California’s federal benches have issued sharp rebukes to ICE, mandating the release of three Indian citizens ensnared in procedural pitfalls. Separate rulings this week from Eastern and Southern Districts spotlight how re-detentions bypass foundational rights, even as immigration policies harden post-Trump inauguration.
The common thread: each man was initially released after entry, complied fully, then yanked back without notice or hearing. This clashes with the Fifth Amendment’s Due Process Clause, enshrined to prevent government overreach on liberty.
Harmeet S., 21, arrived August 2022. Minor status freed him; he aced DHS alternatives program, zero crimes. November 2025: check-in becomes custody—month-plus sans bond. Judge Troy L. Nunley ruled violation, immediate release, no re-arrest sans evidence of threat.
Sawon K.’s arc: September 2024 entry amid asylum claim from Indian oppression. Released, routine-compliant—re-seized September 2025, held four months warrant-free. Nunley liberated him too.
Amit, in since September 2022, post-release worked and filed asylum, clean slate. Home-arrested 2025 heading to job; Judge Janice L. Sammartino’s habeas writ secured his exit from Imperial facility.
Broader implications loom. These cases test enforcement zeal against constitutional bedrock, potentially curbing similar actions. For migrants, it’s affirmation that compliance shouldn’t equal vulnerability—urging vigilance and legal recourse in an era of flux.