VICENTE AVALOS GARCIA (A-221-489-580) v. CHRISTOPHER CHESTNUT, Warden of the California City Detention Facility, et al.

District Court, E.D. California·Decided April 17, 2026·No. 1:26-cv-01933·Unknown

Opinion

VICENTE AVALOS GARCIA (A-221- No. 1:26-cv-1933 DC CSK 489-580),

Petitioner, FINDINGS AND RECOMMENDATIONS v.

CHRISTOPHER CHESTNUT, Warden of the California City Detention Facility, et al., Respondents. Petitioner Vincente Avalos Garcia (A-221-489-580), a native and citizen of Guatemala, entered the United States without inspection in or about 2018, filed a verified petition for writ of habeas corpus pursuant to 28 U.S.C. § 2241.1 In January 2026, petitioner was arrested and detained by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (“ICE”) officers during a vehicle stop in Maryland. This habeas action concerns petitioner’s January 2026 detention. For the reasons that follow, the Court recommends granting the petition for a writ of habeas corpus and requiring respondents to provide petitioner with a bond hearing. /// /// 1 Petitioner paid the filing fee and is proceeding through counsel. This matter proceeds before the undersigned pursuant to 28 U.S.C. § 636, Fed. R. Civ. P. 72, and Local Rule 302(c)(17). I. FACTUAL BACKGROUND2 Petitioner, a native and citizen of Guatemala, entered the United States without inspection in or about 2018 when he was about 19 years old. (ECF No. 1 at 6.) Petitioner has resided in the United States continuously since that time. (Id.) Petitioner has never been removed and has no final order of removal. (Id. at 19.) Petitioner was arrested by ICE officers on or about January 24, 2026 during a vehicle stop in Maryland.3 (ECF No. 11 at 3.) The vehicle stop was not based on criminal conduct on the part of petitioner, but rather immigration officials conducted the stop because the vehicle was registered to another person with an alleged “derogatory immigration history.” (ECF No. 10-1 at 2 (Form I-213).) On January 24, 2026, a warrant for arrest of alien was issued by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (“DHS”) pursuant to the Immigration and Nationality Act (“INA”) Sections 236 (8 U.S.C. § 1226) and 287 (8 U.S.C. § 1357).4 (ECF No. 10-2 at 1.) Petitioner has no criminal history, let alone disqualifying criminal arrests or convictions subjecting him to mandatory detention, which respondents do not dispute. (ECF No. 1 at 18-19; see ECF No. 10.) Immigration records confirm petitioner has no criminal history. (ECF No. 10-1 at 3.) Petitioner alleges that he has been denied an opportunity to seek release on personal recognizance or bond, either before ICE or an immigration judge. (ECF No. 1 at 6.) Petitioner was transferred from Maryland to the California City Detention Facility (“CCDF”). (Id.) On March 10, 2026, petitioner filed his petition for writ of habeas corpus. (ECF No. 1.)

