Lazaro Maldonado Bautista v. Ernesto Santacruz Jr.

About the case

Lazaro Maldonado Bautista and other detainees filed a habeas petition and class complaint challenging DHS's July 8, 2025 interim guidance treating people who entered without inspection as subject to mandatory detention under 8 U.S.C. § 1225(b)(2). On December 18, 2025 the Central District of California certified a nationwide Bond Eligible Class, declared that class members are detained under § 1226(a) and are entitled to consideration for release on bond and, if not released, a custody redetermination hearing, and vacated the interim guidance under the APA; it entered final judgment on those claims under Rule 54(b). The government appealed the same day. On February 18, 2026 the court granted a motion to enforce the judgment and vacated Matter of Yajure Hurtado, 29 I&N Dec. 216 (BIA 2025). On March 31, 2026 the Ninth Circuit stayed the class certification order and final judgment "insofar as they extend beyond the Central District of California" and stayed the February 18 order, finding the government likely to succeed in arguing that the claims sound in habeas and must be brought in the district of confinement. The judgment remains in place in the Central District of California. The government did not seek a stay on the merits of its § 1225(b)(2)(A) reading.

Relief

The final judgment declares Bond Eligible Class members detained under § 1226(a) and entitled to bond consideration, and vacates the July 8, 2025 interim guidance. Pending appeal, the judgment and class certification are stayed outside the Central District of California, and the order vacating Matter of Yajure Hurtado is stayed entirely.

What's next

A Ninth Circuit decision in the consolidated appeals, Nos. 25-7958 and 26-1044; no date was found.