Summary
This federal district court order resolves a pro se petition for writs of habeas corpus and mandamus filed by an individual detained by ICE pending removal. The court granted the petitioner's motion to transfer venue from the District of Maine to the Western District of Louisiana, citing his extended detention exceeding six months and his physical relocation to a Louisiana facility. As a result, the magistrate judge's prior recommended decisions on the petition are rendered moot.
Topics
Practice areas
Questions Presented
- Whether the district court may transfer venue under 28 U.S.C. §1404(a) given the plaintiff's custody status and convenience considerations.
Holdings
- The motion to change venue is granted and the case is transferred to the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Louisiana.
Key quotations
“Section 1404(a) is intended to place discretion in the district court to adjudicate motions for transfer according to an individualized, case-by-case consideration of convenience and fairness.”
Factual background
Francis Enwonwu was in ICE custody for more than six months, having been transferred from the Cumberland County Sheriff’s Office in Maine to an ICE detention facility in Louisiana in December 2024.
Procedural history
The magistrate judge recommended dismissal of the petition. The district court granted the plaintiff's motion to change venue and ordered transfer to the Western District of Louisiana.
Remand instructions
Transfer the case, including the pending petition, to the United States District Court for the Western District of Louisiana.