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About the Course
Introduction
This CLE webinar will discuss using habeas petitions as a frontline defense in the expanded current detention landscape. DHS and ORR have applied increasingly assertive custody practices, from expedited removal orders to re-detention of long-term residents and refusal to release unaccompanied children to their family members; even noncitizens with pending benefits applications may face unexpected confinement. Counsel must be prepared to deploy habeas strategically and quickly.
Description
The panel will examine procedural mechanics, custody and immediate custodian rules, non-Rule-26 discovery, evidentiary hearings, and emerging uses of the All Writs Act in federal habeas practice. The program will also examine the constitutional limits on civil immigration detention, challenges related to expedited removal, and using habeas to return clients to a jurisdiction after improper transfers. The panel will conclude by surveying recent litigation trends, key federal court developments, and the practical lessons to practitioners.
Listen as our panel discusses these issues and other critical considerations for counsel seeking to protect detained noncitizens through federal habeas practice.
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This 90-minute webinar is eligible in most states for 1.5 CLE credits.
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Live Online
On Demand
Date + Time
- event
Wednesday, January 14, 2026
- schedule
1:00 PM E.T.
I. Introduction
II. Jurisdiction, custody, and procedural foundations
A. Immediate custodian rule
B. Venue selection and transfer problems
C. Threshold jurisdictional challenges
III. The habeas record
A. When evidentiary hearings are required
B. Pursuing non-Rule-26 discovery
C. Using declarations, medical records, and custody documentation
IV. Strategic uses of habeas
A. Challenging prolonged or mandatory detention, including for special populations like unaccompanied children in ORR custody
B. Securing clients' return to a jurisdiction
C. The All Writs Act and ancillary motions
V. Habeas and expedited removal
A. Impact of recent federal litigation
B. Framing challenges to unlawful or ultra vires expedited removals
C. Credible fear, reasonable fear, and reinstatement processes
VI. Appeals and preservation
A. Standards of review on appeal
B. Protecting issues for the circuit courts
C. Anticipating government arguments and mootness problems
VII. Practitioner takeaways
The panel will discuss these and other questions:
- Framing habeas claims challenging immigration detention
- Procedural issues that arise regarding custody, jurisdiction, and the "immediate custodian" rule
- Obtaining evidentiary hearings and non-Rule-26 discovery
- Using the All Writs Act and related motions
- Most effective strategies challenging expedited removal or improper transfers
The following has evaluated to null or missing:
==> barbriRedisCacheAPI.get("barbripass", productId) [in template "20096#20121#2885355" at line 5, column 77]
----
Tip: If the failing expression is known to legally refer to something that's sometimes null or missing, either specify a default value like myOptionalVar!myDefault, or use <#if myOptionalVar??>when-present<#else>when-missing</#if>. (These only cover the last step of the expression; to cover the whole expression, use parenthesis: (myOptionalVar.foo)!myDefault, (myOptionalVar.foo)??
----
----
FTL stack trace ("~" means nesting-related):
- Failed at: response = barbriRedisCacheAPI.get("b... [in template "20096#20121#2885355" at line 5, column 66]
---- 1<#assign productId = ''/> 2 <#if (productID.getData())?? && productID.getData()?has_content> 3 <#assign productId = productID.getData() /> 4 </#if> 5 <#assign response = barbriRedisCacheAPI.get("barbripass", productId) 6 json = jsonFactoryUtil.createJSONObject(response) 7 /> 8 9 <div class="card"> 10 <div class="card-body"> 11 <div class="row justify-content-between align-items-center"> 12 <div class="col-auto col-sm-auto"> 13 <div class="btn cle_btn" id="modalPassShortName"><#if (passName.getData())??>${passName.getData()}</#if></div> 14 </div> 15 <div class="col-auto col-sm-auto pl-lg-0"> 16 <span class="sale-price" id="modalPassPrice">$${json.pricebook?replace(",", "")?number?string("#,##0.00")}</span> 17 </div> 18 </div> 19 <div class="small_heading_area" id="modalPassFullName"><#if (title.getData())??>${title.getData()}</#if></div> 20 <p><#if (unlimitedText.getData())??>${unlimitedText.getData()}</#if>:</p> 21 <ul class="common-list disc_list paddNone"> 22 <#if (benefits.getData())??