Samiullah Ahmadi v. Moises Becerra, et al.

District Court, E.D. California·Decided February 5, 2026·No. 1:25-cv-01044·Unknown

Opinion

SAMIULLAH AHMADI, Case No. 1:25-cv-01044-CDB (HC)

Petitioner, FINDINGS AND RECOMMENDATIONS TO GRANT PETITIONER’S MOTION FOR v. TEMPORARY RESTRAINING ORDER MOISES BECERRA, et al., (Doc. 9) Respondents. 7-Day Objection Period

Clerk of the Court to Assign District Judge

Petitioner Samiullah Ahmadi (“Petitioner”) initiated this action with the filing of a petition for writ of habeas corpus pursuant to 28 U.S.C. § 2241 on August 18, 2025, in which he challenges his detention by immigration authorities on statutory and constitutional grounds. (Doc. 1). Respondents are Moises Becerra (Acting Field Office Director of San Francisco Office of Detention and Removal of Immigration and Customs Enforcement (“ICE”)), Todd M. Lyons (Acting Director of ICE), Kristi Noem (in her official capacity as Secretary of the Department of Homeland Security (“DHS”)), Pam Bondi (in her official capacity as Attorney General of the United States), and Tonya Andrews (Facility Administrator at Golden State Annex) (collectively, “Respondents”). They timely responded to the petition (Doc. 7) and Petitioner replied (Doc. 8). Pending before the undersigned is Petitioner’s motion for temporary restraining order (“TRO”), filed on February 3, 2026. (Doc. 9). On February 4, 2026, Respondents timely filed an opposition to the motion for TRO. (Doc. 11). Although the face of Petitioner’s motion requests a hearing (Doc. 9-1 at 1), considering the exigency of Petitioner’s request for emergency injunctive relief, the undersigned finds it appropriate to deem the motion submitted for decision without hearing or oral argument. See Local Rule 230(g). For the reasons set forth herein, the undersigned recommends that Petitioner’s motion for TRO be granted. I. Relevant Background A. Factual Background1 Petitioner, a 29-year-old man and citizen of Afghanistan, fled Afghanistan from fear of persecution and the Taliban and entered the United States near San Diego, California, on September 24, 2023, without inspection, admission, parole, valid entry documents or a visa. (Doc. 1 ¶¶ 1, 5, 17, 28); (Doc. 7 at 2); (Doc. 7-1, Declaration of Deportation Officer Alejandro Parra (“Parra Decl.”) ¶¶ 5-6); (Doc. 9-1 at 2). Upon his arrival, Petitioner was apprehended and placed into removal proceedings. Parra Decl. ¶ 8. That same day, U.S. Customs and Border Protection (“CBP”) issued Petitioner a Notice to Appear (“NTA”) pursuant to section 240 of the Immigration and Nationality Act (“INA”) and released Petitioner on his own recognizance with regular ICE check-ins since he was determined to present neither a flight risk nor a danger to the community. (Doc. 1 ¶ 28); (Doc. 7-1 at 7, Ex. 1) (Form I-213, Record of Deportable/Inadmissible Alien, dated July 18, 2025). Although Petitioner was issued and served a NTA, the NTA was not filed timely in immigration court within the 120 calendar days after scheduling the immigration case, and the Executive Office for Immigration Review (“EOIR”) therefore deemed Petitioner’s case a failure to prosecute. (Doc. 7-1 at 8, Ex. 1).

1 The factual background is drawn from Petitioner’s petition for writ of habeas corpus and other evidence in the record. (Docs. 1, 7-9). A court “may treat the allegations of a verified . . . petition [for writ of habeas corpus] as an affidavit.” L. v. Lamarque, 351 F.3d 919, 924 (9th Cir. 2003) (citing McElyea v. Babbitt, 833 F.2d 196, 197–98 (9th Cir. 1987)). On September 16, 2024, Petitioner filed an asylum application with the United States Citizenship and Immigration Services (“USCIS”) and was issued a receipt notice. (Doc. 1 ¶ 29). In February 2025, Petitioner filed a Form I-765 Application for Employment Authorization Document which was issued to him in March 2025. Id. On June 2, 2025, Petitioner attended his prescheduled ICE appointment where ICE took his passport, provided him with a copy, and installed the “BI Smart Link” phone application on his phone and scheduled follow-up appointments for June 16 and June 18, 2025. Id. ¶ 30. Petitioner complied with instructions to take a selfie every Monday. Id. On June 18, 2025, Petitioner attended his scheduled follow-up ICE appointment at the San Francisco office where he was re- detained without any notice or hearing or custody redetermination, processed for expedited removal pursuant to section 235(b) of the INA, and transferred to his current detention at the Golden State Annex Detention Facility. Id. ¶¶ 31, 33; Parra Decl. ¶ 9. Petitioner alleges that to date, he has maintained his residence at the address provided to ICE and USCIS, has consistently complied with all scheduled appointments, and that he had regularly and timely checked into his Intensive Supervision Appearance Program (“ISAP”) appointments. (Doc. 1 ¶ 32). Petitioner alleges that he had been supporting himself by working as an Uber driver, that he has no criminal record, and there have been no other changed circumstances from the time he was initially apprehended and released. Id. He further alleges that he has expanded his community ties in the United States during the time he was released, and that he has extended family members in the United States, including siblings. Id. After he was re-detained, on July 14, 2025, Petitioner requested the immigration court reconsider his custody determination, and on July 25, 2025, the court denied his request, stating it lacked jurisdiction over Petitioner because he was mandatorily detained under 8 U.S.C. § 1225(b) as an applicant for admission who attempted to come into the United States at a port-of-entry. Para Decl. ¶¶ 10, 11 (citing Matter of Q. Li, 29 I&N Dec. 66 (BIA 2025)); (Doc. 7-1 at 15, Ex. 3) (Order of the Immigration Judge, dated July 25, 2025); (Doc. 1 ¶ 34). On August 11, 2025, while in ICE detention, an asylum officer with USCIS interviewed ICE placed Petitioner into removal proceedings. Id. ¶ 14. On September 18, 2025, Petitioner appeared with his counsel for his first master calendar hearing before an immigration judge and was granted a continuance in light of his counsel’s request for additional preparation time. Id. ¶ 15. Petitioner’s next hearing before the immigration court regarding his asylum claim was scheduled for October 21, 2025. Id. ¶ 16. Petitioner remains in detention pending his asylum claim proceedings in immigration court. Id. ¶ 17. Although not alleged in the petition, in his motion for TRO, Petitioner asserts that he was issued a work permit, a U.S. social security card, and a California driver’s license. (Doc. 9-1 at 3); (Doc. 9-2, Declaration of Bashir Ghazialam (“Ghazialam Decl.”) ¶¶ 11, 14). He asserts that his individual hearing before the immigration judge was scheduled for January 22, 2026, but was continued due to the immigration judge’s unavailability. (Doc. 9-1 at 4). II. Governing Authority2 The standard for issuing a temporary restraining order is “substantially identical” to the standard for issuing a preliminary injunction. See Stuhlbarg Intern. Sales Co. v. John D. Brush & Co., 240 F.3d 832, 839 n.7 (9th Cir. 2001). “A preliminary injunction is an extraordinary remedy never awarded as of right.” Winter v. Nat. Res. Def. Council, Inc., 555 U.S. 7, 24 (2008) (citing Munaf v. Geren, 553 U.S. 674, 689–90 (2008)). “A plaintiff seeking a preliminary in

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Samiullah Ahmadi v. Moises Becerra, et al., (E.D. Cal. 2026).

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