District of New Jersey • 3:26-cv-05056

#1

May 05, 2026

Emergency PETITION for Writ of Habeas Corpus ( Filing fee $ 5 receipt number ANJDC-17388939.), filed by PATRICIO WILFRIDO PADILLA GORDILLO. (Attachments: # 1 Exhibit A, # 2 Exhibit B, # 3 Exhibit C, # 4 Exhibit D, # 5 Exhibit E, # 6 Brief, # 7 Certificate of Service, # 8 Civil Cover Sheet, # 9 Supplement Notice of Appearance, # 10 Supplement Order to Show Cause)(SANTAMARIA, STERLING) (Entered: 05/05/2026)

#2

May 05, 2026

TEXT ORDER. Respondents are hereby enjoined from transferring Petitioner from New Jersey pending further Order of the Court. So Ordered by Chief Judge Renee Marie Bumb on 5/5/2026. (jml, ) (Entered: 05/05/2026)

May 05, 2026

Judge Georgette Castner added. (jml, )

May 05, 2026

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

May 05, 2026

Add and Terminate Judges

May 05, 2026

Emergent Immigration Habeas Non-transfer Order

May 05, 2026

Notice of Judicial Preferences

#3

May 08, 2026

TEXT ORDER: This matter is before the Court on the Petitioner's petition (Petition) for a writ of habeas corpus pursuant to 28 U.S.C. § 2241. (ECF No. 1 .) Petitioner, a native and citizen of Ecuador, alleges that he entered the United States in or about March 2020 and was released on his own recognizance. (Id. Para. 19.) Upon information and belief, Petitioner has resided in New Jersey since his entry. (Id. Para. 1.) Petitioner has no criminal history. (Id. Para. 22.) On April 29, 2026, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement ("ICE") arrested Petitioner outside an Auto Zone in Plainfield, New Jersey and have detained him at Delaney Hall Detention Facility in Newark, New Jersey. (Id. Para. 3.) Based on Petitioner's allegations and this Court's recent decisions in Chen v. Soto, No. 25-17198, 2025 WL 3527239 (D.N.J. Dec. 9, 2025), Marcilla Flores v. Rokosky, No. 25-18998, 2026 WL 84434 (D.N.J. Jan. 12, 2026), and Mistry v. Rokosky, No. 25-17647, ECF No. 15 (D.N.J. Jan. 28, 2026), the Court holds that Petitioner is subject to detention under 8 U.S.C. § 1226(a) and that Respondents have unlawfully detained Petitioner under § 1225(b) in violation of the Immigration and Nationality Act and his Fifth Amendment right to due process. See also Rivera Zumba v. Bondi, No. 25-14626, 2025 WL 2753496 (D.N.J. Sept. 26, 2025); Quintanar Hernandez v. Bondi, No. 26-4096, ECF No. 4 (D.N.J. Apr. 17, 2026). "Moreover, although 8 U.S.C. § 1226(a) permits discretionary detention of noncitizens based on flight risk or dangerousness, it appears that Respondents have detained Petitioner under a flawed interpretation of § 1225(b)(2), which has been rejected by numerous Courts in this District; this Court will not correct Respondents' unlawful detention under § 1225(b)(2) by converting Petitioner's detention to a 'potentially lawful alternate form under a different statute with different procedural requirements and rules.'" Alvarez Hererra v. Soto, No. 26-2482, ECF No. 6 (D.N.J. Apr. 22, 2026) (quoting 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 his release based on respondents' flawed application of § 1225(b)(2))); see also Beteta Beteta v. Blanche, No. 26- 4132, ECF No. 4 (D.N.J. Apr. 20, 2026) (same). The Court thus GRANTS the Petition (ECF No. 1 ), and ORDERS that, within forty-eight (48) hours of the time of entry of this Text Order, Respondents SHALL RELEASE Petitioner under the same conditions, if any, that existed prior to his detention. Within twenty four (24) hours of Petitioner's release, Respondents shall file a status report confirming the time of Petitioner's release. Alternatively, if Respondents contend that Petitioner's case is legally distinguishable from those cases cited herein, or that Petitioner's detention is pursuant to 8 U.S.C. § 1226(a) as Petitioner has misrepresented his criminal history, they shall file an expedited answer within twenty-four (24) hours of the time of entry of this Text Order. Petitioner may file a reply within forty-eight (48) hours of the time of filing of Respondents' expedited answer. Petitioner's request for an order to show cause (ECF No. 1 -10) is DENIED as moot. The Clerk of the Court shall forward a copy of the Petition (ECF No. 1 ), the attachments to the Petition (ECF Nos. 1 -1 through 1 -10), and this Text Order to the Chief, Civil Division, United States Attorney's Office, at the following email address: USANJ-HabeasCases@usdoj.gov. So Ordered by Judge Georgette Castner on 5/8/2026. (jmh) (Entered: 05/08/2026)

#4

May 08, 2026

Notice of Appearance

#5

May 08, 2026

Letter

May 08, 2026

Text Order

May 08, 2026

Docket Annotation (public)

May 08, 2026

3 Text Order and ECF No. 1 emailed to USANJ-HabeasCases@usdoj.gov on 5/8/2026. (jmh)

#6

May 11, 2026

TEXT ORDER: This matter comes before the Court upon receipt of Respondents' letter confirming that U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement "released Petitioner from its custody" and that Petitioner was released "under the same conditions that existed prior to his detention." (ECF No. 5 .) Having granted Petitioner all available relief, no further issues remain for adjudication. The Court LIFTS the Orders (ECF Nos. 2, 3 ) prohibiting Petitioner's transfer from the District of New Jersey and his removal from the United States pending further order of this Court. The Clerk's Office shall CLOSE this matter. So Ordered by Judge Georgette Castner on 5/11/2026. (jmh) (Entered: 05/11/2026)

May 11, 2026

Order of Dismissal AND Text Order