> 23 ${benefits.getData()} 24</#if> 25 </ul> 26 </div> 27 <div class="btn-float"> 28 <div class="premium-cle-pass cart-item"> 29 <input type="hidden" class="product-id" value="${productId}"> 30 <input type="hidden" class="product-name" value="${json.name}"> 31 <input type="hidden" class="pass-value" value="${passName.getData()}"> 32 <input type="hidden" class="product-price" value="${json.pricebook}"> 33 <input type="hidden" class="passAccessLengthMonths" value="${json.passAccessLengthMonths}"> 34 <input type="hidden" class="product-pass" value="family"> 35 <input type="hidden" class="product-expireDate" value=""> 36 37 <button 38 class="btn pc_theme_btn btn-primary btn_maxwidth_xxl_large add-to-cart" 39 aria-label="Buy Now" 40 data-redirect-checkout="true" 41 > 42 <span class="material-symbols-rounded"> shopping_cart </span> 43 Buy Now 44 </button> 45 </div> 46 </div> 47 </div> 48 49 <script> 50$(document).on('click', '.add-to-cart', function () { 51 let monthsToAdd = parseInt($(".passAccessLengthMonths").val()); 52 let currentDate = new Date(); 53 let futureDate = new Date(currentDate); 54 // Add months dynamically 55 futureDate.setMonth(futureDate.getMonth() + monthsToAdd); 56 57 // Handle overflow (e.g., Jan 31 + 1 month) 58 if (futureDate.getDate() !== currentDate.getDate()) { 59 futureDate.setDate(0); // last day of previous month 60 } 61 62 // Format as MM/DD/YYYY 63 function formatDateMMDDYYYY(date) { 64 let mm = String(date.getMonth() + 1).padStart(2, '0'); 65 let dd = String(date.getDate()).padStart(2, '0'); 66 let yyyy = date.getFullYear(); 67 return mm + '/' + dd + '/' + yyyy; 68 } 69 $(".product-expireDate").val(formatDateMMDDYYYY(futureDate)); 70 71 // Then close the modal 72 $('.single_option').modal('hide'); 73 }); 74</script> The following has evaluated to null or missing:
==> barbriRedisCacheAPI.get("barbripass", productId) [in template "20096#20121#2885355" at line 5, column 77]
----
Tip: If the failing expression is known to legally refer to something that's sometimes null or missing, either specify a default value like myOptionalVar!myDefault, or use <#if myOptionalVar??>when-present<#else>when-missing</#if>. (These only cover the last step of the expression; to cover the whole expression, use parenthesis: (myOptionalVar.foo)!myDefault, (myOptionalVar.foo)??
----
----
FTL stack trace ("~" means nesting-related):
- Failed at: response = barbriRedisCacheAPI.get("b... [in template "20096#20121#2885355" at line 5, column 66]
---- 1<#assign productId = ''/> 2 <#if (productID.getData())?? && productID.getData()?has_content> 3 <#assign productId = productID.getData() /> 4 </#if> 5 <#assign response = barbriRedisCacheAPI.get("barbripass", productId) 6 json = jsonFactoryUtil.createJSONObject(response) 7 /> 8 9 <div class="card"> 10 <div class="card-body"> 11 <div class="row justify-content-between align-items-center"> 12 <div class="col-auto col-sm-auto"> 13 <div class="btn cle_btn" id="modalPassShortName"><#if (passName.getData())??>${passName.getData()}</#if></div> 14 </div> 15 <div class="col-auto col-sm-auto pl-lg-0"> 16 <span class="sale-price" id="modalPassPrice">$${json.pricebook?replace(",", "")?number?string("#,##0.00")}</span> 17 </div> 18 </div> 19 <div class="small_heading_area" id="modalPassFullName"><#if (title.getData())??>${title.getData()}</#if></div> 20 <p><#if (unlimitedText.getData())??>${unlimitedText.getData()}</#if>:</p> 21 <ul class="common-list disc_list paddNone"> 22 <#if (benefits.getData())??> 23 ${benefits.getData()} 24</#if> 25 </ul> 26 </div> 27 <div class="btn-float"> 28 <div class="premium-cle-pass cart-item"> 29 <input type="hidden" class="product-id" value="${productId}"> 30 <input type="hidden" class="product-name" value="${json.name}"> 31 <input type="hidden" class="pass-value" value="${passName.getData()}"> 32 <input type="hidden" class="product-price" value="${json.pricebook}"> 33 <input type="hidden" class="passAccessLengthMonths" value="${json.passAccessLengthMonths}"> 34 <input type="hidden" class="product-pass" value="family"> 35 <input type="hidden" class="product-expireDate" value=""> 36 37 <button 38 class="btn pc_theme_btn btn-primary btn_maxwidth_xxl_large add-to-cart" 39 aria-label="Buy Now" 40 data-redirect-checkout="true" 41 > 42 <span class="material-symbols-rounded"> shopping_cart </span> 43 Buy Now 44 </button> 45 </div> 46 </div> 47 </div> 48 49 <script> 50$(document).on('click', '.add-to-cart', function () { 51 let monthsToAdd = parseInt($(".passAccessLengthMonths").val()); 52 let currentDate = new Date(); 53 let futureDate = new Date(currentDate); 54 // Add months dynamically 55 futureDate.setMonth(futureDate.getMonth() + monthsToAdd); 56 57 // Handle overflow (e.g., Jan 31 + 1 month) 58 if (futureDate.getDate() !== currentDate.getDate()) { 59 futureDate.setDate(0); // last day of previous month 60 } 61 62 // Format as MM/DD/YYYY 63 function formatDateMMDDYYYY(date) { 64 let mm = String(date.getMonth() + 1).padStart(2, '0'); 65 let dd = String(date.getDate()).padStart(2, '0'); 66 let yyyy = date.getFullYear(); 67 return mm + '/' + dd + '/' + yyyy; 68 } 69 $(".product-expireDate").val(formatDateMMDDYYYY(futureDate)); 70 71 // Then close the modal 72 $('.single_option').modal('hide'); 73 }); 74</script> The following has evaluated to null or missing:
