Castellano-Manzano, an immigrant who had been detained by immigration authorities, challenged her detention through a federal habeas corpus petition under 28 U.S.C. § 2241. The petitioner was previously on parole under section 1182(d)(5)(A) of the immigration code before being taken back into custody by immigration officials including Kevin Raycraft.
Judge Jonker found merit in the habeas petition and ordered immediate release, writing that immigration officials are 'enjoined from re-detaining Petitioner absent a material change in circumstances unless the requirements of due process have been satisfied.' The court's ruling suggests that Castellano-Manzano's detention violated due process requirements, though the full reasoning was contained in a separate opinion not included in the judgment order.
The case was filed as a habeas corpus petition against multiple immigration officials, with the Department of Homeland Security, the United States Attorney General, and the Executive Office for Immigration Review initially named as respondents. However, Judge Jonker dismissed these federal agencies from the lawsuit while maintaining the case against the individual immigration officials.
The court ordered immigration officials to file a status report within three days certifying their compliance with the release order. The ruling represents a victory for detained immigrants challenging their custody and could signal increased judicial scrutiny of immigration detention practices when due process protections are not followed.