District of New Jersey • 2:26-cv-07076

#1

Jun 14, 2026

Emergency PETITION for Writ of Habeas Corpus ( Filing fee $ 5 receipt number ANJDC-17537315.), filed by VICTORINO CONTRERAS MELENDEZ.(FANKBONNER, EDGAR) (Entered: 06/14/2026)

#2

Jun 14, 2026

Emergency MOTION for Order to Show Cause by VICTORINO CONTRERAS MELENDEZ. (FANKBONNER, EDGAR) (Entered: 06/14/2026)

#3

Jun 14, 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 6/14/2026. (jml, ) (Entered: 06/14/2026)

#4

Jun 14, 2026

AMENDED DOCUMENT by VICTORINO CONTRERAS MELENDEZ. AMENDED EMERGENCY PETITION FOR WRIT OF HABEAS CORPUS. (Attachments: # 1 Civil Cover Sheet)(ASHUR, STEVEN) (Entered: 06/14/2026)

#5

Jun 14, 2026

MOTION for Order to Show Cause by VICTORINO CONTRERAS MELENDEZ. (ASHUR, STEVEN) (Entered: 06/14/2026)

#6

Jun 14, 2026

TEXT ORDER: The Petitioner shall not be removed from the United States. This is an administrative stay, the purpose of which is to briefly freeze the status quo and preserve the Court's jurisdiction should it exist. See Zheng v. Bondi, 2025 WL 280542, at *1 (D.N.J. Sept. 26, 2025). In addition, a declaration from the United States Attorney's Office shall be filed on the schedule set out below. It shall indicate that the United States Attorney's Office has (i) received this Order and conveyed it to the appropriate personnel at ICE; and (ii) provided ICE with written legal advice on the subject of ICE's obligation to comply with this Order. A declaration from ICE shall also be filed. It shall indicate that ICE has (i) received this Order; and (ii) received written legal advice from the United States Attorney's Office on the subject of ICE's obligation to comply with this Order. Each declaration shall be filed on the public docket of the Court on or before noon on June 15.The first declaration must be executed by either the United States Attorney for the District of New Jersey or Chief of the Civil Division for this district. The second declaration must be executed by either the Newark ICE Field Office Director or by the Newark ICE Field Office Deputy Director. The declarations may be signed by hand or electronically. The United States Attorney's Office shall also immediately file a letter on the Court's public docket if an Order of the Court is violated in connection with this case. The Respondents shall also file a letter explaining the factual and legal basis for the Petitioner's detention, and responding to the Petitioner's pleading at ECF 1 and motion at ECF 2, on or before June 17 at 9:00am. So Ordered by Judge Michael E. Farbiarz on 6/14/26. (ro, ) (Entered: 06/14/2026)

#7

Jun 14, 2026

DECLARATION of Civil Chief re 6 Emergent Immigration Habeas Non-transfer Order,,,,,,, by TODD BLANCHE, TODD LYONS, MARKWAYNE MULLIN, RUBEN PEREZ, LUIS SOTO. (BASIAK, JOHN) (Entered: 06/14/2026)

#8

Jun 14, 2026

NOTICE of Appearance by JESSICA LASERNA on behalf of TODD BLANCHE, TODD LYONS, MARKWAYNE MULLIN, RUBEN PEREZ, LUIS SOTO (LASERNA, JESSICA) (Entered: 06/14/2026)

Jun 14, 2026

Add and Terminate Judges

Jun 14, 2026

Emergent Immigration Habeas Non-transfer Order

Jun 14, 2026

Judge Michael E. Farbiarz added. (jml, )

Jun 14, 2026

QC - Improper Appearance

Jun 14, 2026

Judge Brian R. Martinotti no longer assigned to case. (jml, )

Jun 14, 2026

CLERK'S QUALITY CONTROL MESSAGE - The Petition 1 and Motion for Order to Show Cause 2 submitted by EDGAR LOY FANKBONNER on 6/14/2026 contains an improper signature. Pursuant to Local Rule 101.1 (4), only an attorney of law of this Court may file papers, enter appearances for parties, sign stipulations, or sign and receive payments on judgments, decrees or orders. The Clerk's Office has removed your appearance for the parties. This submission shall remain on the docket unless otherwise ordered by the Court. (jml, )

Jun 14, 2026

Judge Brian R. Martinotti added. (jml, )

#9

Jun 15, 2026

DECLARATION of Deputy Field Office Director, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement re 6 Emergent Immigration Habeas Non-transfer Order,,,,,,, by TODD BLANCHE, TODD LYONS, MARKWAYNE MULLIN, RUBEN PEREZ, LUIS SOTO. (LASERNA, JESSICA) (Entered: 06/15/2026)

Jun 15, 2026

CLERK'S QUALITY CONTROL MESSAGE - The case you electronically filed did not include a Civil Cover Sheet (JS-44), which is required to be submitted along with the initial pleading, as indicated in the Attorney Case Opening Guide. Please complete and file a Civil Cover Sheet using the event Exhibit (to Document) found under Civil/Other Filings/Other Documents. Please refer to the Attorney Case Opening Guide for processing electronically filed cases. (mj)

Jun 15, 2026

QC - Civil Cover Sheet JS44

#10

Jun 17, 2026

Letter from Respondents Requesting Extension of Time to Answer. (HERIC, JACOB) (Entered: 06/17/2026)

