Eastern District of California • 1:26-cv-07746

#1

Sep 23, 2026

2241 PETITION for WRIT of HABEAS CORPUS against Warden, Central Valley Annex Detention Facility by Yoel Gonzalez Lopez. (Deputy Clerk VLK) (Entered: 09/24/2026)

#2

Sep 23, 2026

MOTION for TEMPORARY RESTRAINING ORDER by Yoel Gonzalez Lopez. (Deputy Clerk VLK) (Entered: 09/24/2026)

#3

Sep 23, 2026

MOTION to APPOINT COUNSEL by Yoel Gonzalez Lopez. (Deputy Clerk VLK) (Entered: 09/24/2026)

#4

Sep 24, 2026

DESIGNATION of COUNSEL FOR SERVICE. Added attorney Jonathan Williams, GOVT for Warden, Central Valley Annex Detention Facility (Williams, Jonathan) (Entered: 09/24/2026)

#5

Sep 24, 2026

MINUTE ORDER issued by Relief Courtroom Deputy for District Judge Dale A. Drozd on 9/24/2026: Pending the issuance of the court's order resolving the pending 2 motion for temporary restraining order, the court ORDERS that respondents shall not take any action to remove petitioner from the United States or to move petitioner out of the Eastern District of California. See F.T.C. v. Dean Foods Co., 384 U.S. 597, 604 (1966) (acknowledging the court's express authority under the All Writs Act to issue such temporary injunctions as may be necessary to protect its own jurisdiction). Given the exigent circumstances present, the court finds that this order is warranted to maintain the status quo pending its forthcoming order resolving petitioner's pending 2 motion for temporary restraining order. Further, the court has conducted a preliminary review of the pending motion and petition for writ of habeas corpus and observes that this case may involve core issues that the undersigned has previously addressed in this context. Accordingly, the parties are advised that if the court concludes that petitioner is entitled to the relief that is requested in the pending motion, then the court will also rule on the merits of the underlying petition. See Fed. R. Civ. P. 65(a)(2) ("Before or after beginning the hearing on a motion for a preliminary injunction, the court may advance the trial on the merits and consolidate it with the hearing."); Dzhabrailov v. Decker, No. 20-cv-03118-PMH, 2020 WL 2731966, at *4 (S.D.N.Y. May 26, 2020) (considering the merits of the habeas petition and motion for preliminary injunction simultaneously). Counsel for respondents shall promptly enter Notices of Appearance if they have not already done so. Respondents shall file a written opposition to the pending 2 motion for temporary restraining order by 5:00 PM on Friday, 9/25/2026. In that opposition, respondents shall substantively address whether any provision of law or fact in this case would distinguish it from this court's decisions in Zurita Navarro v. Warden, Cent. Valley Annex Det. Facility, No. 1:26-cv-05661-DAD-SCR (HC), 2026 WL 2294963 (E.D. Cal. Aug. 10, 2026); Ayala Cajina v. Wofford, No. 1:25-cv-01566-DAD-AC (HC), 2025 WL 3251083 (E.D. Cal. Nov. 21, 2025); Perez v. Albarran, No. 1:25-cv-01540-DAD-CSK (HC), 2025 WL 3187578 (E.D. Cal. Nov. 14, 2025); Chavarria v. Chestnut, No. 1:25-cv-01755-DAD-AC, 2025 WL 3533606 (E.D. Cal. Dec. 9, 2025); Yang v. Kaiser, No. 2:25-cv-02205-DAD-AC (HC), 2025 WL 2791778 (E.D. Cal. Aug. 20, 2025); Quichimbo-Jimenez v. Warden, Cal. City Corr. Ctr., 2:26-cv-00739-DAD-EFB (HC), 2026 WL 679378 (E.D. Cal. Mar. 10, 2026); Cardenas v. Chestnut, et al., No. 1:26-cv-02073-DAD-SCR (HC), 2026 WL 785871 (E.D. Cal. Mar. 20, 2026); J.P.C. v. Chestnut, 1:26-cv-02108-DAD-JDP, 2026 WL 788129 (E.D. Cal. Mar. 20, 2026), and other similar cases previously decided by this court, or otherwise indicate that the matter is not substantively distinguishable. The court will construe failure to distinguish the above cited cases as a concession that the cases are not substantively distinguishable. If respondents oppose this court ruling on the underlying petition, then respondents are DIRECTED to indicate so and provide substantive reasons in support thereof in their opposition. Respondents are further directed to include in their opposition the detention authority or authorities identified by or relied upon by the detaining agency at the time of detention as the basis for detention and verifying evidence of the same, which may consist of a declaration from a person with knowledge or documentation of any steps the detaining agency had taken to comply with the procedural requirements of that detention authority or authorities prior to judicial intervention. If respondents' counsel is not aware of the detention authority or authorities identified by the agency at the time of detention, they are directed to so state in their opposition. Respondents are also directed to clearly identify in their opposition the source of any other proposed detention authority, including, for instance, a recent review of the detention's factual circumstances by respondents' counsel. Where a detention authority is relied upon in any opposition filed without specifying its source, the court may presume, based on the court's discussions with respondents' counsel at hearings in prior similar cases, that it is based solely on counsel's recent review of the factual circumstances surrounding the petitioner's detention. (Text Only Entry) (Deputy Clerk RAA) (Entered: 09/24/2026)

Sep 24, 2026

Service by Mail

Sep 24, 2026

Minute Order AND ~Util - 1 Set/Reset Deadlines and Hearings

Sep 24, 2026

SERVICE BY MAIL: 5 Minute Order served on Yoel Gonzalez Lopez. (Deputy Clerk RAA)

#6

Sep 25, 2026

ANSWER (Reply) to 1 Petition for Writ of Habeas Corpus by Warden, Central Valley Annex Detention Facility. (Attachments: # 1 Exhibit A, # 2 Exhibit B) (Williams, Jonathan) Modified on 10/1/2026 (KS). (Entered: 09/25/2026)

#7

Sep 29, 2026

ORDER signed by District Judge Dale A. Drozd on 9/29/2026 GRANTING 1 Petition for Writ of Habeas Corpus as follows: Respondent is ORDERED to IMMEDIATELY RELEASE petitioner Yoel Gonzalez Lopez, A-File No. 240-050-156, from respondent's custody on the same conditions he was subject to prior to his recent re-detention. Respondent is ENJOINED AND RESTRAINED from re-detaining petitioner for any purpose, absent exigent circumstances, without providing petitioner notice and a pre-deprivation bond hearing before an immigration judge at which hearing the government shall bear the burden of justifying petitioner's detention by clear and convincing evidence. Petitioner's 2 motion for temporary restraining order is DENIED as having been rendered moot by this order granting him habeas relief. Petitioner's 3 motion to appoint counsel is DENIED as having been rendered moot by this order granting him habeas relief. The Clerk is also directed to ENTER judgment in favor of petitioner. CASE CLOSED. (cc Central Valley Annex) (Deputy Clerk KEZ) (Entered: 09/29/2026)

#8

Sep 29, 2026

JUDGMENT dated *9/29/2026* pursuant to order signed by District Judge Dale A. Drozd on 9/29/2026 in favor of Petitioner. (Deputy Clerk KEZ) (Entered: 09/29/2026)

Sep 29, 2026

SERVICE BY MAIL: 7 Order and 8 Judgment served on Yoel Gonzalez Lopez. (Deputy Clerk KEZ)

Sep 29, 2026

Service by Mail