District of New Jersey • 2:26-cv-03812

#1

Apr 10, 2026

PETITION for Writ of Habeas Corpus ( Filing fee $ 5 receipt number ANJDC-17298320.), filed by MIKHAIL ALEXANDROVICH SEREGIN. (Attachments: # 1 Exhibit A, # 2 Exhibit B, # 3 Exhibit C)(D'ALIA, SALVATORE) (Entered: 04/10/2026)

#2

Apr 10, 2026

Exhibit to 1 Petition for Writ of Habeas Corpus Civil Cover Sheet (JS-44) by MIKHAIL ALEXANDROVICH SEREGIN. (D'ALIA, SALVATORE) (Entered: 04/10/2026)

#3

Apr 10, 2026

TEXT ORDER. Respondents are hereby enjoined from transferring Petitioner from New Jersey pending further Order of the Court. So Ordered by Chief Judge Renee Marie Bumb on 4/10/2026. (jml, ) (Entered: 04/10/2026)

Apr 10, 2026

Judge Evelyn Padin added. (jml, )

Apr 10, 2026

CLERK'S QUALITY CONTROL MESSAGE - Please be advised, when entering a first appearance in a case, counsel must either properly sign the submission to the court or enter a signed Notice of Appearance. The Clerk's office has removed MICHELLE NICOLE PALLAK as representing MIKHAIL ALEXANDROVICH SEREGIN in this case. To be added to the docket please use the event Notice of Appearance found under Civil Events - Other Filings - Notices. This submission will remain on the docket unless otherwise ordered by the Court. This message is for informational purposes only. (jml, )

Apr 10, 2026

CLERK'S QUALITY CONTROL MESSAGE - The case you electronically filed has been processed, however, the following deficiencies were found: In the future, please use 28:2241 Petition for Writ of Habeas Corpus (federal) as the cause of action; 463-Habeas Corpus - Alien Detainee as the Nature of Suit; the party roles should be Petitioner v. Respondent; and please make sure to include the Respondent descriptions in the PARTY TEXT field. The Clerk's Office has made the appropriate changes. Please refer to the Attorney Case Opening Guide for processing electronically filed cases. (jml, )

Apr 10, 2026

Add and Terminate Judges

Apr 10, 2026

Emergent Immigration Habeas Non-transfer Order

Apr 10, 2026

QC - Attorney Case Opening

Apr 10, 2026

QC - Generic Message

#4

Apr 13, 2026

TEXT ORDER: This matter comes before the Court upon Petitioner Mikhail Alexandrovich Seregin's Petition for Writ of Habeas Corpus under 28 U.S.C. 2241. D.E. 1 ("Petition"). Petitioner challenges his prolonged detention by immigration authorities as unlawful and seeks immediate release. In accordance with Rule 4 of the Rules Governing 2254 Cases ("Habeas Rule 4"), applicable to § 2241 cases through Rule 1(b), scope of the Rules, this Court has screened the Petition for dismissal and determined dismissal without a full answer is not warranted. Respondents shall file an expedited answer to the Petition within 7 days, including an affidavit from an official with personal knowledge of Petitioner's removal plan, attaching any travel documents. So Ordered by Judge Evelyn Padin on 4/13/2026. (bt) (Entered: 04/13/2026)

Apr 13, 2026

Text Order

#5

Apr 16, 2026

Notice of Appearance

#6

Apr 17, 2026

Notice of Appearance

#7

Apr 20, 2026

Response (NOT Motion)

#8

Apr 27, 2026

Brief

#9

May 06, 2026

TEXT ORDER: This matter comes before the Court upon Petitioner Mikhail Alexandrovich Seregin's Petition for Writ of Habeas Corpus under 28 U.S.C. 2241. D.E. 1 ("Petition"). Petitioner challenges his prolonged detention by immigration authorities as unlawful and seeks immediate release pursuant to Zadvydas v. Davis, 533 U.S. 678, 701 (2001) arguing that his removal is not reasonably foreseeable. On April 20, 2026, Respondents submitted and answer in opposition, D.E. 7 ("Answer") and attached the Declaration of Maurice E. Williams, Supervisory Detention and Deportation Officer of the Immigration and Customs Enforcement, Enforcement Removal Operations ("ICE-ERO") in Newark, New Jersey. D.E. [7-13] ("Declaration"). The Declaration sets forth that, "[the] ERO is in the process of validating Petitioner's Russian Federation nationality as part of the process to obtain a travel document and to effectuate Petitioner's removal." Id. Petitioner filed a reply brief, D.E. 8, and contends that ICE does not have a meaningful plan to remove him.The Declaration does not provide sufficient information for the Court to determine whether Petitioner's removal is imminent. Accordingly, the Court ORDERS Respondents to file a supplemental brief and supporting documentation within seven days of the issuance of this Order. The submission shall include the following: (1) the dates and substance of any request(s) made for the issuance of Petitioner's travel documents and responses received, if any; (2) a description of all steps that can be taken by Respondents to facilitate or expedite issuance of such travel documents, if any; and (3) an estimate, based on Respondents' knowledge of similar prior cases, and the information currently available, of the time required to obtain travel documents and effectuate Petitioner's removal. Petitioner may file a reply brief within seven days of Respondents' supplemental filing. So Ordered by Judge Evelyn Padin on 5/6/2026. (bt) (Entered: 05/06/2026)