==> barbriRedisCacheAPI.get("barbripass", productId) [in template "20096#20121#2885355" at line 5, column 77]
----
Tip: If the failing expression is known to legally refer to something that's sometimes null or missing, either specify a default value like myOptionalVar!myDefault, or use <#if myOptionalVar??>when-present<#else>when-missing</#if>. (These only cover the last step of the expression; to cover the whole expression, use parenthesis: (myOptionalVar.foo)!myDefault, (myOptionalVar.foo)??
----
----
FTL stack trace ("~" means nesting-related):
- Failed at: response = barbriRedisCacheAPI.get("b... [in template "20096#20121#2885355" at line 5, column 66]
---- 1<#assign productId = ''/> 2 <#if (productID.getData())?? && productID.getData()?has_content> 3 <#assign productId = productID.getData() /> 4 </#if> 5 <#assign response = barbriRedisCacheAPI.get("barbripass", productId) 6 json = jsonFactoryUtil.createJSONObject(response) 7 /> 8 9 <div class="card"> 10 <div class="card-body"> 11 <div class="row justify-content-between align-items-center"> 12 <div class="col-auto col-sm-auto"> 13 <div class="btn cle_btn" id="modalPassShortName"><#if (passName.getData())??>${passName.getData()}</#if></div> 14 </div> 15 <div class="col-auto col-sm-auto pl-lg-0"> 16 <span class="sale-price" id="modalPassPrice">$${json.pricebook?replace(",", "")?number?string("#,##0.00")}</span> 17 </div> 18 </div> 19 <div class="small_heading_area" id="modalPassFullName"><#if (title.getData())??>${title.getData()}</#if></div> 20 <p><#if (unlimitedText.getData())??>${unlimitedText.getData()}</#if>:</p> 21 <ul class="common-list disc_list paddNone"> 22 <#if (benefits.getData())??> 23 ${benefits.getData()} 24</#if> 25 </ul> 26 </div> 27 <div class="btn-float"> 28 <div class="premium-cle-pass cart-item"> 29 <input type="hidden" class="product-id" value="${productId}"> 30 <input type="hidden" class="product-name" value="${json.name}"> 31 <input type="hidden" class="pass-value" value="${passName.getData()}"> 32 <input type="hidden" class="product-price" value="${json.pricebook}"> 33 <input type="hidden" class="passAccessLengthMonths" value="${json.passAccessLengthMonths}"> 34 <input type="hidden" class="product-pass" value="family"> 35 <input type="hidden" class="product-expireDate" value=""> 36 37 <button 38 class="btn pc_theme_btn btn-primary btn_maxwidth_xxl_large add-to-cart" 39 aria-label="Buy Now" 40 data-redirect-checkout="true" 41 > 42 <span class="material-symbols-rounded"> shopping_cart </span> 43 Buy Now 44 </button> 45 </div> 46 </div> 47 </div> 48 49 <script> 50$(document).on('click', '.add-to-cart', function () { 51 let monthsToAdd = parseInt($(".passAccessLengthMonths").val()); 52 let currentDate = new Date(); 53 let futureDate = new Date(currentDate); 54 // Add months dynamically 55 futureDate.setMonth(futureDate.getMonth() + monthsToAdd); 56 57 // Handle overflow (e.g., Jan 31 + 1 month) 58 if (futureDate.getDate() !== currentDate.getDate()) { 59 futureDate.setDate(0); // last day of previous month 60 } 61 62 // Format as MM/DD/YYYY 63 function formatDateMMDDYYYY(date) { 64 let mm = String(date.getMonth() + 1).padStart(2, '0'); 65 let dd = String(date.getDate()).padStart(2, '0'); 66 let yyyy = date.getFullYear(); 67 return mm + '/' + dd + '/' + yyyy; 68 } 69 $(".product-expireDate").val(formatDateMMDDYYYY(futureDate)); 70 71 // Then close the modal 72 $('.single_option').modal('hide'); 73 }); 74</script> The following has evaluated to null or missing:
==> barbriRedisCacheAPI.get("barbripass", productId) [in template "20096#20121#2885355" at line 5, column 77]
----
Tip: If the failing expression is known to legally refer to something that's sometimes null or missing, either specify a default value like myOptionalVar!myDefault, or use <#if myOptionalVar??>when-present<#else>when-missing</#if>. (These only cover the last step of the expression; to cover the whole expression, use parenthesis: (myOptionalVar.foo)!myDefault, (myOptionalVar.foo)??
