Estrada Morales v. Bullock - Habeas Corpus Bond Hearing

Jump To

Top Caption Trial Court Document

Support FLP

CourtListener is a project of Free
Law Project, a federally-recognized 501(c)(3) non-profit. Members help support our work and get special access to features.

Please become a member today.

Join Free.law Now

April 22, 2026 Get Citation Alerts Download PDF Add Note

Kevin Francisco Estrada Morales v. Christopher Bullock, New Orleans Field Office Director of Immigration and Customs Enforcement, Enforcement and Removal Operations

District Court, W.D. Tennessee

• Citations: None known
• Docket Number: 2:26-cv-02450

• Precedential Status: Unknown Status

• Opinion

• Authorities (1)

• Cited By (0)

• Summaries (0)

• Similar Cases (0)

• PDF

Trial Court Document

IN THE UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT
FOR THE WESTERN DISTRICT OF TENNESSEE
WESTERN DIVISION
)
KEVIN FRANCISCO ESTRADA )
MORALES, )
Petitioner, )
)
v. )
) No. 2:26-cv-02450-SHL-cgc
CHRISTOPHER BULLOCK1, New Orleans )
Field Office Director of Immigration and )
Customs Enforcement, Enforcement and )
Removal Operations, )
Respondent. )
)

ORDER REQUIRING SERVICE AND STAYING TRANSFER

On April 21, 2026, Petitioner Kevin Francisco Estrada Morales filed the Petition for a
Writ of Habeas Corpus under 28 U.S.C. § 2241.2 (ECF No. 1.) Estrada Morales challenges his
continued detention in the West Tennessee Detention Facility as an “arriving alien” without a
bond hearing. (ECF No. 1-3 at PageID 17.) He seeks immediate release from Respondent’s
custody. (Id.)
Upon review of the Petition, it is ORDERED as follows:
(1) Estrada Morales shall, within five days of this Order, serve one copy each of the

1 Christopher Bullock is the only appropriate Respondent for a habeas petition brought by
an alien in this district. See Rosciszewski v. Adducci, 983 F. Supp. 2d 910, 914 (E.D. Mich.
2013) (“[T]he ICE District Director is the proper respondent in a habeas petition brought by an
alien, since the District Director has power over such aliens.”). Accordingly, the U.S.
Department of Homeland Security and U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement are
dismissed from the case.

2 Estrada Morales’s counsel is DIRECTED to stop using Form AO 242, a pro se habeas
template, to file habeas petitions. Although the Local Rules make exceptions for pro se parties,
an attorney filing a petition in this district must adhere to the rules, including that filings must be
double-spaced with font no smaller than 12-point type. LR 7.1(b).
Petition (ECF Nos. 1, 1-1, 1-2, 1-3) and this Order (ECF No. 6) on each Respondent, and
ensure that copies are delivered to the United States Attorney for the Western District of
Tennessee at the following address:
Stuart Canale, Assistant United States Attorney
United States Attorney’s Office
167 North Main Street
Suite 800
Memphis, TN 38103
Additionally, Estrada Morales shall deliver a copy of this Order to the United States Attorney for
the Western District of Tennessee electronically at the following email address:
stuart.canale@usdoj.gov. Failure to fully comply with this requirement may justify dismissal
of the Petition. See Fed. R. Civ. P. 41(b) (“If the plaintiff fails to . . . comply with these rules or
a court order, a defendant may move to dismiss the action or any claim against it.”).
(2) Within five days after Estrada Morales fully complies with the above
requirement, Respondent shall respond to the Petition in writing.
(3) Estrada Morales may file a reply within two days after Respondent’s responsive
filing.
(4) Respondent shall not transfer Estrada Morales out of the West Tennessee
Detention Facility during the pendency of the Petition.
IT IS SO ORDERED, this 22nd day of April, 2026.
s/ Sheryl H. Lipman
SHERYL H. LIPMAN
CHIEF UNITED STATES DISTRICT JUDGE