Sonu Singh v. Warden, Diamondback Correctional Facility, et al.

District Court, W.D. Oklahoma·Decided August 31, 2026·No. 5:26-cv-01613·Unknown

Opinion

UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT WESTERN DISTRICT OF OKLAHOMA SONU SINGH, ) ) Petitioner, ) ) v. ) Case No. CIV-26-1613-J ) WARDEN, DIAMONDBACK ) CORRECTIONAL FACILITY, et al., ) ) Respondents. ) REPORT AND RECOMMENDATION Petitioner Sonu Singh, a noncitizen1 and Indian national proceeding pro se, filed a Petition for Writ of Habeas Corpus (“Petition”), Doc. 1, challenging under 28 U.S.C. § 2241 his detention by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (“ICE”). United States District Judge Bernard M. Jones, II referred this matter to the undersigned Magistrate Judge in accordance with 28 U.S.C. § 636(b)(1)(B)-(C). Doc. 3. The undersigned set an expedited briefing schedule, Doc. 5, and the Petition is at issue. For the reasons set forth below, the undersigned recommends that the Court grant in part the Petition, Doc. 1, and order Respondents to provide Petitioner with a bond hearing within seven days or otherwise release him if there is no hearing within that time.

1 Unless quoting, this Report and Recommendation “uses the term ‘noncitizen’ as equivalent to the statutory term ‘alien.’” Nasrallah v. Barr, 590 U.S. 573, 578 n.2 (2020) (citing 8 U.S.C. § 1101(a)(3)). I. Background Petitioner, a citizen of India, entered the United States on or about January 10, 2025, without inspection or admission near Otay Mesa, California, and he was taken into custody

the same day. Pet. at 4; Doc. 8-1 at 1 (Notice and Order of Expedited Removal).2 On January 11, 2025, ICE issued to Petitioner a Notice and Order of Expedited Removal pursuant to 8 U.S.C. § 1225(b)(1)(A)(i). Doc. 8-1 at 1-2; Resp. at 2. Petitioner expressed fear of returning to India and was examined for a credible fear determination. Resp. at 2; Doc. 8-2 at 1 (Notice to Appear). He remained in ICE custody. Resp. at 2. On February

4, 2025, ICE vacated its expedited-removal order and placed Petitioner into removal proceedings before the Immigration Court pursuant to 8 U.S.C. § 1229a through the issuance of a Notice to Appear. Doc. 8-2 at 1 (noting “an asylum officer has found [Petitioner] has demonstrated a credible fear of prosecution or torture”). ICE charged Petitioner with being inadmissible (1) under 8 U.S.C. § 1182(a)(6)(A)(i) as someone who

entered the United States without inspection, and (2) under 8 U.S.C. § 1182(a)(7)(A)(i)(I) as someone who did not have valid immigration documents when applying for admission. Doc. 8-2 at 1. Petitioner applied for asylum on August 28, 2025. Pet. at 11; Resp. at 2. An Immigration Judge (“IJ”) denied his asylum application on May 6, 2026. Doc. 8-3 at 1 (IJ Order).

Petitioner has been in ICE detention since he entered the United States on January 10, 2025. Pet. at 4, 11. Respondents contend Petitioner is detained pursuant to 8 U.S.C.

2 Page citations reference the Court’s electronic case filing pagination. § 1225(b)(1)(A). Resp. at 3. Petitioner does not allege he requested a bond hearing. Such a request, though, would likely be futile because all IJs are subject to the binding precedent

of Matter of Yajure Hurtado, 29 I & N Dec. 216 (BIA 2025), which holds those noncitizens who entered the country without admission or parole are ineligible for a bond hearing. On May 6, 2026, an IJ ordered Petitioner removed to India. See EOIR, Automated Case Information, at https://acis.eoir.justice.gov/en/ (last accessed Aug. 31, 2026). On May 28, 2026, Petitioner appealed the removal order to the Board of Immigration Appeals,

and the appeal is currently pending. Id. Therefore, the removal order is not yet final under 8 C.F.R. § 1241.1. When Petitioner filed his Petition, he was detained at Diamondback Correctional Facility in Watonga, Oklahoma. Pet. at 1. He remains detained there. See ICE Online Detainee Locator System, at https://locator.ice.gov/odls/#/results (last visited Aug. 31, 2026).

II. Petitioner’s Claims Petitioner asserts two grounds in his Petition. • Ground One: Violation of the Fifth Amendment. Petitioner alleges his prolonged detention in ICE custody without a bond hearing violates his rights to due process. He claims: “Although I am not in deportation proceedings my Due Process was violated when they did not give me a bond hearing at the time. I am no longer eligible for bond but am entitled to be released being in detention over 18 months.” Pet. at 9. • Ground Two: Violation of Due Process. Petitioner alleges his continued detention without a bond hearing violates his rights to due process under the multi-factor test in Mathews v. Eldridge, 424 U.S. 319 (1976). Pet. at 10. Petitioner asks the Court to order his “release from detention” with an order of supervision, and to order Respondents to “refrain from redetainment without proper notice.” Id. at 7.

III. Standard of Review To obtain habeas corpus relief, Petitioner must show that he is “in custody in violation of the Constitution or laws or treaties of the United States.” 28 U.S.C. § 2241(c)(3). “Challenges to immigration detention are properly brought directly through habeas.” Soberanes v. Comfort, 388 F.3d 1305, 1310 (10th Cir. 2004) (citing Zadvydas v. Davis, 533 U.S. 678, 687-88 (2001)).

IV. Analysis A. Section 1225(b)(1) applies to Petitioner’s detention. The section of the INA that governs noncitizens detained at the border is 8 U.S.C. § 1225. Section 1225(a)(1) describes an “applicant for admission” as “an alien present in the United States who has not been admitted or who arrives in the United States.” Id. § 1225(a)(1) (citation modified). Section 1225(b)(1) “governs procedures for the

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Sonu Singh v. Warden, Diamondback Correctional Facility, et al., (W.D. Okla. 2026).

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