----
----
FTL stack trace ("~" means nesting-related):
- Failed at: response = barbriRedisCacheAPI.get("b... [in template "20096#20121#2885355" at line 5, column 66]
---- 1<#assign productId = ''/> 2 <#if (productID.getData())?? && productID.getData()?has_content> 3 <#assign productId = productID.getData() /> 4 </#if> 5 <#assign response = barbriRedisCacheAPI.get("barbripass", productId) 6 json = jsonFactoryUtil.createJSONObject(response) 7 /> 8 9 <div class="card"> 10 <div class="card-body"> 11 <div class="row justify-content-between align-items-center"> 12 <div class="col-auto col-sm-auto"> 13 <div class="btn cle_btn" id="modalPassShortName"><#if (passName.getData())??>${passName.getData()}</#if></div> 14 </div> 15 <div class="col-auto col-sm-auto pl-lg-0"> 16 <span class="sale-price" id="modalPassPrice">$${json.pricebook?replace(",", "")?number?string("#,##0.00")}</span> 17 </div> 18 </div> 19 <div class="small_heading_area" id="modalPassFullName"><#if (title.getData())??>${title.getData()}</#if></div> 20 <p><#if (unlimitedText.getData())??>${unlimitedText.getData()}</#if>:</p> 21 <ul class="common-list disc_list paddNone"> 22 <#if (benefits.getData())??> 23 ${benefits.getData()} 24</#if> 25 </ul> 26 </div> 27 <div class="btn-float"> 28 <div class="premium-cle-pass cart-item"> 29 <input type="hidden" class="product-id" value="${productId}"> 30 <input type="hidden" class="product-name" value="${json.name}"> 31 <input type="hidden" class="pass-value" value="${passName.getData()}"> 32 <input type="hidden" class="product-price" value="${json.pricebook}"> 33 <input type="hidden" class="passAccessLengthMonths" value="${json.passAccessLengthMonths}"> 34 <input type="hidden" class="product-pass" value="family"> 35 <input type="hidden" class="product-expireDate" value=""> 36 37 <button 38 class="btn pc_theme_btn btn-primary btn_maxwidth_xxl_large add-to-cart" 39 aria-label="Buy Now" 40 data-redirect-checkout="true" 41 > 42 <span class="material-symbols-rounded"> shopping_cart </span> 43 Buy Now 44 </button> 45 </div> 46 </div> 47 </div> 48 49 <script> 50$(document).on('click', '.add-to-cart', function () { 51 let monthsToAdd = parseInt($(".passAccessLengthMonths").val()); 52 let currentDate = new Date(); 53 let futureDate = new Date(currentDate); 54 // Add months dynamically 55 futureDate.setMonth(futureDate.getMonth() + monthsToAdd); 56 57 // Handle overflow (e.g., Jan 31 + 1 month) 58 if (futureDate.getDate() !== currentDate.getDate()) { 59 futureDate.setDate(0); // last day of previous month 60 } 61 62 // Format as MM/DD/YYYY 63 function formatDateMMDDYYYY(date) { 64 let mm = String(date.getMonth() + 1).padStart(2, '0'); 65 let dd = String(date.getDate()).padStart(2, '0'); 66 let yyyy = date.getFullYear(); 67 return mm + '/' + dd + '/' + yyyy; 68 } 69 $(".product-expireDate").val(formatDateMMDDYYYY(futureDate)); 70 71 // Then close the modal 72 $('.single_option').modal('hide'); 73 }); 74</script> Related Courses
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