Mandamus decisions / Southern District of Texas

Cagiza et al v. Mullin et al

Southern District of TexasChristina A. BryanDecided September 30, 2026No. 4:26-cv-04573

2,996 written decisions from 2,731 cases in the whole mandamus and agency-delay group, the group's newest decided November 12, 2026. Updated November 14, 2026 at 1:17 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 1,617 public decisions since January 1, 2025 that a CourtListener and GovInfo search for mandamus and agency delay finds, Passim holds 1,406 (87%), 1,039 of them in this group, measured November 14, 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 Evidence at the September 29, 2026 hearing established that USCIS denied Plaintiffs’ Forms I-485 and I-765 on September 2, 2026.
Form or filing	I-140 (immigrant worker petition); I-485 (adjustment of status); I-765 (EAD) Read by a model (2) arbitrary and capricious withholding of a decision on Forms I-485 and I-765 (Count II); (3) arbitrary and capricious denial of Dr. Cagiza’s Form I-140 on July 1, 2026 (Count III);
What the suit asked for	Issue a work permit Read by a model an order compelling adjudication of the two Forms I-765 within a short, defined period
Kind of order	A magistrate judge's recommendation Read by a model MEMORANDUM AND RECOMMENDATION
Motion decided	Preliminary injunction or TRO Read by a model For the reasons set forth above, the Court RECOMMENDS that Plaintiffs’ Motion for Preliminary Injunction (ECF 16) be DENIED.
Whose motion	The plaintiff's motion Read by a model For the reasons set forth above, the Court RECOMMENDS that Plaintiffs’ Motion for Preliminary Injunction (ECF 16) be DENIED.
Disposition	Magistrate judge's recommendation A magistrate judge's report and recommendation. The district judge decides whether to adopt it, so it is not counted as either side's win. Read by a model MEMORANDUM AND RECOMMENDATION
Prevailing party	Neither side Read by a model MEMORANDUM AND RECOMMENDATION
The delay claim	Relief denied Read by a model For the reasons set forth above, the Court RECOMMENDS that Plaintiffs’ Motion for Preliminary Injunction (ECF 16) be DENIED.
The other claims	Not decided here Read by a model Defendants’ Motion to Dismiss (ECF 25) is addressed in a separate Memorandum and Recommendation.
Months pending	1.4 months from the application to the suit; 5.1 months from the application to the court's decision Read by a model Dr. Cagiza and Mr. Cagiza filed Forms I-485 (Application to Register Permanent Residence of Adjust Status) and I-765 (Application for Employment Authorization Document) on April 27, 2026.
TRAC factors	The court did not weigh the TRAC factors Read by a model
Threshold rulings	None Read by a model
Nationality	Angola Read by a model Plaintiffs are Angolan nationals residing in Fort Bend County, Texas.

Other orders in this case

The group holds 3 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.

Decision	Decided	Judge	Disposition
Cagiza et al v. Mullin et al	July 22, 2026	Christina A. Bryan	Magistrate judge's recommendation
Cagiza et al v. Mullin et al	September 30, 2026	Christina A. Bryan	Magistrate judge's recommendation
Cagiza et al v. Mullin et alThis decisionThe case's latest decision: its outcome is the one counted	September 30, 2026	Christina A. Bryan	Magistrate judge's recommendation

How the case ended

Docket: No. 4:26-cv-04573
Filed: June 10, 2026
Status: Pending as of the last docket check

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 Fifth 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 14, 2026. Check the current status before relying on one.

Norton v. Southern Utah Wilderness Alliance, 542 U.S. 55

Supreme Court, June 14, 2004. Section 706(1) and mandamus reach only a discrete agency action that the agency is legally required to take, so a court cannot compel programmatic improvements or action the law leaves to agency discretion.

ImmCite: treatment available, history exists, not clearance
Cheejati v. Blinken, 106 F.4th 388

Fifth Circuit, July 5, 2024. The pace at which USCIS adjudicates adjustment applications during visa retrogression is a discretionary action under § 1255(a) that § 1252(a)(2)(B)(ii) shields from review, agreeing with the Eighth Circuit's Thigulla.

ImmCite: treatment available, history exists, not clearance. ImmCite has read all 7 published decisions citing this case, as of 2026-11-13; none treats it adversely. That describes those decisions; it is not a determination that the case is good law.
Mendoza-Tarango v. Flores, 982 F.3d 395

Fifth Circuit, December 8, 2020. A § 706(1) or mandamus claim requires a discrete, legally required action, and USCIS had no nondiscretionary duty to administer the naturalization oath at a prison.

ImmCite: unchecked, treatment not confirmed yet, not evidence either way. ImmCite has found no published decision citing this case as of 2026-11-01; it checks for new citing decisions daily. That is not a determination that the case is good law. The citation index lists 7 other decisions citing it, none a Supreme Court, BIA or Attorney General precedent or a published circuit opinion; ImmCite's status does not review them.