Habeas corpus in the District of Columbia for immigration cases. Attorney Ahmad Yakzan files habeas corpus petitions in the District of Columbia challenging immigration detention policies and federal agency actions. He handles habeas corpus cases in the District of Columbia targeting DHS and ICE policy decisions. Also admitted in the Middle District of Florida and Western District of Texas. Learn more about our immigration habeas corpus practice.
Attorney Ahmad Yakzan is admitted to practice in the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia and files federal habeas corpus petitions to challenge unlawful immigration detention and federal agency policies directly in the nation’s capital.
The U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia occupies a unique position in immigration habeas corpus litigation. While D.C. does not have major ICE detention facilities, the D.D.C. has jurisdiction over challenges to federal agency policies and actions because the headquarters of the Department of Homeland Security, ICE, and USCIS are all located in Washington, D.C.
Attorney Ahmad Yakzan is admitted to practice in the District of Columbia and files habeas corpus petitions in the D.D.C. when the case involves challenging systemic detention policies, suing agency heads directly, or when the detention is the result of a policy-level decision rather than a local enforcement action. The D.D.C. is often the appropriate venue for cases that implicate nationwide immigration detention practices.
Filing in the D.D.C. can be strategically advantageous when the unlawful detention stems from a DHS or ICE policy rather than a local decision by a field office. In these cases, naming the Secretary of Homeland Security or the Director of ICE as respondents and filing in their home jurisdiction can be the most effective path to relief.
A habeas corpus petition is typically filed in the federal district where the detainee is being held. If your loved one is detained at any of these facilities, the D.D.C. is likely the correct venue for filing.
The Department of Homeland Security headquarters. Habeas petitions in the D.D.C. often name the DHS Secretary as respondent.
U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement headquarters. Agency-level detention policies are challenged here.
U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services headquarters. Relevant when detention relates to delayed adjudication of immigration benefits.
When the government detains you or a loved one without legal justification, you have a constitutional right to challenge that detention. A writ of habeas corpus is one of the most powerful legal tools available — it compels the government to justify why someone is being held.
At American Dream Law Office, attorney Ahmad Yakzan has extensive experience filing habeas corpus petitions in federal court on behalf of individuals held in immigration detention. Whether you are facing prolonged detention without a bond hearing, being held despite a grant of relief, or have been detained under questionable legal authority, we are prepared to fight for your release.
Ahmad Yakzan is admitted to practice in the U.S. District Courts for the Northern, Middle, and Southern Districts of Florida, the Western District of Texas, and the District of Columbia — giving him the ability to file habeas petitions in multiple federal jurisdictions across the country.
If any of these situations sound familiar, a habeas corpus petition may be the right path to fight back.
Your loved one has been locked up for weeks or months and no one can tell you when they will have a hearing or be released. Every call to ICE leads to the same answer: “We don’t have a date.” You feel helpless, and each day that passes feels like a lifetime. A habeas petition forces the government to explain to a federal judge why they are still being held.
The immigration judge granted relief — asylum, cancellation of removal, bond — but ICE refuses to release your family member. They keep saying they are “reviewing” the decision or filing an appeal they never actually file. Meanwhile your loved one remains in detention, separated from their family. A federal habeas petition can compel ICE to comply with the judge’s order.
ICE picked up the wrong person. Or they are relying on an old deportation order that was already resolved. Or your family member was never given notice of a hearing and got deported in absentia for a case they never knew about. These errors happen more often than people think, and the only way to fix them quickly is through a federal court habeas petition.
The kids are asking where their parent is. Bills are piling up because the family’s provider is in detention. You have called every number you can find and no one gives you a straight answer. You do not need more runaround — you need someone who will take this fight to federal court and demand answers. That is exactly what a habeas corpus petition does.
Another attorney told you there is nothing that can be done. Or the immigration judge denied bond and said their hands are tied. What many people do not realize is that federal court is a separate system from immigration court — and a federal judge has the power to order a release that an immigration judge cannot. A habeas petition opens a door that most people do not know exists.
The writ of habeas corpus — Latin for “produce the body” — is a fundamental constitutional right guaranteed by Article I of the U.S. Constitution. In the immigration context, it allows detained individuals to challenge their detention in federal court.
If you have been detained for months without a bond hearing or final order, a habeas petition can compel the government to justify your continued detention or release you.
