Onadia v. City of New York

56 Misc. 3d 309, 44 N.Y.S.3d 882
CourtNew York Supreme Court
DecidedJanuary 9, 2017
StatusPublished

This text of 56 Misc. 3d 309 (Onadia v. City of New York) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering New York Supreme Court primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Onadia v. City of New York, 56 Misc. 3d 309, 44 N.Y.S.3d 882 (N.Y. Super. Ct. 2017).

Opinion

OPINION OF THE COURT

Mitchell J. Danziger, J.

The decision/order of this court is as follows:

Plaintiff moves pursuant to article 9 of the CPLR for an order certifying a class of what plaintiff initially defines in his notice of motion as, “All persons who were held in New York City jails during the limitations period based solely on an Immigration and Customs Enforcement (TCE’) detainer.”1 Plaintiff contends that the “limitations period” referenced in the above proposed class commenced (at the latest) on August 15, 2009 and ended on December 21, 2012. Plaintiff asserts that the class consists of upwards of 9,000 individuals. Before addressing the merits of the instant application, a brief recitation of the facts herein is warranted.

Plaintiff initially commenced this action seeking damages for injuries allegedly sustained by him as a result of his alleged wrongful confinement and false imprisonment by the New York City Department of Correction (DOC). Plaintiff asserts that his [311]*311improper detainment was based upon a civil detainer issued by the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) to the DOC that indicated an investigation had been commenced into plaintiff’s immigration status. The detainer requested that DOC hold plaintiff for 48 hours beyond his scheduled release date on the basis of ICE’s pending investigation. Plaintiff alleges that DOC officials routinely and unlawfully maintained custody of those subject to such ICE detainers well beyond the requested 48 hour period. Additionally, plaintiff asserts that his extended detention, even for the first additional 48 hours beyond his scheduled release date, based solely on the aforementioned detainer, constituted false imprisonment and a violation of his civil rights.

Named plaintiff, Oscar Onadia, was arrested on December 10, 2008 in the City of New York for unlicensed driving. During processing and arraignment, it was discovered that Mr. Onadia had a prior charge of unlicensed driving from April 15, 2008, for which he received a five day sentence which was served at Riker’s Island. Adjusting the sentence for good time credits, Mr. Onadia alleges that his sentence should have expired on December 12, 2008. In addition to the aforementioned five day sentence, bail was set at $1 for the December 10, 2008 unlicensed driving charge. Mr. Onadia served his five day sentence for the prior charge and upon completion, Mr. Onadia attempted to pay his $1 bail. However, the bail was allegedly refused by DOC officials on the basis that an ICE detainer was received. The said detainer was labeled “Form 1-247 (Rev. 4-l-97)N” (hereinafter Mr. Onadia’s detainer). Mr. Onadia’s detainer, in relevant part, stated: ‘YOU ARE ADVISED THAT THE ACTION BELOW HAS BEEN TAKEN BY THIS SERVICE CONCERNING THE ABOVE NAMED INMATE OF YOUR INSTITUTION.” Mr. Onadia’s detainer had an “x” marked in the box indicating that an “Investigation has been initiated to determine whether this person is subject to deportation from the U.S.” The next section of Mr. Onadia’s detainer is entitled “IS [sic] REQUESTED THAT YOU ... Accept this notice as a detainer. This is for notification purposes only and does not limit your discretion in any decision affecting the offender’s classification, work and quarters assignments, or other treatment which he would otherwise receive.” Mr. Onadia’s detainer also provided, “Federal Regulations (8 CFR 287.2) require that you detain the alien for a period not to exceed 48 hours (excluding Saturdays, Sundays and Federal [312]*312Holidays) to provide adequate time for Immigration to assume custody of the alien.”

Based on the detainer, Mr. Onadia’s bail was not accepted by the DOC until January 15, 2009. Notwithstanding, the DOC allegedly refused to release Mr. Onadia from custody until January 23, 2009, 42 days after his original sentence allegedly expired.

Mr. Onadia’s second amended complaint sets forth class action allegations on behalf of “all persons who have been the subject of an ICE detainer and who have been unlawfully detained in connection with said ICE detainer in NYC jails for more than 48 hours after all other conditions for their release have been satisfied.” The second amended complaint asserts the following causes of action on behalf of Mr. Onadia, and on behalf of the purported class: state and federal causes of action for false imprisonment; deprivations of federal rights pursuant to 42 USC § 1983; negligence; negligent hiring, screening, retention, supervision and training; gross negligence; violation of article I, § 6 of the New York State Constitution; and irreparable harm. The court notes that the second amended complaint, dated November 3, 2012, was the first time plaintiff asserted causes of action on behalf of the purported class. The motion to amend the first amended complaint to include the class causes of action was made on August 15, 2009. After the exchange of discovery, Mr. Onadia moved to certify the class in accordance with a so-ordered stipulation that extended his time to move for class certification.

As more fully expanded upon below, the original definition of the class set forth in Mr. Onadia’s notice of motion has been refined so as to set class parameters as follows:

“All persons who were detained by the New York City Department of Correction, during the limitations period, beyond the individual’s scheduled release date, despite all other conditions for the person’s release being satisfied, and based solely on a detainer issued by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (‘ICE’) prior to December 21, 2012 that either (1) indicated that an investigation had been commenced by ICE, or (2) failed to indicate a reason for continued detention (i.e. no boxes checked on the detainer form).”

Summary of Evolving Law Regarding Civil Detainers

In October 2011, the New York City Council Committee on Immigration held a hearing on introductory bill No. 656, a lo[313]*313cal law to amend the Administrative Code of the City of New York to limit DOC detentions based on ICE detainers. The Committee found that, “although there is no agreement obligating [the DOC] to do so, [DOC] cooperates with the [ICE] Criminal Alien Program (‘CAP’) by: . . . honoring immigration de-tainers issued by ICE for up to 48 hours.” The Committee further found that “[a] civil immigration detainer is a ‘request’ to a law enforcement agency to detain a named individual for 48 hours after that person would otherwise be released ... in order to provide ICE an opportunity to assume custody of that individual” (Committee Report, NY City Council, Committee on Immigration, Governmental Affairs Division [annexed as exhibit 2 to plaintiff’s attorney’s affirmation in support of motion]). Ultimately the Committee determined that cooperation between ICE and DOC should not be supported and expressed its intent to limit said cooperation by creating a category of persons who could not be detained based on ICE detainers.

Consequently, chapter 1, title 9 of the Administrative Code of the City of New York was amended by adding a new section numbered 9-131 and titled “Persons not be detained.” Section 9-131 (b) provides as follows:

“Prohibition on honoring a civil immigration detainer. 1.

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Bluebook (online)
56 Misc. 3d 309, 44 N.Y.S.3d 882, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/onadia-v-city-of-new-york-nysupct-2017.