Text from court document:
Arguably worse, while the procedures for the Government’s immigration arrest and detention may have had the initial appearance of negligence, they have since slid downward into manifest recklessness.” Immigrants are swept up into custody and shifted repeatedly around the country without warning or explanation.
Efforts by the Court in this District to protect detainees’ rights have been largely frustrated by the Government. Earlier this month, the U.S. Attorney’s Office conceded to violating 72 orders’ issued in immigration habeas cases in this District alone. Kumar v. Soto, Civ. No. 26-777, Docket Entry No. 21. (D.N.J. Feb. 13, 2026). That number by itself is objectively appalling, but at least one judge has indicated that it was underreported. See Singh v. Tsoukaris, Civ. No. 26-1531, Docket Entry No. 10 at 3 (D.N.J. Feb. 20, 2026). The U.S. Attorneys Office has couched these violations as unintentional. Kumar v. Soto, Civ. No. 26-777, Docket Entry No. 10 (D.N.J. Feb. 13, 2026). Sadly, the well-deserved credibility once attached to that distinguished Office is now a presumption that “has been undeniably eroded.” Singh, Docket Entry No. 10 at 2. The Government’s continued actions after being called to task can now only be deemed intentional. The undersigned will not stand idly by and allow this intentional misconduct to go on. It ends today.