Detention

These four step-by-step guides will walk you through the steps for filing your first petition for habeas corpus (immigration) in each of the California federal district courts--the Eastern District of California, the Northern District of California, the Central District of California, and the Southern District of California.

This step-by-step guide will walk you through the steps for filing your first petition for habeas corpus (immigration) in the Southern District of California. The guide provides helpful tips and how-tos from registering for PACER, the federal court electronic filing system, to applying for admission to the district bar, to formatting and filing your petition and motion for injunctive relief. The guide includes helpful screenshots and references to the local rules, as well as links to other useful practice advisories and resources.

This new policy platform examines how the 1996 laws expanded detention, deportation, and family separation – and outlines a vision for a more just and humane future.

This step-by-step guide will walk you through the steps for filing your first petition for habeas corpus (immigration) in the Central District of California.

This advisory summarizes the majority and dissent’s opinions, and shares key takeaways and practice tips for criminal defenders and immigration practitioners in light of the decision.

This advisory is part II of a two-part advisory on the federal immigration consequences of California Proposition 36 enacted in December 2024. Part I on Prop 36 and controlled substance offenses is found here.

This step-by-step guide will walk you through the steps for filing your first petition for habeas corpus (immigration) in the Northern District of California.

This step-by-step guide will walk you through the steps for filing your first petition for habeas corpus (immigration) in the Eastern District of California.

When an immigration judge denies bond based on a finding that a person is a danger to the community or a flight risk, what options remain to challenge that decision? As immigration detention expands and bond denials become increasingly common, federal court litigation is emerging as a critical tool to obtain judicial review of these determinations.

From October 3-7, 2025, Goodwin Simon Strategic Research surveyed a statewide representative sample of 1,213 registered voters. The poll explored voter attitudes towards mass deportation, recent ICE actions, and sanctuary protections in the state. Uniquely, this poll explores key themes that may be driving Californians’ growing disapproval of mass deportation, including revealing voters’ strong support for due process, including for people with past records, and equal treatment in the legal system, regardless of immigration status. Voters also expressed deep concern with the cost of the Trump administration’s approach to immigration on taxpayers.