District of New Jersey • 2:26-cv-07543

#1

Jun 24, 2026

Petition for Writ of Habeas Corpus

#2

Jun 24, 2026

Show Cause

#3

Jun 24, 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 6/24/2026. (mfr) (Entered: 06/24/2026)

#4

Jun 24, 2026

TEXT ORDER: Before the Court is Petitioner Maria Jeronima Lopez Gomez's ("Petitioner") Petition for Writ of Habeas Corpus ("Petition") pursuant to 28 U.S.C. § 2241, challenging her continued detention by immigration authorities (ECF No. 1) and her Motion for Order to Show Cause (ECF No. 2). Petitioner, a native of Honduras, entered the United States in 2008 and has remained here since. (See id.) Petitioner contends that she is unlawfully detained under 8 U.S.C. § 1225(b) and is entitled to release or a bond hearing under 8 U.S.C. § 1226(a). (See id.) Based on this Court's statutory interpretation in Suazo Rivera v. Blanche, No. 26-3892 (BRM) (D.N.J. April 29, 2026) and in Sandhu v. Tsoukaris, No. 25-14607 (BRM) (D.N.J. November 20, 2025), the Court finds the facts asserted in the Petition establish that Petitioner cannot be mandatorily detained under § 1225(b)(1) or (b)(2) as she was detained in the interior of the country several years after her arrival. Although Respondents may have been able to lawfully detain Petitioner under different statute, they instead detained her under § 1225(b). The Court will not correct Respondents' unlawful application of § 1225(b) and detention of Petitioner by converting Petitioner's detention to a "potentially lawful alternate form under a different statute with different procedural requirements and rules." 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 Petitioner's release based on the Government's flawed application of § 1225(b)(2).) Accordingly, it is ORDERED that, subject to the following, Petitioner's Petition (ECF No. 1) is GRANTED and Respondents shall RELEASE Petitioner within twenty-four (24) hours of the entry of this Text Order, under the same conditions, if any, that existed prior to her detention. It is further ORDERED that Respondents shall return to Petitioner all personal property belonging to Petitioner - including but not limited to, any driver's license, passport, immigration documents, currency, or cellphone - that was seized at the time of detention. It is further ORDERED that Respondents are permanently enjoined from detaining Petitioner under 8 U.S.C. § 1225(b) which the Court has found in inapplicable to her. And it is further ORDERED that Respondents shall not arrest, detain, or otherwise take Petitioner into custody under 8 U.S.C. § 1226(a) for a period of 14 days following her release, so as to ensure full effectuation of this Court's judgment and to prevent circumvention of the relief granted. It is further ORDERED Petitioner's Motion for Order to Show Cause (ECF No. 2) is DISMISSED as moot. It is finally ORDERED that if Respondents contend that this matter is factually distinguishable from Suazo Rivera and Sandhu, they shall file an expedited answer to the Petition within three (3) days of the date of this Text Order, and Petitioner may file a reply within three (3) days of receipt of the expedited answer. So Ordered by Judge Brian R. Martinotti on 06/24/2026. (lr, ) (Entered: 06/24/2026)

#5

Jun 24, 2026

Notice of Appearance

Jun 24, 2026

Case Assigned to Judge Brian R. Martinotti. (mfr)

Jun 24, 2026

Text Order

Jun 24, 2026

Case Assigned/Reassigned

Jun 24, 2026

Emergent Immigration Habeas Non-transfer Order

Jun 24, 2026

QC - Attorney Case Opening

Jun 24, 2026

CLERK'S QUALITY CONTROL MESSAGE - The case you electronically filed has been processed, however, the following deficiencies were found: Caption: Parties in this type of case must be entered as Petitioner and Respondents; Cause of Action: Cause of action for this type of case is 28:2241 Petition for Writ of Habeas Corpus (Federal); Nature of Suit: Nature of suit for this type of case must be 463; Party Information: Addresses for non-pro se litigants should not be entered. Please do not select parties with an address for non- pro se litigants when opening a new case. The Clerk's Office has made the appropriate changes. Please refer to the Attorney Case Opening Guide for processing electronically filed cases. (mfr)

#6

Jun 25, 2026

Letter

#7

Jun 26, 2026

TEXT ORDER: Before the Court is Respondents' letter informing the Court of Petitioner's release from custody. (ECF No. 6.) Accordingly, the Clerk of the Court shall CLOSE this matter. So Ordered by Judge Brian R. Martinotti on 06/26/2026. (lr, ) (Entered: 06/26/2026)

Jun 26, 2026

Text Order

Jun 26, 2026

***Civil Case Terminated. (wh)

Jun 29, 2026

Terminate Civil Case