCHE, ANGELA KLAPAKIS, TODD LYONS, MARKWAYNE MULLIN, LEONARD ODDO. (Anglin, Molly) (Entered: 04/21/2026)
Main Document: RESPONSE
#8
Apr 22, 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 4/22/2026. 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: 04/22/2026)
#9
Apr 22, 2026
FINAL JUDGMENT, entered consistent with the above order (ECF 8). Signed by Judge J. Nicholas Ranjan on 4/22/2026. 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: 04/22/2026)
Apr 22, 2026
Order
Apr 22, 2026
Judgment (Rule 58)