Van Luan Vu (A-221-390-043) v. Warden, California City Detention Facility, et al.

CourtDistrict Court, E.D. California
DecidedJune 5, 2026
Docket1:26-cv-03400
StatusUnknown

This text of Van Luan Vu (A-221-390-043) v. Warden, California City Detention Facility, et al. (Van Luan Vu (A-221-390-043) v. Warden, California City Detention Facility, et al.) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering District Court, E.D. California primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Van Luan Vu (A-221-390-043) v. Warden, California City Detention Facility, et al., (E.D. Cal. 2026).

Opinion

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT 9 FOR THE EASTERN DISTRICT OF CALIFORNIA 10 11 VAN LUAN VU (A-221-390-043), No. 1:26-cv-3400 DC CSK 12 Petitioner, 13 v. ORDER AND FINDINGS AND RECOMMENDATIONS 14 WARDEN, CALIFORNIA CITY DETENTION FACILITY, et al., 15 Respondents. 16 17 18 Petitioner Van Luan Vu (A-221-390-043), a native and citizen of Vietnam who is 19 proceeding without counsel, filed a petition for writ of habeas corpus pursuant to 28 U.S.C. 20 §2241.1 Petitioner entered the United States on January 2, 2025 without inspection. On January 21 4, 2025, petitioner was arrested and detained and has been in continuous detention since this date. 22 This habeas action concerns petitioner’s prolonged detention. For the reasons that follow, the 23 Court recommends granting the petition for a writ of habeas corpus and ordering respondents to 24 provide petitioner a bond hearing within seven days. 25 /// 26 27 1 This matter proceeds before the undersigned pursuant to 28 U.S.C. § 636, Fed. R. Civ. P. 72, 28 and Local Rule 302(c)(17). 1 I. FACTUAL BACKGROUND 2 Petitioner entered the United States on January 2, 2025, without inspection. (ECF No. 7-1 3 at 3.) Shortly thereafter, petitioner was arrested and detained by Immigration and Customs 4 Enforcement (“ICE”) near the border. (ECF Nos. 1 at 5, 7-1 at 2.) On January 4, 2025, petitioner 5 was determined to be inadmissible under section 235(b)(1) of the Immigration and Naturalization 6 Act (“INA”) (8 U.S.C § 1225(b)(1), placed in expedited removal proceedings and ordered 7 removed by the acting patrol agent in charge. (ECF No. 7-2.) On January 29, 2025, petitioner 8 expressed a fear of returning to Vietnam and provided a credible fear interview with an asylum 9 officer. (ECF No. 7-3.) On February 26, 2025, petitioner was issued a Notice to Appear in INA 10 Section 240 (8 U.S.C. § 1229a) removal proceedings, which are standard removal proceedings.2 11 (ECF No. 7-4 at 1.) The box identifying an “arriving alien” is not marked. (Id.) 12 Respondents do not contend that petitioner has a criminal history. (ECF No. 7.) 13 On April 15, 2026, an immigration judge found petitioner is removable under INA 14 sections 212(a)(7)(A)(i)(I) and 212(a)(6)(A)(i), and denied petitioner’s requests for asylum and 15 withholding of removal, and ordered petitioner removed to Vietnam. (ECF No. 7-5 at 1, 3.) 16 According to the government’s official Executive Office for Immigration Review Automated 17 Case Information website, petitioner timely filed an appeal on May 11, 2026, which is currently 18 pending.3 See https://acis.eoir.justice.gov/en. Thus, the removal order is not yet final. 19 Petitioner has been in continuous detention since January 4, 2025. (ECF No. 1 at 5.) 20 II. PROCEDURAL BACKGROUND 21 On May 4, 2026, petitioner filed his petition for writ of habeas corpus, and a motion for 22 appointment of counsel. (ECF Nos. 1, 3.) On May 14, 2026, respondents timely filed a motion to 23 2 Removal proceedings pursuant to 8 U.S.C. § 1229a (INA § 240) are standard removal 24 proceedings, which are different from expedited removal proceedings pursuant to 8 U.S.C. § 1225(b)(1) (INA § 235(b)(1)). 25 3 The court may take judicial notice of facts that are “not subject to reasonable dispute because it . . . can be accurately and readily determined from sources whose accuracy cannot 26 reasonably be questioned,” Fed. R. Evid. 201(b), including undisputed information posted on official websites. Daniels-Hall v. National Education Association, 629 F.3d 992, 999 (9th Cir. 27 2010). The Executive Office for Immigration Review (“EOIR”) adjudicates immigration cases, and the EOIR Automated Case Information website is an official website of the United States 28 Government. The address of this official website is https://acis.eoir.justice.gov/en/. 1 dismiss the petition. (ECF No. 7.) Petitioner did not file an opposition. Briefing is now 2 complete. 3 III. LEGAL STANDARDS 4 The Constitution guarantees the availability of the writ of habeas corpus “to every 5 individual detained within the United States.” Hamdi v. Rumsfeld, 542 U.S. 507, 525 (2004) 6 (citing U.S. Const., Art I, § 9, cl. 2). “The essence of habeas corpus is an attack by a person in 7 custody upon the legality of that custody, and . . . the traditional function of the writ is to secure 8 release from illegal custody.” Preiser v. Rodriguez, 411 U.S. 475, 484 (1973). A writ of habeas 9 corpus may be granted to a petitioner who demonstrates that he is in custody in violation of the 10 Constitution or federal law. 28 U.S.C. § 2241(c)(3). Historically, “the writ of habeas corpus has 11 served as a means of reviewing the legality of Executive detention, and it is in that context that its 12 protections have been strongest.” I.N.S. v. St. Cyr, 533 U.S. 289, 301 (2001). A district court’s 13 habeas jurisdiction includes challenges to immigration detention. See Zadvydas v. Davis, 533 14 U.S. 678, 687 (2001). 15 Habeas corpus petitions are subject to summary dismissal pursuant to Rule 4 of the Rules 16 Governing Section 2254 Cases in the United States District Court. The provisions of Rule 4, 17 which are applicable to a petition filed pursuant to 28 U.S.C. § 2241, provide in pertinent part: “If 18 it plainly appears from the petition and any attached exhibits that the petitioner is not entitled to 19 relief in the district court, the judge must not dismiss the petition and direct the clerk to notify the 20 petitioner.” The Advisory Committee Notes to Rule 4 indicate that the court may dismiss a 21 petition for writ of habeas corpus, either on its own motion under Rule 4, pursuant to 22 respondents’ motion to dismiss, or after an answer to the petition has been filed. 23 IV. DISCUSSION 24 Petitioner challenges his prolonged detention based on the violation of his Fifth 25 Amendment due process rights. (ECF No. 1 at 16-17.) In their motion to dismiss, respondents 26 argue that petitioner’s detention is mandated by statute, 8 U.S.C. § 1225(b)(1)(B)(ii), and 27 Supreme Court precedent. (ECF No. 7 at 2.) Respondents contend that “nowhere in the statutory 28 framework of 8 U.S.C. § 1225(b) is a bond hearing authorized.” (Id.) Respondents also argue 1 that if petitioner does not perfect his appeal by May 15, 2026, his detention will then be governed 2 by 8 U.S.C. § 1231(a)(2).

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Bluebook (online)
Van Luan Vu (A-221-390-043) v. Warden, California City Detention Facility, et al., Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/van-luan-vu-a-221-390-043-v-warden-california-city-detention-facility-caed-2026.