PHILADELPHIA, PA – A 33-year-old Dominican Republic national being held by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) in Philadelphia has filed a federal habeas corpus petition demanding immediate release, arguing that his mandatory detention is unconstitutional.
Juan Luis Villa Delgado, detained at the Federal Detention Center in Philadelphia, brought the case before the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania on January 10. The petition names several top officials in the federal immigration system, including the facility’s warden, ICE’s acting field director Michael Rose, acting national director Todd Lyons, Department of Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem, and Attorney General Pamela Bondi — all in their official capacities.
Delgado contends that ICE’s ongoing detention violates his rights under federal law and the U.S. Constitution, asking the court to issue a writ of habeas corpus ordering his immediate release and declaring the detention unlawful. The petition invokes 28 U.S.C. § 2241, the federal statute that allows prisoners to challenge the legality of their confinement.
Judge Harvey Bartle III, who authored the memorandum opinion dated January 29, noted that habeas corpus has long served as a safeguard against unlawful executive detention — a principle reaffirmed in landmark Supreme Court cases including Hamdi v. Rumsfeld and Zadvydas v. Davis. The ruling emphasized that district courts retain jurisdiction to review the legality of immigration detention under the habeas statute.
Detention began after border apprehension
According to court filings, Delgado entered the United States near the Texas-Mexico border on December 3, 2022, where U.S. Customs and Border Protection officers apprehended him shortly after crossing. Authorities charged him as an inadmissible alien under 8 U.S.C. § 1182(a)(6)(A)(i), which applies to individuals entering the country without inspection. Following his arrest, he was transferred to ICE custody and eventually relocated to Philadelphia’s federal detention facility.
The case highlights continuing legal battles over ICE’s detention powers, particularly regarding the length and conditions of confinement for noncitizens awaiting immigration proceedings. Habeas petitions like Delgado’s have become increasingly common as detainees argue that prolonged or mandatory detentions violate constitutional protections against indefinite imprisonment.
Key takeaways
• Juan Luis Villa Delgado, a Dominican national, is challenging his ICE detention in Philadelphia federal court.
• The habeas corpus petition seeks immediate release, claiming his custody is unlawful.
• The case underscores ongoing disputes over ICE’s authority to detain migrants indefinitely pending removal.
The court has not yet ruled on Delgado’s petition. Further filings and potential hearings are expected to determine whether ICE’s continued detention of the petitioner is justified under federal immigration law.