Passim

Mandamus decisions / Western District of Washington

Ayala v. Noem

Western District of WashingtonJamal N WhiteheadDecided June 5, 2025No. 3:25-cv-05185

Read the decisionOriginal on CourtListener

2,914 written decisions from 2,661 cases in the whole mandamus and agency-delay group, the group's newest decided October 30, 2026. Updated November 3, 2026 at 1:24 a.m. CT; the Passim connector counts the live collection, which can differ by the day's additions and retirements (which total to quote). Coverage: of the 1,606 public decisions since January 1, 2025 that a CourtListener and GovInfo search for mandamus and agency delay finds, Passim holds 1,371 (85%), measured November 3, 2026. Some of what that search finds are not mandamus decisions. Tell us about a decision we're missing.

These are counts of past written decisions and dockets, not predictions of how any case will be decided. A distribution appears only when at least 5 decisions (or 5 dockets) are behind it; smaller groups are listed, not summarized. How it's counted.

What the decision decided

Each value cites the passage it was read from. Values read by a model were checked against that passage; values read by rule come from fixed text patterns. Read the decision before relying on either.

Agency USCIS Read by a model
USCIS process U-visa applications using a “first in, first out” approach, handling petitions in the order they were received.
Form or filing I-192; I-918 (U visa) Read by a model
He requests adjudication of his Form I-918 U-visa petition, 21 adjudication of his Form I-192 waiver application
What the suit asked for Decide the application Read by a model
He requests adjudication of his Form I-918 U-visa petition, 21 adjudication of his Form I-192 waiver application
Kind of order A ruling on a motion or the petition Read by a model
the Court DENIES Sepulveda Ayala’s motion for preliminary 15 injunction.
Motion decided Preliminary injunction or TRO Read by a model
Accordingly, the Court DENIES Sepulveda Ayala’s motion for preliminary 15 injunction.
Whose motion The plaintiff's motion Read by a model
This matter comes before the Court on Plaintiff Arturo Sepulveda Ayala’s 16 motion for preliminary injunction.
Disposition Denied in the government's favor The principal motion was denied in full: a motion to dismiss denied so the case goes on, or relief denied on the merits. Read by a model
Accordingly, the Court DENIES Sepulveda Ayala’s motion for preliminary 15 injunction.
Prevailing party Government Read by a model
Accordingly, the Court DENIES Sepulveda Ayala’s motion for preliminary 15 injunction.
The delay claim Relief denied Read by a model
Because Sepulveda has not shown a likelihood of success on his underlying 10 APA and mandamus claims, his motion for a preliminary injunction fails
The other claims Not decided here Read by a model
The complaint also alleges 5 violations of Sepulveda Ayala’s Fifth Amendment due process rights
Months pending 27.6 months from the application to the suit; 30.7 months from the application to the court's decision Read by a model
On November 15, 2022, Sepulveda Ayala applied for a U- 5 visa
TRAC factors The court weighed the TRAC factors
  • 1. Rule of reasonfavors the government
  • 2. Congressional timetablefavors the applicant
  • 3. Human health and welfarefavors the applicant
  • 4. Competing prioritiesfavors the government
  • 5. Interests prejudicedfavors the applicant
  • 6. No impropriety neededneutral
Read by a model
The first TRAC factor favors the Government
The government's delay arguments First-in, first-out processing accepted; Line-jumping accepted Read by a model
Courts consistently find that this “first in, first out” policy for processing U-visa petitions provides an adequate rule of reason.
Threshold rulings None Read by a model
U visa claims Final decision: relief denied; Other U visa claim: relief denied; Waiting list: relief denied Read by a model
Because Sepulveda has not shown a likelihood of success on his underlying 10 APA and mandamus claims, his motion for a preliminary injunction fails

Other orders in this case

The group holds 2 decisions from this suit, oldest first. Outcome counts on these pages count the case once, by its latest decision, this one. How decisions are grouped into cases.

DecisionDecidedJudgeDisposition
Ayala v. Noem April 26, 2025 Jamal N Whitehead Granted in the applicant's favor
Ayala v. NoemThis decisionThe case's latest decision: its outcome is the one counted June 5, 2025 Jamal N Whitehead Denied in the government's favor

How the case ended

Docket
No. 3:25-cv-05185
Filed
March 5, 2025
Ended
October 24, 2025
Suit's filing to its end
233 days
How it ended
Ended once the agency acted
From the record
voluntary dismissal 2025-10-23; idb disp 12 (dismissed: voluntarily)

A voluntary or stipulated dismissal is how most suits end once the agency acts; the docket rarely says why. Other suits in this court.

Supreme Court and Ninth Circuit authority

District decisions bind no one. On the questions this decision raises, the Supreme Court decisions and the circuit's published decisions listed here bind this court; a circuit disposition marked nonprecedential was not published as precedent and is persuasive only. ImmCite status as read November 3, 2026. Check the current status before relying on one.