Removal to Moldova As Files Habeas
in SDNY ICE Reply June 11
by
Matthew Russell Lee, Patreon Book
Substack
SDNY
COURTHOUSE,
June 5 –A man from the
Republic of Georgia taken into
ICE detention in 26 Federal
Plaza facing removal to
Moldova filed a habeas corpus
petition in the U.S. District
Court for the Southern
District of New York, where
Inner City Press found
it.
Inner City
Press covered the June 5
hearing before Judge John G.
Koeltl to whom the case has
been assigned:
AUSA: On June 3,
ICE took him into custody
because they have identified a
third county that will accept
him – the country is Moldova.
Now ICE is ready to execute
the removal order. Judge:
Wasn’t the arrest at 26 Fed in
violation of Judge Castel’s
order? AUSA: No
AUSA: That
order only covers arrests at
Immigration Court. He was
checking in on another floor.
He has an order of removal, no
more proceedings. Judge:
Okay… The 2d issue, was
there any need to deal with
the order of release from the
judge in Louisiana.
AUSA: We didn’t
need to go back to the judge
in Louisiana. The file is
being sent. Judge: Okay… So
how much time do you want to
respond?
AUSA: Until the
11th. The petition was at 26
Fed when it was filed at 11
am. He’s been transferred
outside the 3 districts
AUSA: I don’t
know if to Louisiana – but in
light of the court’s
injunction, they will be
returning him to the 3
districts. The Louisiana
facility is a short-term
staging facility removal,
which will apparently take a
little time. Judge: Fine.
Judge: I’m
sure in your response you’ll
give me the various orders
from the court in Louisiana
and the specifics of the
arrest at 26 Federal Plaza.
The case is
Melikishvili v. Lyons, et al.,
1:26-cv-4706 (Koeltl)
***
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