Muhammad Zeeshan v. Todd Blanche, et al.

Opinion

1 2 UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT DISTRICT OF NEVADA 3 4 Muhammad Zeeshan, Case No. 2:25-cv-02613-CDS-DJA

5 Petitioner Order Granting Petitioner’s Emergency Motion to Enforce 6 v.

7 Todd Blanche, et al., [ECF No. 15]

8 Respondents

9 10 On February 19, 2026, this court granted petitioner Muhammad Zeeshan’s amended 11 petition and ordered his immediate release from ICE custody. Order, ECF No. 13. Accordingly, 12 the respondents released Zeeshan the next day. Mot., ECF No. 15 at 2. During his second check- 13 in with ICE thereafter, he was placed into ICE custody purportedly for his imminent removal. Id. 14 The respondents provided a removal flight itinerary showing a flight leaving John F. Kennedy 15 airport on June 17th and arriving in Pakistan on June 18th. Id. On counsel’s information and 16 belief, Zeeshan was transported to the airport but not placed on the removal flight; rather, he 17 was returned to immigration detention, where he spent the night of June 17th. Id. Now, Zeeshan 18 moves on an emergency basis for his immediate release, as he is being re-detained with no 19 significant likelihood of removal in the reasonably foreseeable future—the same ground 20 supporting this court’s grant of habeas relief—and the government seeks to remove him to a 21 third country without notice or an opportunity to be heard. ECF No. 15. 22 I grant Zeeshan’s emergency motion, exercising the inherent authority that district 23 courts have to enforce the terms of their mandates. See Cahill v. Insider Inc., 131 F.4th 933, 938 (9th 24 Cir. 2025). Indeed, this court has already ordered Zeeshan to be released from ICE custody 25 because there is no significant likelihood of his removal in the reasonably foreseeable future. See 26 Order, ECF No. 13. As such, for the same reasons set forth in my prior order, Zeeshan’s detention 1] is unlawful. It is also unlawful because immigration detainees are entitled to notice and an 2|| opportunity to be heard on their purported third-country removal. See Trump v. ].G.G., 604 U.S. 670, 673 (2025) 4 IT IS THEREFORE ORDERED that Zeeshan’s emergency motion [ECF No. 15] is 5|| GRANTED. The respondents must release Zeeshan within twenty-four hours of this order’s 6|| entry. Zeeshan is to be released from custody and given a notice to appear for a hearing before an 7|| immigration judge so he can be heard on the third-country removal and placed on an order of 8|| supervision consistent with 8 C.F.R. § 241.13(3). 9 IT IS FURTHER ORDERED that the respondents must respond to Zeeshan’s emergency 10]| motion and provide to the court all documentation and notice given to Zeeshan regarding his 11]| proposed third-country removal to Pakistan by June 27, 2026. 12 IT IS FURTHER ORDERED that the parties must file a joint status report no later than 13||July 2, 2026, advising the status of compliance with this order. The*Sjatus report must also 14|| include the parties’ position regarding whether this mei open or can be closed. 15 Dated: June 18, 2026 16 kk 17 Efe a 8 States District Judge 19 [ 20 21 22 23 24 25 26