Judge Grants 7-Day Extension In Yang Immigration Case Citing 'Pressing Matters'

A California federal judge on Monday granted a seven-day extension for petitioner Zhiyu Yang to file his traverse in an immigration case, accepting counsel's argument that "pressing matters" in other cases including Supreme Court TPS litigation required the delay.

The extension request came in Yang v. Kaiser, an immigration case involving petitioner Zhiyu Yang against respondents led by Polly Kaiser. The parties jointly requested the extension, with Yang's counsel citing overwhelming briefing obligations in multiple high-profile immigration cases.

Judge James Donato granted the extension after finding "good cause" for the delay. Yang's attorneys from Van Der Hout LLP cited three competing deadlines: a petition for rehearing en banc in a Third Circuit case, briefing for Supreme Court oral arguments in a class action challenging Syria's Temporary Protected Status termination, and other urgent matters requiring "significant time to address."

The court had originally set April 3, 2026 as the deadline for Yang's traverse under a joint briefing schedule agreed to in January. The government, represented by Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Michael Starrett, did not oppose the extension request.

The new April 10 deadline reflects the court's recognition of the practical challenges facing immigration attorneys handling multiple complex federal cases simultaneously. The case highlights the increasing workload pressures on immigration practitioners as TPS and related immigration policies face ongoing legal challenges.

Counsel

Yang is represented by Johnny Sinodis and Oona Cahill of Van Der Hout LLP.

Kaiser et al are represented by Michael Starrett of the U.S. Attorney's Office.

Case: The case is Yang v. Kaiser, case number 3:25-cv-06323-JD, in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of California.

Court

Northern District of California

Case Name

Yang v. Kaiser et al

Docket

3:25-cv-06323