District of Massachusetts • 1:25-cv-13516

#1

Nov 21, 2025

PETITION for Writ of Habeas Corpus (2241) Filing fee: $ 5, receipt number BMADC-11374956 Fee status: Filing Fee paid., filed by Yelfry Manuel Morrobel Mejia. (Attachments: # 1 Civil Cover Sheet, # 2 Category Form)(Villanueva, Rosa Elena) (Entered: 11/21/2025)

#2

Nov 21, 2025

Judge Allison D. Burroughs: ORDER entered. EMERGENCY ORDER CONCERNING STAY OF TRANSFER OR REMOVAL(CM) (Entered: 11/21/2025)

#3

Nov 24, 2025

ELECTRONIC NOTICE of Case Assignment. Chief District Judge Denise J. Casper assigned to case. If the trial Judge issues an Order of Reference of any matter in this case to a Magistrate Judge, the matter will be transmitted to Magistrate Judge Donald L. Cabell. (CM) (Entered: 11/24/2025)

Nov 24, 2025

Notice of Case Assignment

#4

Nov 25, 2025

Service Order-2241 Petition

#5

Dec 02, 2025

Notice of Appearance

#6

Dec 02, 2025

Notice - Other

#7

Dec 05, 2025

Miscellaneous Relief

#8

Dec 05, 2025

Miscellaneous Relief

#9

Dec 08, 2025

Answer/Response to Petition for Writ of Habeas Corpus - 2241

#10

Dec 08, 2025

Chief District Judge Denise J. Casper: ELECTRONIC ORDER entered. If Petitioner intends to file a reply brief, it should be filed by 12/15/25.(LMH) (Entered: 12/08/2025)

Dec 08, 2025

Order

#11

Dec 10, 2025

Reply to Response to Motion

#12

Dec 10, 2025

Leave to File Document

#13

Dec 17, 2025

Chief District Judge Denise J. Casper: ELECTRONIC ORDER entered granting 12 Motion for Leave to File Response to Petitioner's Motion and Status Report by Patricia Hyde, Michael Krol, Tood Lyons, Kristi L. Noem. Response to be filed within 7 days. (LMH) (Entered: 12/17/2025)

