Muzumala v. Mayorkas

CourtDistrict Court, S.D. New York
DecidedJuly 22, 2022
Docket1:22-cv-03789
StatusUnknown

This text of Muzumala v. Mayorkas (Muzumala v. Mayorkas) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering District Court, S.D. New York primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Muzumala v. Mayorkas, (S.D.N.Y. 2022).

Opinion

UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT SOUTHERN DISTRICT OF NEW YORE JOSHUA MUZUMALA, Plaintiff, -against- DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITY SECRETARY ALEJANDRO MAYORKAS; 22-CV-3789 (JGK)

ENFORCEMENT; IMMIGRATION AND CUSTOMS ENFORCEMENT DIRECTOR TAE JOHNSON; FEDERAL BUREAU OF ---]NVESTIGATION, > Defendants. JOHN G. KOELTL, United States District Judge: Plaintiff Joshua Muzumala, who is appearing pro se, brings this action under the Freedom of Information Act (FOTA), 5 U.S.C. § 552, et seg., alleging that government agencies failed to respond adequately to his document requests. The Plaintiff also asserts claims under 6 U.S.C. § 345, 28 U.S.C. § 2201, 42 U.S.C. § 2000ee-1, and 18 U.S.C. § 242, alleging that the Defendants conspired to violate his constitutional rights. By order dated June 3, 2022, the Court granted Plaintiffs request to proceed in forma pauperis (IFP), that is, without prepayment of fees. The Plaintiff moves for pro bono counsel and for an order of service. STANDARD OF REVIEW The Court must dismiss an IFP complaint, or any portion of the complaint, that is frivolous or malicious, fails to state a claim on which relief may be granted, or seeks monetary relief from a defendant who is immune from such relief. 28 U.S.C. § 1915(e}(2)(B); see Livingston v. Adirondack Beverage Co., 141 F.3d 434, 437 (2d Cir. 1998). The Court must also

dismiss a complaint when the Court lacks subject matter jurisdiction of the claims raised. See Fed. R. Civ. P. 12(h)(3). While the law mandates dismissal on any of these grounds, the Court is obliged to construe pro se pleadings liberally, Harris v. Mills, 572 F.3d 66, 72 (2d Cir. 2009), and interpret them to raise the “strongest [claims] that they suggest,” Triestman y. Fed. Bureau of Prisons, 470 F.3d 471, 474 (2d Cir, 2006).! But the “special solicitude” in pro se cases, id, at 475 (citation omitted), has its limits — to state a claim, pro se pleadings still must comply with Rule 8 of the Federal Rules of Civil Procedure, which requires a complaint to make a short and plain statement “Showing thatthe □□□□□□□□□□□□□□□□□□□□□□□□□ Rule 8 of the Federal Rules of Civil Procedure requires a complaint to include enough facts to state a claim for relief “that is plausible on its face.” Bell Atl. Corp. v. Twombly, 550 U.S. 544, 570 (2007). A claim is facially plausible if the plaintiff pleads enough factual detail to allow the Court to draw the inference that the defendant is liable for the alleged misconduct. In reviewing the complaint, the Court must accept all well-pleaded factual allegations as true. Ashcroft v. Igbal, 556 U.S. 662, 678-79 (2009). But it does not have to accept as true “formulaic recita[ls] of the elements of a cause of action,” which are essentially just legal conclusions. ~pwombly, 550 U'S. at 555, After separating legal conclusions from well-pleaded factual =

allegations, the Court must determine whether those facts make it plausible — not merely possible —- that the pleader is entitled to relief. Id. at 545.

1 Unless otherwise specified, this Order omits all internal alterations, citations, footnotes, and quotation marks in quoted text.

BACKGROUND The Plaintiff filed this action against the United States Department of Homeland Security (DHS); DHS Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas in his official capacity; United States Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE); ICE Director Tae Johnson in his official capacity; and the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI). Following is a summary of the facts drawn from the Plaintiff’s second amended complaint,’ which is, with attachments, more than 130 pages long and contains 195 numbered paragraphs. (ECF 9.) The Plaintiff, who identifies himself as being “of African descent,” moved to the United —~ “Sates in 2006. He is “an academic” and a certified public accountant. (Id. 5.)In 2019, the Plaintiff moved to New Paltz, New York, to enroll at the state university. (Id. { 6.) At the time, the Plaintiff’s application for permanent residency was pending with the United States Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS). (Id. {] 9.) The Plaintiff moved into an apartment complex called New Paltz Gardens, and a couple that lived there exhibited “severe xenophobia” and “racial animus.” (Id. {f 6-7.) The property manager moved the Plaintiff to a different apartment within the complex, but the harassment continued. (Id. { 8.) In April 2020, the Plaintiff started to hear neighbors “talk about [his] immigration status.” (Id, [¥ 8.) The couple “involved” man “who sounded as if he was from law enforcement, most likely including but not limited to immigration enforcement.” (Id. □ 9.) On September 15, 2020, the Plaintiff moved to Poughkeepsie, New York, but the couple from New Paltz became “active proxies working alongside the government agent,” and started accusing him of crimes that could lead to his deportation, According to the Plaintiff, the agent

2 While this matter was pending before Chief Judge Swain, the Plaintiff twice amended his pleading of his own accord. Thereafter, the matter was reassigned to my docket.

“sainfed] access to adjacent apartments, and from there surveilled” the Plaintiff. id. {[] 10-11.) On December 30, 2020, the Plaintiff moved to Brooklyn, but the couple and the agent continued

to track him. (Id. 13-14.) On May 21, 2021, the Plaintiffs petition for permanent residency was approved, but the Plaintiff heard people “from the room above” say, “we will keep doing this until we run him out of the country.” (id. § 16) On June 26, 2021, the Plaintiff moved to New Orleans to enroll in a different academic

program, but the couple and agent followed him there. (Id. 9 20-22.) Beginning in August 2021, when the Plaintiff showered, “he would experience irritation in his throat and his eyes, and the ~~ apartment would smell a little strange,” and he believes he was “getting gassed with some type of irritant gas” similar to what occurred in the “Nazi era concentration camps.” The Plaintiff also believed that “x-rays (or something to that nature)” were being directed towards him, possibly via “through-the-wall surveillance” and “through the body” technologies, resulting in muitiple physical ailments. (id. {J 24-28.) On November 10, 2021, the Plaintiff returned to New York. (Id.

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