District of New Jersey • 2:26-cv-07422

#1

Jun 20, 2026

Emergency PETITION for Writ of Habeas Corpus, filed by ZEFERINO CAMILO PENAFORT. (Attachments: # 1 Exhibit A, # 2 Exhibit B, # 3 Exhibit C, # 4 Exhibit D, # 5 Exhibit F, # 6 Exhibit G, # 7 Brief, # 8 Civil Cover Sheet, # 9 Certificate of Service, # 10 Supplement Notice of Appearance, # 11 Supplement Order to Show Cause)(SANTAMARIA, STERLING) (Entered: 06/20/2026)

#2

Jun 20, 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 6/20/2026. (jml, ) (Entered: 06/20/2026)

#3

Jun 20, 2026

TEXT ORDER : This matter is before the Court on the Petitioner's petition for a writ of habeas corpus pursuant to 28 U.S.C. § 2241. (D.E. No. 1 ("Petition" or "Pet.")). Chief Judge Renee Marie Bumb entered a Text Order enjoining Respondents from transferring Petitioner from New Jersey pending further Order of the Court. (D.E. No. 2 ). Pursuant to the All Writs Act, see 28 U.S.C. § 1651(a), Respondents SHALL NOT TRANSFER Petitioner from the District of New Jersey, and SHALL NOT REMOVE Petitioner from the United States, pending further order of this Court. Petitioner, a native and citizen of Mexico, alleges that he entered the United States without inspection in March 2024, and he was subsequently apprehended by U.S. Customs and Border Patrol officers, released on his own recognizance, and served with a Notice to Appear. (Pet. Para. 20.) Petitioner has resided and worked in New Jersey since his entry. (Id.Paras. 2, 21). "Petitioner has no arrests apart from this current unlawful detention. He has no criminal history in Mexico or elsewhere." (Id.Para. 22). On June 12, 2026, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement arrested Petitioner in a traffic stop, and he has been detained him at the Delaney Hall Detention Facility in Newark, New Jersey. (Id. Paras. 3, 14). Based on Petitioner's allegations and this Court's recent decision in Diaz Rudecindo v. Florentino, No. 25-16942, 2025 WL 3470299 (D.N.J. Dec. 3, 2025), the Court holds that Petitioner is subject to detention under 8 U.S.C. § 1226(a) and that it appears Respondents have unlawfully detained Petitioner without a bond hearing 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); Vasquez Lucero v. Soto, No. 25-16737, 2025 WL 3240895 (D.N.J. Nov. 20, 2025); Quintanar Hernandez v. Bondi, No. 26-04096, D.E. 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 (D.N.J. Apr. 20, 2026). The Court thus GRANTS the Petition, and ORDERS that Respondents SHALL RELEASE Petitioner within twenty-four (24) hours of the time of entry of this Text Order. Alternatively, if Respondents contend that Petitioner's case is legally distinguishable from those cited herein or that he has misrepresented his criminal history, they shall file an expedited answer within forty-eight (48) hours of the time of entry of this Text Order. If Respondents do not file an expedited answer, they shall file a status report within forty-eight (48) hours of the time of entry of this Text Order confirming the time of Petitioner's release. Petitioner's request for an order to show cause, (D.E. No. 1 -11), is DENIED as moot. The Clerk of Court shall forward a copy of the Petition, (D.E. No. 1 ), the attachments to the Petition, (D.E. Nos. 1 -1 through 1 -11), 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 Esther Salas on 6/20/2026. (ek) (Entered: 06/20/2026)

Jun 20, 2026

Emergent Immigration Habeas Non-transfer Order

Jun 20, 2026

Judge Esther Salas added. (jml, )

Jun 20, 2026

Text Order

Jun 20, 2026

Add and Terminate Judges

#4

Jun 21, 2026

NOTICE of Appearance by SARINA KAPLAN on behalf of TODD BLANCHE, JONATHAN FLORENTINO, MARKWAYNE MULLIN, LUIS SOTO, DAVID VENTURELLA (KAPLAN, SARINA) (Entered: 06/21/2026)

#5

Jun 22, 2026

RESPONSE re 1 Petition for Writ of Habeas Corpus,. (Attachments: # 1 Ex 1 - I-213, 2024, # 2 Ex 2 - Notice and Order of Expedited REmoval, 2024, # 3 Ex 3 - I-296, Notice re Removal, 2024, # 4 Ex 4 - I-213, 2026, # 5 Ex 5 - I-294, Warning to Alien Ordered Removed, # 6 Ex 6 - I-871 Notice to Reinstate Prior Order, 2026, # 7 Ex 7 - I-229 Warning for Failing to Depart, 2026)(KAPLAN, SARINA) (Entered: 06/22/2026)

Jun 23, 2026

Text Order