US immigration courts across four states have handed down favorable decisions for Indian citizens languishing in detention facilities, ordering bond hearings and releases while slamming federal authorities for procedural lapses. The rulings from California, Michigan, New York, and Oklahoma highlight systemic issues in how Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) handles detentions.
San Diego federal court approved Harbeet Singh’s petition, mandating a bond hearing in seven days. ‘Extended custody sans bond review is unjust and contravenes constitutional due process,’ the judge stated, placing the burden on the government to substantiate any risks posed by the detainee.
Michigan’s Western District court sided with Sagar Ram, dismissing mandatory detention arguments and requiring either a Section 1226(a) bond hearing within five days or outright release.
In Oklahoma, Karan Deep Singh’s detention was reclassified under the bond-eligible Section 1226(a), prompting an urgent hearing, distinct from stricter mandatory rules.
Brooklyn’s New York court freed Harmanpreet Singh via habeas corpus, insisting on fresh bond proceedings backed by concrete proof of flight risk or community danger. Prolonged holds without evidence were labeled Fifth Amendment violations.
California saw further successes: immediate release for Bhavandeep Singh Dhaliwal, with a bar on re-arrest without proper process, and Vikrant Singh’s return to previous supervised release terms.
Relief wasn’t universal. Michigan denied Gurpreet Walia Singh’s petition post redetermination, finding no legal violations, while Oklahoma upheld a magistrate’s no-bond recommendation.
As immigration cases pile up, these decisions may pressure ICE to refine detention protocols, offering hope to thousands of immigrants caught in legal limbo.