Brissett v. Decker

324 F. Supp. 3d 444
CourtDistrict Court, S.D. Illinois
DecidedAugust 16, 2018
DocketNo. 18-CV-2831-LTS
StatusPublished
Cited by31 cases

This text of 324 F. Supp. 3d 444 (Brissett v. Decker) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering District Court, S.D. Illinois primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Brissett v. Decker, 324 F. Supp. 3d 444 (S.D. Ill. 2018).

Opinion

LAURA TAYLOR SWAIN, United States District Judge

Petitioner Paul Anthony Brissett ("Brissett" or "Petitioner"), who has been detained without a bond hearing by the United States Department of Homeland Security ("DHS" or "the Government") since November 1, 2017, in connection with removal proceedings, seeks a writ of habeas corpus pursuant to 28 U.S.C. § 2241. Brissett has been detained pursuant to the Immigration and Nationality Act ("INA"), 8 U.S.C. § 1225(b), which mandates the detention of certain aliens seeking to enter the country. Brissett seeks (i) immediate release or an order requiring an individualized bond hearing during which the Government would be required to prove the necessity of his continued detention, and (ii) an injunction barring Respondents from transferring him outside the jurisdiction of the New York Field Office pending the resolution of this case. Brissett also seeks costs and reasonable attorneys' fees pursuant to the Equal Access to Justice Act ("EAJA"), 28 U.S.C. § 2412.

The Court has jurisdiction of this petition pursuant to 28 U.S.C. §§ 1331 and 2241.

The Court has considered thoroughly the record, including Brissett's petition and accompanying exhibits (Docket Entry No. 1, "Petition"), Respondents' memorandum in opposition to the Petition and accompanying papers (Docket Entry Nos. 13, 14, and 15), and Brissett's reply memorandum and accompanying exhibits (Docket Entry No. 16).

For the following reasons, Brissett's Petition is granted to the extent that the Court finds that Petitioner is entitled to an individualized bond hearing in which the Government bears the burden of proving *448by clear and convincing evidence that Petitioner poses a risk of flight or a danger to the community. Respondents are directed to provide Petitioner such a bond hearing within 14 days of this Opinion and Order. Respondents are also prohibited from transferring Petitioner outside the jurisdiction of the New York Field Office pending the hearing and determination of the bond proceeding. The Petition is denied in all other respects.

BACKGROUND

The following summary of the pertinent facts of this case is drawn from the Petition unless otherwise indicated. Brissett is a citizen of Jamaica and has been a lawful permanent resident ("LPR") of the United States since 2010. (Petition ¶ 1.) Brissett has strong family ties in the United States: he has been married to a United States citizen for 19 years, he has one daughter who is a United States citizen, and he has two sons who, like him, are LPRs. (Id. )

On October 28, 2017, Brissett and his wife traveled to Jamaica for a friend's wedding. (Id. ¶ 2.) When they returned on October 31, 2017, Brissett was detained at John F. Kennedy International Airport after presenting a valid Jamaican passport and United States Lawful Permanent Resident Card. (Id. ) On November 1, 2017, the DHS issued a Notice to Appear, charging Brissett with three counts of inadmissibility based on an April 2016 state drug-related felony conviction. (Id. ¶¶ 3, 29; Docket Entry No. 13-2.) Brissett had spent no time in prison for the narcotics offense; he was sentenced to 18 months of probation. (Id. ¶¶ 28, 41) Brissett has been detained at the Bergen County Jail since the Government instituted removal proceedings against him on November 1, 2017. (Id. ¶ 8.)

Four "master calendar hearings" have been held in Brissett's case since his initial detention, but he has not received a bond hearing. (See Docket Entry No. 14, "Zabbia Decl.") Brissett's first master calendar hearing took place on December 27, 2017. (Zabbia Decl. ¶ 13.) At this hearing, the Immigration Judge adjourned the case to January 30, 2018, for a master calendar hearing on "pleadings." (Id. ) On January 11, 2018, Brissett propounded a Freedom of Information Act ("FOIA") request to the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services ("USCIS"). (Zabbia Decl. ¶ 14.) At the January 30, 2018, hearing, Brissett denied DHS' charges of removability and moved to terminate the removal proceedings pursuant to 8 C.F.R. Section 1240.12(c). (Petition ¶¶ 5 n.1, 8; Docket Entry No. 16-2.) The Immigration Judge adjourned the case to a third master calendar hearing on February 27, 2018, for "applications for relief from removal." (Zabbia Decl. ¶ 15.) Brissett appeared at the February 27, 2018, hearing, but DHS "indicated that it had been unable to brief the ... 8 U.S.C. § 1182(a)(2)(A)(i)(I) CIMT charge" because it had sent Brissett's administrative file to USCIS to respond to Brissett's FOIA request. (Id. ¶¶ 14, 18.) As a result, the Immigration Judge adjourned the case to a fourth master calendar hearing on March 29, 2018. (Id. ¶ 18.) On March 29, 2018, Brissett applied for cancellation of removal pursuant to INA Section 240A. (Docket Entry No. 16-7.) The March 29, 2018, hearing was rescheduled to March 30, 2018, and again rescheduled to June 5, 2018, because the Immigration Judge was not available to hear Brissett's case on March 30, 2018. (Zabbia Decl. ¶ 21.) Brissett then successfully moved to expedite the June 5, 2018, hearing to May 10, 2018. (Id. ¶¶ 22, 23.) On May 10, 2018, the Immigration Judge adjourned the case to August 23, 2018, for a merits hearing on Brissett's application for cancellation of removal. (Id. ¶ 23.) Brissett's counsel asserts that "Mr. Brissett's hearing may very likely continue after [the August 23, 2018] hearing date" due to "the crowded dockets at the Varick Street Immigration *449Court." (Docket Entry No. 17 at 1.)

DISCUSSION

Section 2241 of Title 28 of the United States Code"authorizes a district court to grant a writ of habeas corpus whenever a petitioner is 'in custody in violation of the Constitution or laws or treaties of the United States.' " Wang v. Ashcroft, 320 F.3d 130, 140 (2d Cir. 2003) (quoting 28 U.S.C. § 2241(c)(3) ).

Brissett's Due Process Claim

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Bluebook (online)
324 F. Supp. 3d 444, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/brissett-v-decker-ilsd-2018.