If an immigration judge granted you relief but ICE refuses to release you, a federal habeas petition can enforce your right to liberty.
If you are being held based on a legal error — such as misidentification, an expired order, or a custody determination you were never given — habeas relief may be available.
We handle everything from investigation to filing to arguing your case before a federal judge. Here is what to expect.
We review the details of the detention — when it happened, where, and under what authority. We identify the legal basis for challenging the detention and determine which federal court has jurisdiction.
Attorney Yakzan drafts and files the habeas corpus petition in the appropriate U.S. District Court. In urgent cases, we file emergency motions requesting immediate relief or an expedited hearing.
The federal court orders the government to respond and justify the detention. Unlike immigration court, the government cannot simply ignore or delay — a federal judge is now overseeing the case.
The judge reviews the evidence and arguments from both sides. If the court finds the detention is unlawful, it can order immediate release, a bond hearing, or other relief to end the unlawful detention.
Admitted to practice in multiple U.S. District Courts including N.D. Fla., M.D. Fla., S.D. Fla., W.D. Tex., and D.D.C.
Deep experience in crimmigration — understanding how criminal pleas affect immigration detention and removal.
Ahmad does not wait for the government to act. He files emergency motions and seeks immediate relief when clients are unlawfully detained.
Fluent in English, Arabic, and French — able to communicate directly with clients and families without interpreters.
Whether you are detained or your loved one is, understanding these rights is the first step toward fighting back.
The U.S. Constitution guarantees that no person — regardless of immigration status — can be held without legal justification. You have the right to ask a federal court to review your detention.
You have the right to hire an attorney to represent you. While the government will not provide one for free in immigration cases, having a lawyer who can file in federal court changes everything.
In many cases, individuals detained for prolonged periods are entitled to a bond hearing before an immigration judge. If this right has been denied, a habeas petition can enforce it.
The Supreme Court has ruled that the government cannot detain someone indefinitely. If there is no realistic chance of removal in the reasonably foreseeable future, continued detention may be unconstitutional.
Every case is different, but in many situations we can file the petition within days of being retained. Once filed, federal courts typically order the government to respond within 14 to 30 days. In emergency situations, we can request expedited consideration and have the case heard in a matter of days. The entire process from filing to resolution can take anywhere from a few weeks to a few months, depending on the complexity of the case and the court’s schedule.
Yes. A criminal record does not automatically disqualify someone from habeas relief. Many individuals with criminal convictions are held in prolonged detention precisely because their cases are more complex. The question in a habeas case is not whether someone has a criminal record — it is whether the government has the legal authority to continue detaining them. Attorney Yakzan has deep experience in crimmigration and understands how criminal history intersects with immigration detention.
Attorney Yakzan is admitted to practice in multiple federal courts across the country, including the Northern, Middle, and Southern Districts of Florida, the Western District of Texas, and the District of Columbia. For jurisdictions where he is not yet admitted, he can seek pro hac vice admission, which allows him to appear in that court for your specific case. Distance does not have to be a barrier to getting help.
Immigration courts are part of the Department of Justice and operate under the executive branch — the same branch that runs ICE and detention. Federal courts are independent Article III courts with judges appointed for life. When you file a habeas petition, you are asking an independent federal judge to review whether the government is following the law. This is a completely separate legal avenue from immigration court proceedings and is often the only option when the immigration system has failed.
Attorney fees vary based on the complexity of the case, the jurisdiction where the petition must be filed, and the urgency of the situation. We discuss fees transparently during the initial consultation so you understand the full cost before making a decision. The federal court filing fee is typically $5, but the legal work involved in researching, drafting, and arguing the petition is where the real investment lies. Schedule a consultation to discuss your specific situation.
If the federal court grants the habeas petition, the result depends on what was argued. The court may order the immediate release of the detained individual, require the government to provide a bond hearing, vacate an unlawful removal order, or take other corrective action. In some cases, the government may choose to release the individual before the court even rules, once they realize a federal judge is scrutinizing the detention.
Not necessarily. Many immigration attorneys do not practice in federal court and may not be familiar with habeas corpus as a remedy. It is a specialized area of law that sits at the intersection of constitutional law, immigration law, and federal civil procedure. If you were told there are no options, it is worth getting a second opinion from an attorney who regularly files habeas petitions in federal court.
Take the first step toward freedom. Contact American Dream Law Office to discuss your habeas corpus case with attorney Ahmad Yakzan.