Federal judges in multiple US districts have rebuked immigration authorities this week, ordering bond hearings or releases for Indian detainees in California, Michigan, New York, and Oklahoma. The decisions pivot on misclassified detentions and absent due process, invoking constitutional protections.
San Diego kicked off with Harbeet Singh’s case, ruling seven-day bond hearings essential; government must prove risks convincingly or face release mandates.
Michigan’s Western District empowered Sagar Ram with a five-day bond option under Section 1226(a), overriding mandatory detention pleas.
Oklahoma realigned Karan Deep Singh to bond-eligible custody, fast-tracking hearings away from rigid mandatory statutes.
New York’s Brooklyn venue liberated Harmanpreet Singh through habeas, enforcing evidence-based justifications to avert Fifth Amendment infractions from endless holds.
In other California actions, Bhavandeep Singh Dhaliwal walked free immediately, shielded from warrantless re-arrest, while Vikrant Singh resumed supervised liberty.
Setbacks occurred too: Michigan upheld Gurpreet Walia Singh’s detention post-review, deeming it lawful; Oklahoma followed suit on a bond denial.
Amid surging immigration dockets, these verdicts spotlight enforcement flaws, urging reforms that prioritize hearings and evidence, which could cascade into policy shifts favoring detainees’ rights.