A federal court in California ordered the release of a Salvadoran man from ICE detention even though an immigration judge had already ordered him removed from the United States. According to ICE and the Department of Homeland Security, David Eduardo Mejia-Martinez, 32, was arrested in Los Angeles on Nov. 2, held at Adelanto ICE Processing Center, denied bond on April 30 as a flight risk and danger to the community, ordered removed on Aug. 7, and released Sept. 9 after the U.S. District Court for the Central District of California granted his habeas corpus petition; authorities said he is now being monitored by GPS.
Why it matters: The case highlights a clash between federal district courts reviewing detention through habeas corpus and the immigration system's removal process. It matters to debates over detention authority, due process, and public safety, especially when people with criminal or gang allegations are released while removal is still unresolved.
Ben Chapman
2026.09.21
100% relevant
This article appears to establish a distinct story centered on one detainee's court-ordered release from ICE custody after a final removal order, rather than updating any tracked story about third-country deportations, hidden detainee locations, or other named incidents.
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