#11

Jun 17, 2026

Substitution of Attorney - Attorney JESSICA LASERNA terminated. Attorney JOHN CROSBY for TODD BLANCHE,JOHN CROSBY for TODD LYONS,JOHN CROSBY for MARKWAYNE MULLIN,JOHN CROSBY for RUBEN PEREZ,JOHN CROSBY for LUIS SOTO added.. (CROSBY, JOHN) (Entered: 06/17/2026)

#12

Jun 17, 2026

RESPONSE to Petition for Writ of Habeas Corpus by TODD BLANCHE, TODD LYONS, MARKWAYNE MULLIN, RUBEN PEREZ, LUIS SOTO. (Attachments: # 1 Exhibit 1- Bond Order, # 2 Exhibit 2- Removal Order)(CROSBY, JOHN) (Entered: 06/17/2026)

#13

Jun 30, 2026

TEXT ORDER: The Petitioner shall file a reply to the Respondents' answer at ECF 12 on or before July 6 at noon. So Ordered by Judge Michael E. Farbiarz on 6/30/26. (ro, ) (Entered: 06/30/2026)

Jun 30, 2026

Text Order

#14

Jul 01, 2026

REPLY to Response re 12 Response to Habeas Petition. (ASHUR, STEVEN) (Entered: 07/01/2026)

#15

Jul 27, 2026

TEXT ORDER: The petition at ECF 1 is denied without prejudice. The Petitioner has the burden here and he has not carried it. The Petitioner alleges that the "custody hearing conducted by the Elizabeth Immigration Court" after his first habeas petition was denied was "constitutionally defective." See Petitioner's Reply to Respondent's Expedited Answer (ECF 14) at 1. He maintains that the "transcript of the custody hearing will show that the [immigration judge] acted as a co-prosecutor with DHS[.]" See id. at 3. But he has not provided the Court with a copy of the bond hearing transcript. Should the Petitioner wish to renew his request for relief based on a transcript he may provide one. If he wishes to pursue that course, the Petitioner shall file a short letter on or before July 29 at noon saying whether he will do so. If no, this matter will be promptly dismissed. If yes, the Court will review the transcript when it is provided. So Ordered by Judge Michael E. Farbiarz on 7/27/2026. (ps) (Entered: 07/27/2026)

Jul 27, 2026

Text Order

#16

Jul 29, 2026

Letter from Petitioner Counsel. (ASHUR, STEVEN) (Entered: 07/29/2026)

#17

Jul 29, 2026

TEXT ORDER: As to ECF 16, the Court lacks supervisory authority in this area, and there are limits to what it can order. But it is in aid of the Court's jurisdiction (under the All Writs Act) for the parties to confer about discovery-type issues, and they shall promptly do so here. So Ordered by Judge Michael E. Farbiarz on 7/29/2026. (wh) (Entered: 07/29/2026)

Jul 29, 2026

Text Order

#18

Oct 01, 2026

TEXT ORDER: The Petitioner shall file a status update letter on or before October 2 at noon. So Ordered by Judge Michael E. Farbiarz on 10/1/2026. (ro, ) (Entered: 10/01/2026)

Oct 01, 2026

Text Order

#19

Oct 02, 2026

Letter from Petitioner Counsel. (Attachments: # 1 Exhibit)(ASHUR, STEVEN) (Entered: 10/02/2026)

#20

Oct 09, 2026

TEXT ORDER: The Respondents shall file a letter brief in response to the Petitioner's bond hearing challenge at ECF 19, 14, on or before October 12 at noon. So Ordered by Judge Michael E. Farbiarz on 10/9/26. (ro, ) (Entered: 10/09/2026)

Oct 09, 2026

Text Order

#21

Oct 12, 2026

RESPONSE re 20 Text Order. (CROSBY, JOHN) (Entered: 10/12/2026)

#22

Oct 27, 2026

TEXT ORDER: The Petitioner argues that his bond hearing was fundamentally unfair. See ECF 19, at 1; ECF 14, at 2-3, 8. Largely for the reasons set out in the Respondents' letter, see ECF 21, at 1-2, the Petitioner has not carried his burden. The Petitioner does not address the specifics of his hearing in any meaningful way. See ECF 14, 19. Nor does the Court have the authority to re-weigh the immigration judge's conclusion that the Petitioner is a flight risk. See 8 U.S.C. § 1226(e); Ghanem v. Warden Essex Cnty. Corr. Facility, 2022 WL 574624, at *2 (3d Cir. Feb. 25, 2022) (noting that federal courts "lack jurisdiction to review any discretionary determinations underlying [an immigration judge's] bond decision"); Ren v. Tsoukaris, 2026 WL 1602178, at *2 (D.N.J. June 4, 2026) ("Under 8 U.S.C. § 1226(e), federal courts lack jurisdiction to reweigh an immigration judge's discretionary determinations concerning dangerousness or flight risk."); Modebadze v. Soto, 2026 WL 1067835, at *1 (D.N.J. Apr. 17, 2026) (concluding § 1226(e) prevented the Court from "second-guess[ing]" the flight risk determination). In light of the above, the remainder of the Petition at ECF 1 is dismissed, the injunction at ECF 6 is lifted, and the motions at ECF 2, 5, are denied as moot. The Clerk of the Court shall close this case. SO Ordered by Judge Michael E. Farbiarz on 10/27/2026. (ro, ) (Entered: 10/27/2026)

Oct 27, 2026

Order of Dismissal