Deepak Dahiya, an Indian citizen currently held at the Denver Contract Detention Facility, filed a petition seeking either immediate release from custody or a bond hearing under federal immigration law. The habeas corpus petition names several immigration officials as respondents, including Todd Blanche, Markwayne Mullin, Todd Lyons, and Juan Baltazar, all in their official capacities.
Judge Nina Y. Wang invoked the All Writs Act to issue the stay-put order, explaining that the historic statute 'empowers lower courts, in limited circumstances, to issue temporary injunctions as may be necessary to protect the status quo or their own jurisdiction.' The judge cited Supreme Court precedent holding that federal courts may 'avail itself of all auxiliary writs as aids in the performance of its duties, when the use of such historic aids is calculated in its sound judgment to achieve the ends of justice.'
The court ordered Dahiya to serve the respondents with his petition by April 8, 2026, and gave immigration officials seven days to respond and show cause why the petition should not be granted. Wang noted that while federal habeas rules typically require a three-day response deadline, district courts have authority to set their own deadlines to give parties adequate time to brief complex issues.
The ruling follows a pattern of similar orders from Colorado federal courts temporarily blocking removals during pending habeas proceedings. The case highlights ongoing tensions between immigration enforcement and due process rights for detained immigrants seeking bond hearings or challenging their continued detention.