Odin Nordheim v. EOIR, et al.

CourtDistrict Court, N.D. California
DecidedDecember 12, 2025
Docket3:25-cv-08649
StatusUnknown

This text of Odin Nordheim v. EOIR, et al. (Odin Nordheim v. EOIR, et al.) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering District Court, N.D. California primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Odin Nordheim v. EOIR, et al., (N.D. Cal. 2025).

Opinion

1 2 3 4 UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT 5 NORTHERN DISTRICT OF CALIFORNIA 6 7 ODIN NORDHEIM, Pro Se Case No. 25-cv-08649-TLT

8 Plaintiff, ORDER SCREENING AND 9 v. DISMISSING THIRD AMENDED COMPLAINT FOR LACK OF 10 EOIR, et al., SUBJECT MATTER JURISDICTION 11 Defendants. Re: Dkt. Nos. 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34

12 13 Self-represented litigant Odin Nordheim (“Plaintiff”) seeks a writ of mandamus regarding 14 adjudication of his asylum application by the immigration court. His second and third amended 15 complaint are now subject to 28 U.S.C. § 1915 screening. The operative complaint challenges the 16 immigration court’s scheduling decisions. Because the Court lacks subject matter jurisdiction 17 over claims arising from removal proceedings, Plaintiff’s complaint is dismissed with prejudice. 18 Before the Court is Plaintiff’s second amended complaint (“SAC”), ECF 28, third 19 amended complaint (“TAC”), ECF 30, first motion to expedite, ECF 29, second motion to 20 expedite, ECF 32, motion for miscellaneous relief, ECF 31, motion for reconsideration, ECF 33, 21 and motion to appear in person at the case management conference, ECF 44. 22 After review of Plaintiff’s amended complaints and pending motions, the relevant legal 23 authority, and for the reasons stated below, the Court DISMISSES as MOOT Plaintiff’s SAC and 24 SCREENS and DISMISSES WITH PREJUDICE Plaintiff’s TAC for lack of subject matter 25 jurisdiction. Because the Court lacks jurisdiction over Plaintiff’s claims concerning the timing of 26 his removal proceedings, the Court DENIES all pending motions. 27 I. BACKGROUND 1 Immigration Services ) (“USCIS”). See Nordheim v. USCIS, No. 25-cv-4701 at ECF 45, 49. On 2 July 30, 2025, Plaintiff’s application was referred from USCIS to the Executive Office of 3 Immigration Review (“EOIR”) to be adjudicated in removal proceedings. Id. EOIR now has 4 jurisdiction over plaintiff’s asylum application and other immigration benefits. Id. at ECF 45 at 6. 5 Plaintiff filed his original complaint against EOIR on October 9, 2025. ECF 1. Plaintiff 6 alleged unreasonable delay of his asylum application and sought a writ of mandamus. Id. 7 Specifically, Plaintiff requested an order compelling EOIR to re-schedule his merits hearing and 8 promptly adjudicate his asylum application. ECF 1. Plaintiff brought claims under the 9 Administrative Procedures Act (“APA”), 5 U.S.C. § 706(1), the Mandamus Act, 28 U.S.C. § 10 1361, and the Due Process Clause of the Fifth Amendment. Id. at 2. 11 On November 4, 2025, Magistrate Judge Joseph C. Spero recommended dismissal of 12 Plaintiff’s complaint with leave to amend to name the Federal officer defendants responsible for 13 Plaintiff’s asylum application. ECF 8. Plaintiff filed an opposition. ECF 9. On November 20, 14 2025, the Court adopted in part the report and recommendation and dismissed Plaintiff’s 15 complaint. ECF 22. The Court ordered Plaintiff to “amend the complaint to name the Federal 16 officer(s) who would be responsible for complying with the requested mandamus relief.” ECF 22 17 at 4–5. Plaintiff was “not granted leave to add new claims.” Id. at 6. 18 On November 21, 2025, Plaintiff filed a first amended complaint (“FAC”). ECF 26. The 19 FAC no longer alleged unreasonable delay regarding Plaintiff’s asylum application or removal 20 proceedings. See generally ECF 26. Instead, the FAC sought an order “requiring EOIR to . . . 21 ensure transparent, timely access to case materials” and “respond lawfully to FOIA requests.” 