Alvarez v. ICE

After plaintiff was ordered removed, he remained in ICE custody from November 25, 2008 until October 21, 2009 - an amount of time greatly exceeding the 90-day statutory period for removal under the Immigration and Nationality Act (INA), 8 U.S.C. 1231(a)(1)(A). Plaintiff filed a Bivens action, arguing that various government officials, knowing that his removal order could not be executed, made false statements in order to unconstitutionally prolong his detention. The district court dismissed his complaint. Although the court held that section 1252(g) does not bar it from considering the merits of plaintiff's claim, the court also found no Bivens remedy available to him, because the INA sets out sufficient meaningful remedies for plaintiff and similarly situated aliens, and because numerous special factors counsel against supplementing this scheme with a new judicially created cause of action. The court noted that Congress did not provide an avenue by which plaintiff can seek monetary relief. The court deferred its judgment and held that no Bivens remedy is available to a plaintiff. View "Alvarez v. ICE" on Justia Law