2 Petitioner filed a verified habeas petition. (ECF No. 1 at 5.) 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)). Other than the date of petitioner’s arrest and detention (January 24, 2026 versus January 27, 2026), and the existence of an arrest warrant, respondents do not contest any other factual allegations raised by petitioner. (See ECF No. 10.) 3 In his pleadings, petitioner claims he was arrested and detained on or about January 27, 2026. (ECF No. 1 at 5, 6; ECF No. 11 at 3.) However, the Form I-213 and the arrest warrant both indicate petitioner was arrested and detained on January 24, 2026. (ECF No. 10-1 at 2-3; 10-2.) This Court uses January 24, 2026, as the date of petitioner’s arrest and detention. 4 Petitioner initially claimed he was detained without a warrant. (ECF No. 1 at 2.) Respondents argue petitioner was detained pursuant to a warrant for arrest of alien, and provided a copy of the arrest warrant. (ECF No. 10 at 1; ECF No. 10-2.) Petitioner is represented by pro bono counsel. After petitioner’s counsel’s pro hac vice application was filed and approved, a scheduling order issued. (ECF Nos. 5-9.) On March 26, 2026, respondents filed a motion to dismiss. (ECF No. 10.) On April 2, 2026, petitioner filed an opposition to the motion to dismiss. (ECF No. 11.) Respondents did not file a reply. (See Docket.) Briefing is now complete. The Constitution guarantees the availability of the writ of habeas corpus “to every individual detained within the United States.” Hamdi v. Rumsfeld, 542 U.S. 507, 525 (2004) (citing U.S. Const., Art I, § 9, cl. 2). “The essence of habeas corpus is an attack by a person in custody upon the legality of that custody, and . . . the traditional function of the writ is to secure release from illegal custody.” Preiser v. Rodriguez, 411 U.S. 475, 484 (1973). A writ of habeas corpus may be granted to a petitioner who demonstrates that he is in custody in violation of the Constitution or federal law. 28 U.S.C. § 2241(c)(3). Historically, “the writ of habeas corpus has served as a means of reviewing the legality of Executive detention, and it is in that context that its protections have been strongest.” I.N.S. v. St. Cyr, 533 U.S. 289, 301 (2001). A district court’s habeas jurisdiction includes challenges to immigration detention. See Zadvydas v. Davis, 533 U.S. 678, 687 (2001). Generally, noncitizens are subject to civil immigration detention only if the noncitizen presents a risk of flight or danger to the community. See Zadvydas, 533 U.S. at 690 (holding that 8 U.S.C. § 1231(a)(6) does not authorize indefinite detention). Petitioner challenges his continued detention based on violation of the INA and the Administrative Procedure Act (“APA”), and violation of petitioner’s substantive and procedural due process rights under the Fifth Amendment. (ECF No. 1 at 18-23 (claims one through three).) Respondents do not argue that petitioner is a flight risk or a danger to the community and instead argue that as an “applicant for admission,” petitioner’s detention is mandatory under 8 U.S.C. § 1225(b)(2)(A) and he is ineligible for a bond hearing. (ECF No. 10 at 1-2.) Respondents cite Avila v. Bondi, No. 25- 3741, 2026 WL 819258 (8th Cir. Mar. 25, 2026) and Buenrostro-Mendez v. Bondi, 166 F.4th 494, 494 (5th Cir. 2026), in support of their position that § 1225(b)(2) is applicable here. (Id. at 1.) Respondents also argue that petitioner does not possess a right to freedom from immigration detention in any form other than the form provided by Congress. (Id. at 2.) In the alternative, respondents request that the Court stay this matter pending resolution of Rodriguez Vazquez v. Bostock, No. 25-6842 (9th Cir.). (Id.) A. Statutory Claim (Claim One) The issue here is whether petitioner, who has lived in the United States since 2018, is detained pursuant to § 1226(a), as petitioner argues, or whether petitioner is now subject to mandatory detention under § 122

Free access — add to your briefcase to read the full text and ask questions with AI

VICENTE AVALOS GARCIA (A-221-489-580) v. CHRISTOPHER CHESTNUT, Warden of the California City Detention Facility, et al., (E.D. Cal. 2026).

VICENTE AVALOS GARCIA (A-221-489-580) v. CHRISTOPHER CHESTNUT, Warden of the California City Detention Facility, et al. (VICENTE AVALOS GARCIA (A-221-489-580) v. CHRISTOPHER CHESTNUT, Warden of the California City Detention Facility, et al.) — published by Counsel Stack Legal Research, free access to 12M+ legal documents.

Related

Preiser v. Rodriguez
411 U.S. 475 (Supreme Court, 1973)
Wolff v. McDonnell
418 U.S. 539 (Supreme Court, 1974)
Lane v. Pena
518 U.S. 187 (Supreme Court, 1996)
Immigration & Naturalization Service v. St. Cyr
533 U.S. 289 (Supreme Court, 2001)
Hamdi v. Rumsfeld
542 U.S. 507 (Supreme Court, 2004)
Joe Lowell McElyea Jr. v. Governor Bruce Babbitt
833 F.2d 196 (Ninth Circuit, 1987)
Zadvydas v. Davis
533 U.S. 678 (Supreme Court, 2001)
Christian v. Norwood
376 F. App'x 725 (Ninth Circuit, 2010)
Edward Furnace v. G. Giurbino
838 F.3d 1019 (Ninth Circuit, 2016)
Jennings v. Rodriguez
583 U.S. 281 (Supreme Court, 2018)
GUERRA
24 I. & N. Dec. 37 (Board of Immigration Appeals, 2006)