22 ECF 26 at 4–5. Plaintiff named EOIR as the only Defendant. Id. Plaintiff also filed a motion for 23 a temporary restraining order (“TRO”) related to his FOIA request. ECF 25 at 2. The TRO 24 expressly did not “seek adjudication of immigration benefits.” Id. 25 On November 21, 2025, the Court screened and dismissed the FAC. ECF 26. Plaintiff 26 failed to name the proper federal defendants for his immigration mandamus claims and added new 27 claims in violation of the Court’s order. Id. at 5–6. The Court denied Plaintiff’s TRO for failure 1 6. Plaintiff was granted leave to amend “a second and final time to name the proper Federal 2 officer Defendants with respect to his request for a writ of mandamus regarding his immigration 3 benefits.” Id. at 9. The Court did not grant Plaintiff leave to add new claims. Id. The Court 4 ordered Plaintiff to file a SAC by December 4, 2025 and serve the proper Defendants by 5 December 19, 2025. Id. 6 On November 21, 2025, Plaintiff filed a SAC. ECF 28. Plaintiff removed the FOIA 7 claims and sealing requests. See id. Plaintiff re-asserted his immigration mandamus request and 8 the allegations from his original complaint, which averred “unreasonable delay” of his asylum 9 application. Id. at 2–4. The SAC also followed Magistrate Judge Spero’s directive and named the 10 Federal officers associated with his request for mandamus. Id. at 1. 11 On November 24, 2025, Plaintiff requested (1) expedited consideration of pending motions 12 “that control access to the record (ECF 23 and 24),” (2) expedited screening of the SAC, (3) an 13 abbreviated briefing schedule, and (4) an early case management conference. ECF 29 at 9. 14 On November 28, 2025, Plaintiff filed a TAC. ECF 30. In the TAC, Plaintiff re-asserts 15 his immigration mandamus request under the APA, Mandamus Act, and Due Process Clause. Id. 16 at 1–11. The TAC names as Defendants: (1) EOIR; (2) Attorney General of the United States; (2) 17 Director, EOIR; (2) Chief Immigration Judge, EOIR; (3) Assistant Chief Immigration Judge, San 18 Francisco Immigration Court; (4) Secretary of DHS; (5) Director, ICE, San Francisco Field 19 Office. ECF 30 at 1. Plaintiff seeks a declaration that Defendants unreasonably delayed 20 adjudication of his asylum application by delaying his removal proceedings. Id. Plaintiff also 21 seeks an order compelling EOIR to expedite Plaintiff’s immigration court dates and thus, 22 adjudication of his asylum application. Id. 23 Also on November 28, 2025, Plaintiff filed a “motion for miscellaneous relief” and 24 “request for service by United States Marshal.” ECF 31. Plaintiff, who is proceeding pro se and 25 in forma pauperis, requests that the Court direct the U.S. Marshal to “effect service of the Third 26 Amended Complaint and summons.” Id. at 1. 27 Also on November 28, 2025, Plaintiff filed a second motion to shorten time. ECF 32. 1 motions for injunctive relief challenging EOIR’s delay in scheduling and adjudicating Plaintiff’s 2 removal proceedings” and (2) “an expedited briefing schedule and hearing date for Plaintiff’s 3 renewed motion for preliminary injunction and any related motions.” ECF 32 at 9. 4 On December 8, 2025, Plaintiff filed a motion to reconsider the Court’s order dismissing 5 Plaintiff’s original complaint, ECF 22. ECF 33. Plaintiff did not file a motion for leave to file a 6 motion to reconsider pursuant to Civ. L.R. 7-9(a). 7 On December 12, 2025, Plaintiff filed an administrative motion for leave to appear in 8 person at the initial case management conference. ECF 34. 9 II. LEGAL STANDARDS 10 A. Screening Pursuant to 28 U.S.C. § 1915(e)(2) 11 The in forma pauperis statute provides that the Court shall dismiss the case if at any time 12 the Court determines that the allegation of poverty is untrue, or that the action (1) is frivolous or 13 malicious, (2) fails to state a claim on which relief may be granted; or (3) seeks monetary relief 14 against a defendant who is immune from such relief. 28 U.S.C.

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Bluebook (online)
Odin Nordheim v. EOIR, et al., Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/odin-nordheim-v-eoir-et-al-cand-2025.