District of New Jersey • 3:26-cv-05255

YARA ORDONEZ v. TSOUKARIS

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Case Information

Filed: May 11, 2026
Assigned to: Georgette Castner
Referred to:
Nature of Suit: Habeas Corpus - Alien Detainee
Cause: 28:2241 Petition for Writ of Habeas Corpus (federa
Active
Last Activity: May 14, 2026
Parties: View All Parties →

Docket Entries

#1
May 11, 2026
PETITION for Writ of Habeas Corpus ( Filing fee $ 5 receipt number ANJDC-17405723.), filed by JORGE DANIEL YARA ORDONEZ. (Attachments: # 1 Civil Cover Sheet)(ASHUR, STEVEN) (Entered: 05/11/2026)
Main Document: Petition for Writ of Habeas Corpus
#2
May 11, 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 5/11/26. (tjg, ) (Entered: 05/11/2026)
May 11, 2026
Emergent Immigration Habeas Non-transfer Order
May 11, 2026
Notice of Judicial Preferences. Click here for the Judge's Individual Procedure Requirements. (jjc, )
May 11, 2026
Case assigned to Judge Georgette Castner. (tjg, )
May 11, 2026
Notice of Judicial Preferences
May 11, 2026
Case Assigned/Reassigned
#3
May 12, 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 Colombia, alleges that, on or about October 28, 2022, Petitioner entered the United States without admission or parole. (Id. Paras, 2, 13, 43.) On May 5, 2026, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement arrested Petitioner while he was operating a motor vehicle and have detained him at Delaney Hall Detention Facility in Newark, New Jersey. (Id. Paras. 1, 3, 19.) 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, D.E. 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 a significant 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. The Clerk of the Court shall forward a copy of the Petition (ECF No. 1 ), the attachment to the Petition (ECF No. 1 -1 through 1 -4), 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 5/12/2026. (jmh) (Entered: 05/12/2026)
#4
May 12, 2026
Notice of Appearance
Main Document: Notice of Appearance
May 12, 2026
Docket Annotation (public)
May 12, 2026
Text Order
May 12, 2026
3 Text Order and ECF No. 1 emailed to USANJ-HabeasCases@usdoj.gov on 5/12/2026. (jmh)
#5
May 13, 2026
Letter
Main Document: Letter
May 14, 2026
Order of Dismissal AND Text Order

Parties

TSOUKARIS
Party
YARA ORDONEZ
Party