Trinh v. Homan

333 F. Supp. 3d 984
CourtDistrict Court, C.D. California
DecidedSeptember 6, 2018
DocketCase No.: SACV 18-00316-CJC(GJSx)
StatusPublished
Cited by6 cases

This text of 333 F. Supp. 3d 984 (Trinh v. Homan) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering District Court, C.D. California primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Trinh v. Homan, 333 F. Supp. 3d 984 (C.D. Cal. 2018).

Opinion

CORMAC J. CARNEY, UNITED STATES DISTRICT JUDGE

I. INTRODUCTION

The seven named Petitioners bring this Habeas Corpus Petition and Class Action Complaint on behalf of themselves and a putative class of Vietnamese citizens who immigrated to the United States before *9871995. (Dkt. 27 [First Amended Habeas Corpus Petition and Class Action Complaint, hereinafter "FAC"] ¶¶ 1-4.) Petitioners allege that in 2017, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement ("ICE") began subjecting these "pre-1995 Vietnamese immigrants" to prolonged, post-removal order detention despite the purportedly remote possibility of their removal to Vietnam. (Id. ¶ 4.)

Petitioners bring two causes of action for habeas relief, declaratory relief, and injunctive relief. (Id. ¶ 76.) In Count One, Petitioners assert that their post-removal order detention violates federal immigration law, 8 U.S.C. § 1231, and constitutional due process where removal is not likely to occur in the foreseeable future. (Id. ¶¶ 64-70.) In Count Two, Petitioners assert that even where removal is reasonably foreseeable, their prolonged detention violates section 1231 and constitutional due process when it is "without any individualized determination that they pose a danger or flight risk." (Id. ¶¶ 72-75.)

Petitioners bring these causes of action on behalf of themselves and three putative classes: (1) all pre-1995 Vietnamese immigrants who have been or will be detained by ICE for more than 90 days after receiving removal orders ("90-Day Class"), (2) all pre-1995 Vietnamese immigrants who have been or will be detained by ICE for more than 180 days after receiving removal orders ("180-Day Class"), and (3) all pre-1995 Vietnamese immigrants who have been or will be detained by ICE for more than 180 days without a bond hearing ("Prolonged Detention Class"). (Id. ¶ 59.)

Before the Court is Defendants' hybrid motion to dismiss and habeas return. (Dkt. 56 [hereinafter "Mot."].) For the following reasons, the motion is DENIED .1

II. BACKGROUND

Petitioners are citizens of Vietnam who immigrated to the United States before July 12, 1995. (FAC ¶ 1.) Petitioners became lawful permanent residents years ago but, based on criminal convictions, lost their green cards and were ordered removed. (Id. ¶ 2.) Petitioners allege that until recently, ICE had a longstanding practice of detaining pre-1995 Vietnamese immigrants for no longer than 90 days. (Id. ¶ 3.) This practice was purportedly implemented because a 2008 diplomatic agreement between the United States and Vietnam provides that Vietnamese citizens who arrived to the United States before July 12, 1995 are not subject to return to Vietnam. (Id. ¶¶ 2, 36; Ex. A, Art. 2, ¶ 2.) The parties seemingly do not dispute that the 2008 agreement is still in effect.2

Petitioners allege that in 2017, ICE departed from this longstanding practice and began subjecting pre-1995 Vietnamese immigrants to prolonged periods of detention. (Id. ¶ 4.) ICE also purportedly began re-detaining, without notice, pre-1995 Vietnamese immigrants who had previously been released from detention and were living on orders of supervision. (Id. ) On February 22, 2018, four of the named Petitioners *988filed this action challenging their detention. (Dkt. 1.) On April 30, 2018, the Government moved to dismiss the case, arguing it was moot because the four named Petitioners had since been released from custody. (Dkt. 24.) On May 11, 2018, Petitioners filed the operative First Amended Habeas Corpus Petition and Class Action Complaint, adding three new Petitioners who were, at the time, in immigration detention. (FAC.) All seven named Petitioners, described below, have now been released from custody.

Hoang Trinh, the first named Petitioner, is a resident of Orange County, California, who legally entered the United States as a four-year-old refugee in 1980. (Id. ¶ 11.) He became a lawful permanent resident, married, and now has two children ages thirteen and eighteen. (Id. ) Hoang's wife, two children, parents, and six sisters are all U.S. citizens. (Id. ) In early 2015, Hoang was arrested on a drug charge, for which he served one year in prison. (Id. ) Hoang was later incarcerated for alleged possession of a marijuana plant before being transferred to ICE custody in June 2017. (Id. ) He was ordered removed on July 27, 2017. (Id. ) He remained in immigration detention until April 16, 2018, when he was released on an order of supervision. (Id. ) He did not receive a bond hearing. (Id. )

Petitioner Vu Ha is a resident of Orange County, California, who legally entered the United States as a ten-year-old refugee in 1990 and became a lawful permanent resident shortly thereafter. (Id. ¶ 12.) His parents, sister, and daughter are U.S. citizens. (Id. ) He was arrested three times as a young adult between 2000 and 2005, once being for robbery. (Id. ) In 2017, he was arrested and detained for failure to pay a citation for driving without a license. (Id. ) He was transported from county jail to ICE custody in May 2017 and was ordered removed on September 19, 2017. (Id. ) He remained in immigration detention until April 13, 2018, when he was released on an order of supervision. (Id. ) He did not receive a bond hearing. (Id. )

Petitioner Long Nguyen is a resident of Charleston, South Carolina, who legally entered the United States as an eleven-year-old refugee in 1987 and became a lawful permanent resident the following year. (Id. ¶ 13.) Nguyen's wife and five children are all U.S. citizens, and his parents are lawful permanent residents. (Id. ) Nguyen and his wife have worked together for many years at a nail salon his wife manages. (Id. ) In 2006, he was convicted of a nonviolent felony drug offense. (Id. ) In 2010 or 2011, he was detained after traveling abroad and ordered removed on April 18, 2012. (Id. ) He was released on an order of supervision after Vietnam refused to accept his deportation. (Id. ) Although he reliably reported to ICE for years under his order of supervision, he was pulled over on his way to work and detained from October 19, 2017 to March 23, 2018, when he was again released on an order of supervision. (Id. )

Petitioner Ngoc Hoang is a resident of Gwinnett County, Georgia, who legally entered the United States in 1990. (Id. ¶ 14.) Hoang was married to a U.S. citizen with whom he has four children, all under the age of eighteen. (Id. ) Hoang works as a nail salon technician. (Id. ) In 1994, he pled guilty to check fraud and in 2010, he was placed on probation for simple assault and simple battery. (Id. ) He was ordered removed on December 12, 2012 and released on an order of supervision approximately two months later. (Id. ) Over the next five years, Hoang complied with the requirements of that order. (Id. ) But on November 6, 2017, he was unexpectedly re-arrested by ICE officers at his home. (Id.

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Bluebook (online)
333 F. Supp. 3d 984, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/trinh-v-homan-cacd-2018.