#14

Dec 17, 2025

Opposition to Motion

Dec 17, 2025

Order on Motion for Leave to File Document

#15

Dec 18, 2025

Substitute Attorney

#16

Dec 18, 2025

Notice of Appearance

#17

Dec 22, 2025

Response - not related to a motion

#18

Dec 24, 2025

Chief District Judge Denise J. Casper: ELECTRONIC ORDER entered re 1 PETITION for Writ of Habeas Corpus (2241) and 7 Emergency Motion for Immediate Release. Having reviewed the petition for habeas relief under 28 U.S.C. § 2241 (the "Petition") filed by Petitioner Yelfry Manuel Morrobel Mejia ("Petitioner"), D. 1, Petitioner’s emergency motion for release, D. 7, status report, D. 8, and reply brief, D. 11, and Respondents' notice, D. 6, response to the Petition, D. 9, and Respondents’ reply brief, D. 17, the Court the Court ALLOWS the Petition, D. 1, insofar as it sought relief that the Court deems just and proper. Specifically, this Court determines that such relief is a bond hearing/individualized custody redetermination before an immigration judge under 8 U.S.C. § 1226(a), which the Court ORDERS within seven (7) days of this Order. Respondents are also ENJOINED from denying Petitioner bond, in whole or in part, on the basis that he is detained pursuant to 8 U.S.C. § 1225(b)(2). The Court further ORDERS Respondents to file a status report within ten (10) days of this Order stating whether Petitioner has been granted bond, and, if his request for bond was denied, the reasons for that denial. The Court is aware that Petitioner had a hearing on December 4, 2025 but given that the immigration judge, in part, concluded that Petitioner was “ineligible for IJ custody determination,” D. 7-4 at 1; D. 7-2 at 4, the Court ORDERS a hearing consistent with this Court’s ruling today. The Court DENIES Petitioner’s motion for release, D. 7.To the extent that Respondents has preserved an argument to challenge the jurisdiction of this Court on the grounds that Petitioner was not in the district at the time that the Petition was filed, D. 9 at 1 n.2 (citing D. 6), the Court has not received a factual basis for this assertion and, therefore, as both parties have, the Court addresses the substance of Petitioner’s challenge and Respondent’s responses.Petitioner is a noncitizen from the Dominican Republic currently detained at the Northwest State Correctional Facility in Vermont. D. 1 ¶ 1; D. 6 at 1. Petitioner, a Massachusetts resident, has a pending I-130 Petition for Alien Relative. D. 1 ¶¶ 1, 5, 12. On November 20, 2025, Petitioner was detained by federal immigration agents in Andover, Massachusetts. Id. ¶¶ 1, 5.Petitioner alleges that his detention is in violation of his constitutional right to due process, id. at 2, and seeks release and such “further relief this Court deems just and proper.” Id. at 3.Discussion. The Petition challenges Petitioner's detention and seeks relief from same. Id. at 9. Accordingly, this Court has jurisdiction over the Petition as it concerns relief that Petitioner seeks challenging his continued detention. Kong v. United States, 62 F.4th 608, 614 (1st Cir. 2023) (noting that "we have held that district courts retain jurisdiction over challenges to the legality of detention in the immigration context").Consistent with this Court's prior rulings, including and not limited to Da Silva v. Bondi, No. 25-cv-12672, 2025 WL 2969163, at *2 (D. Mass. Oct. 21, 2025), and Dias de Carvalho v. Hyde, 25-cv-12677-DJC (D. Mass. Nov. 4, 2025), D. 14, the Court concludes that Petitioner’s custody is governed by 8 U.S.C. § 1226(a) (which allows for discretionary determinations of custody before an immigration judge) and not 8 U.S.C. § 1225(b)(2) (which provides for mandatory detention for "applicants for admission"), as Respondents contend, see D. 9 at 2 n.2; see also Jennings v. Rodriguez, 583 U.S. 281, 289 (2018) (discussing the distinction). Respondents submit that this Court's prior decisions, including Dias de Carvalho, are likely dispositive here. See D. 9 at 1. Thus, the Court concludes that Petitioner is entitled to a bond hearing/individualized custody determination that is governed by 8 U.S.C. § 1226(a) and does not include invocation of 8 U.S.C. § 1225(b)(2). D. 7-4 at 1 (by immigration judge in part); D. 7-3 at 1 (by the government).For the foregoing reasons, the Court concludes as follows. The Court ALLOWS the Petition, D. 1, insofar as it sought “further relief this Court deems just and proper,” which this Court has determined is a bond hearing/individualized custody redetermination under 8 U.S.C. § 1226(a), which the Court ORDERS within seven (7) days of this Order. Respondents are also ENJOINED from denying Petitioner bond, in whole or in part, on the basis that he is detained pursuant to 8 U.S.C. § 1225(b)(2). The Court further ORDERS Respondents to file a status report within ten (10) days of this Order stating whether Petitioner has been granted bond, and, if his request for bond was denied, the reasons for that denial. The Court DENIES Petitioner’s motion for release, D. 7 .(SEC) (Entered: 12/24/2025)

#19

Dec 24, 2025

Chief District Judge Denise J. Casper: ELECTRONIC ORDER entered re 15 Motion to Substitute Attorney. The Court ALLOWS the motion to substitute counsel. (SEC) (Entered: 12/24/2025)

Dec 24, 2025

Order AND ~Util - Terminate Motions

Dec 24, 2025

Order on Motion to Substitute Attorney

#20

Jan 05, 2026

Status Report

#21

Jan 06, 2026

Order Dismissing Case