May 06, 2026

Text Order

#10

May 13, 2026

Letter

#11

May 14, 2026

TEXT ORDER: Pending before the Court is Petitioner Mikhail Alexandrovich Seregin's Petition for Writ of Habeas Corpus under 28 U.S.C. § 2241, in which he alleges that his civil immigration detention pending removal since October 24, 2025--with no end in sight because the Consulate Generals of Russia and Kazakhstan have confirmed he is not a citizen of those countries--violates his right to due process. D.E. 1 ("Petition") 1, 45-47. Respondents filed an answer in opposition to Petitioner's release and assert therein that there is a significant likelihood of Petitioner's removal in the reasonably foreseeable future because Immigration and Customs Enforcement, Enforcement Removal Operations ("ICE-ERO" or "ICE") is in the process of validating Petitioner's Russian Federation nationality to obtain a travel document. D.E. 7 ("Answer") at 3; D.E. 7-13, Ex. M, Declaration of Maurice Williams ("Williams"), Supervisory Detention and Deportation Officer with ICE-ERO 6 ("Williams Decl."). In reply, Petitioner argues that ICE failed to demonstrate it would soon acquire a travel document for his removal. D.E. 8 ("Reply") at 4-6.Pursuant to this Court's Text Order dated May 6, 2026, D.E. 9 ("Text Order"), Respondents filed a supplemental declaration from Williams detailing recent efforts to remove Petitioner to Russia or Kazakhstan. D.E. [10-1] ("Suppl. Williams Decl."). After considering the parties' submissions, including the supplemental filing from Respondents, the Court will GRANT the Petition and ORDER Petitioner to be released from detention with appropriate conditions of supervised release."[O]nce removal is no longer reasonably foreseeable [under 8 U.S.C. § 1231(a)] continued detention is no longer authorized by statute." Zadvydas v. Davis, 533 U.S. 678, 699 (2001). After a presumptively reasonable 6-month detention period to remove a noncitizen, if the noncitizen "provides good reason to believe that there is no significant likelihood of removal in the reasonably foreseeable future, the Government must respond with evidence sufficient to rebut that showing." Id. at 701. Here, Petitioner has established good cause to believe he could not be removed in the reasonably foreseeable future to Russia or Kazakhstan because he is not a citizen of either country. D.E. [1-1], Ex. A ("Certificate Consulate General of the Russian Federation in New York"); D.E. [1-2], Ex. B ("Certificate, Consulate General of the Republic of Kazakhstan in New York"). Respondents established only that they were in the process of establishing Petitioner's nationality for the purpose of obtaining a travel document. Williams Decl. 6-7. The Court ordered Respondents to produce a supplemental affidavit, and although the Court invited an estimate of time to obtain a travel document based on past experience, Williams stated "ERO Newark cannot declare the amount of time required to obtain the travel document." Suppl. Williams Decl. 17. The Court determines that despite Respondents' efforts to continue the deportation process since October 2025, there is no significant likelihood of removal in the reasonably foreseeable future. Therefore, the Petition is GRANTED, and Respondents shall release Petitioner, within three days of this Order, with appropriate conditions of supervised release. So Ordered by Judge Evelyn Padin on 5/14/2026. (bt) (Entered: 05/14/2026)

May 14, 2026

Text Order

#12

May 15, 2026

Letter

#13

May 19, 2026

TEXT ORDER: This Court granted Petitioner's Petition for Writ of Habeas Corpus under 28 U.S.C. § 2241 and ordered Respondents to release Petitioner by within three days of the Court's 5/14/2026 Order. D.E. 11 . The Court has reviewed the Government's status update, D.E. 12, apprising the Court that Petitioner was promptly released on 5/14/2026. Accordingly, this matter is CLOSED. So Ordered by Judge Evelyn Padin on 5/19/2026. (bt) (Entered: 05/19/2026)

May 19, 2026

***Civil Case Terminated. (wh)

May 19, 2026

Text Order

May 19, 2026

Terminate Civil Case

#14

Jul 13, 2026

Notice of Appeal (USCA Philadelphia)

#15

Jul 22, 2026

USCA Notice of Docketing (Case No & Mgr Assigned)