Gurpreet Singh v. Warden, et al.

District Court, E.D. California·Decided April 7, 2026·No. 1:26-cv-01775·Unknown

Opinion

GURPREET SINGH, Case No. 1:26-cv-01775-JLT-CDB (HC) Petitioner, FINDINGS AND RECOMMENDATIONS TO GRANT PETITION FOR WRIT OF HABEAS v. CORPUS (A-Number 072 678 097)

WARDEN, et al., (Doc. 1)

Respondents. FINDINGS AND RECOMMENDATIONS TO DENY RESPONDENTS’ MOTION TO

(Doc. 7)

7-Day Objection Period Petitioner Gurpreet Singh, a federal immigration detainee, initiated this action on March 4, 2026, with the filing of a petition for writ of habeas corpus under 28 U.S.C. § 2241. (Doc. 1). Petitioner is in custody the of Immigration and Customs Enforcement (“ICE”) at the Golden State Annex facility, located in McFarland, California. Id. ¶ 9. Respondents are: the unnamed Warden of the Golden State Annex facility; Kristi Noem, Secretary of Homeland Security; Pamela Bondi, United States Attorney General; the Department of Homeland Security (“DHS”); and ICE. See id. On March 4, 2026, Petitioner filed a motion for temporary restraining order (“TRO”). (Doc. 2). On March 5, 2026, the assigned district judge denied the TRO motion, noting that Petitioner has been detained since September 3, 2025, and does not explain his delay in seeking the TRO or why the Court should consider the situation as an emergency. (Doc. 4). The district judge referred the petition to the undersigned for further proceedings. Id. On March 16, 2026, Respondents filed their answer to the petition (Doc. 8) and a motion to dismiss certain Respondents (Doc. 7). For the reasons set forth herein, the undersigned recommends that Petitioner’s petition for writ of habeas corpus be granted and Respondent’s motion to dismiss be denied. I. Relevant Background The background that follows is drawn from Petitioner’s allegations (Doc. 1) and the declaration of Mayra Gallenkamp, a Department of Homeland Security (“DHS”) deportation officer. (Doc. 8-1). Petitioner did not file a traverse or otherwise contest Ms. Gallenkamp’s declaration. Petitioner is a native and citizen of India who entered the United States without inspection on May 1, 1993. (Doc. 1 ¶ 39; Doc. 8-1 ¶ 1). The former United States Immigration and Nationality Services (“USINS”) placed Petitioner into deportation proceedings on June 27, 1994, by filing a form I-221, Order to Show Cause and Notice of Hearing, charging Petitioner as subject to deportation under the Immigration and Nationality Act (“INA”). (Doc. 8-1 ¶ 2; Ex. 1). On June 10, 1996, an immigration judge ordered Petitioner deported in absentia. Id. ¶ 3; Ex. 2. On October 25, 1997, Petitioner was arrested by the San Francisco Police Department for driving with a suspended license and, on March 1, 1999, was convicted and fined. Id. ¶ 4; Exs. 3, 4. On February 1, 1999, Petitioner was arrested by the Oakland Police Department for driving under the influence. Id. ¶ 5; Ex. 4. On October 7, 2000, Petitioner was arrested by the Sacramento Police Department for driving under the influence and with a suspended license. On December 12, 2000, he was convicted of driving under the influence with priors and sentenced to 180 days in jail and four years’ probation. Id. ¶ 6; Exs. 3, 4. On February 2, 2010, Petitioner was arrested by immigration officials pursuant to his final order of removal. Id. ¶ 7. On August 9, 2010, Petitioner was released from custody and, on December 26, 2012, he was placed by immigration authorities under an order of supervision and enrolled in an Alternatives to Detention program. Id. ¶ 8; Ex. 5. On April 12, 2018, Petitioner was arrested by the La Palma Police Department for driving under the influence and, on May 31, 2018, he was convicted. Id. ¶ 9; Exs. 3, 4. On September 3, 2025, DHS officers served Petitioner with a Notice of Revocation of Release and took him into custody pursuant to his final order of removal. Id. ¶ Exs. 6, 7, 8. DHS requested travel documents from the Indian consulate in September 2025. Id. ¶ 11. Petitioner was interviewed by the Indian consulate regarding the travel documents in January 2026. Id. ¶ 12. On February 16, 2026, the Republic of India Ministry of External Affairs sent a note verbale to the United States Embassy in New Delhi, India, failing to issue travel documents and claiming Petitioner is not an Indian national. Id. ¶ 13. On February 18, 2026, DHS served Petitioner with a notice of Decision to Continue Detention. Id. ¶ 14; Ex. 9. On February 27, 2026, ICE sent Petitioner’s birth certificate to the Republic of India Ministry of External Affairs as proof of Petitioner’s citizenship/nationality, and asked them to reconsider the denial of travel documents. The response remains pending. Id. ¶ 15; Ex. 10. Respondents assert that, once travel documents are provided, Petitioner’s removal can be scheduled. Id. ¶ 16. The Court also takes judicial notice that an immigration judge ordered Petitioner’s deportation on June 10, 1996.1 II. Governing Authority A. The Writ of Habeas Corpus Writ of habeas corpus relief extends to a person in custody under the authority of the United States. See 28 U.S.C. § 2241. A district court considering an application for a writ of habeas corpus shall “award the writ or issue an order directing the respondent to show cause why the writ should not be granted, unless it appears from the application that the applicant or person detained is not entitled thereto.” 28 U.S.C. § 2243. B. Due Process “The Due Process Clause of the Fifth Amendment mandates that ‘[n]o person shall ... be 1 See https://acis.eoir.justice.gov/en/caseInformation (last visited Apr. 2, 2026, using Petitioner’s A- Number and nationality); Daniels-Hall v. National Edu. Ass'n, 629 F.3d 992, 998-99 (9th Cir. 2010) (“It is appropriate to take judicial notice of this information, as it was made publicly available by government entities ... and neither party disputes the authenticity of the web sites or the accuracy of the information displayed [ ] therein.”); Argueta v. Walgreens Co., 760 F. Supp. 3d 1028, 1034 (E.D. Cal. 2024) (taking judicial notice of information on federal government agency’s website). deprived of life, liberty, or property, without due process of law.’” United States v. Quintero, 995 F.3d 1044, 1051 (9th Cir. 2021) (citing U.S. Const. amend. V). “The Due Process Clause ‘protects individuals against two types of government action’: violations of substantive due process and procedural due process.” Id. (citing United States v. Salerno, 481 U.S. 739, 746 (1987)). “Procedural due process imposes constraints on governmental decisions which deprive individuals of ‘liberty’ or ‘property’ interests within the meaning of the Due Process Clause of the Fifth … Amendment.” Mathews v. Eldridge, 424 U.S. 319, 333 (1976). “[F]reedom from imprisonment—from government custody, detention, or other forms of physical restraint—lies at the heart of the liberty that Clause protects.” Zadvydas v. Davis, 533 U.S. 678, 690 (2001). “Procedural due process requires that, even where a deprivation of liberty survives substantive due process scrutiny, the action ‘be implemented in a fair manner.’” Quintero, 995 F.3d at 1051-52 (citing Salerno, 481 U.S. at 746). “The ‘right to be heard before being condemned to suffer grievous loss of any kind, even though it may not involve the stigma and hardships of a criminal conviction, is a principle basic to our society.’” Mathews, 424 U.S. at 902 (citation omitted). “The fundamental requireme

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