Case: Sonik Manaserian v. Fereti Semaia

5:25-cv-03542 | U.S. District Court for the Central District of California

Filed Date: Dec. 24, 2025

Case Ongoing

Clearinghouse coding in progress

Case Summary

(This summary is temporary while we research the case.)

On December 24, 2025, Petitioner filed this writ of habeas corpus in U.S. District Court for the Central District of California, challenging her unlawful detention at the Adelanto ICE Processing Center in Adelanto, California. Petitioner, a 70 year old Iranian woman of Baha'i faith, was detained at a routine immigration meeting after 17 years under an Order of Supervision and Unsupervised Parole. The court ordered her release on January 23, 2026, enjoining Respondents from re-detaining Petitioner unless they have individualized evidence that her removal is reasonably foreseeable, and barring them from engaging in any adverse retaliatory action.

This case is ongoing.

People

For PACER's information on parties and their attorneys, see: https://www.courtlistener.com/docket/72079702/parties/sonik-manaserian-v-fereti-semaia/


Judge(s)

Klausner, Robert G. (California)

Expert/Monitor/Master/Other

Attorney, OIL-DCS Trial (California)

Choi, Edward Hyun (California)

Darbinian, Anna A (California)

LA-CV, Assistant 2241-194 (California)

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Documents in the Clearinghouse

Document
8

5:25-cv-03542

Order Granting Petition for a Writ of Habeas Corpus (ECF No. 1)

Manaserian v. Semaia

Jan. 23, 2026

Jan. 23, 2026

Order/Opinion

Docket

See docket on RECAP: https://www.courtlistener.com/docket/72079702/sonik-manaserian-v-fereti-semaia/

Last updated March 5, 2026, 11:58 a.m.

ECF Number Description Date Link Date / Link
1

PETITION for Writ of Habeas Corpus by a Person in Federal Custody (28 USC 2241), Receipt No. ACACDC-41165986 for $5 filing fee, filed by Petitioner Sonik Manaserian. (Attachments: # 1 Exhibit A, # 2 Exhibit B, # 3 Exhibit C, # 4 Proposed Order) (Attorney Anna A Darbinian added to party Sonik Manaserian(pty:pet))(Darbinian, Anna) (Entered: 12/24/2025)

Dec. 24, 2025

Dec. 24, 2025

2

CIVIL COVER SHEET filed by Petitioner Sonik Manaserian. (Darbinian, Anna) (Entered: 12/24/2025)

Dec. 24, 2025

Dec. 24, 2025

3

NOTICE OF REFERENCE to a U.S. Magistrate Judge. This case has been assigned to the calendar of the Honorable District Judge R. Gary Klausner and referred to Magistrate Judge Maria A. Audero, who is authorized to consider preliminary matters and conduct all further hearings as may be appropriate or necessary. Pursuant to Local Rule 83-2.4, the Court must be notified within five (5) days of any address change. See notice for additional details. (et) (Entered: 12/24/2025)

Dec. 24, 2025

Dec. 24, 2025

4

ORDER REQUIRING RESPONSE TO PETITION by Magistrate Judge Maria A. Audero. Notice: The court has issued a ruling on preliminary review. Pursuant to the Agreement on Acceptance of Service between the Clerk of Court and the United States Attorneys Office, this Notice constitutes service under Fed. R. Civ. P. 4. [SEE ORDER FOR FURTHER DETAILS AND DEADLINES.] (Attachments: # 1 Petition) (san) (Entered: 01/06/2026)

Jan. 5, 2026

Jan. 5, 2026

RECAP
5

NOTICE of Appearance filed by attorney Erika Suzanne Rojas on behalf of Respondents Pamela Bondi, Todd Lyons, Kristi Noem, Ernesto Santacruz, Jr., Fereti Semaia (Attorney Erika Suzanne Rojas added to party Pamela Bondi(pty:res), Attorney Erika Suzanne Rojas added to party Todd Lyons(pty:res), Attorney Erika Suzanne Rojas added to party Kristi Noem(pty:res), Attorney Erika Suzanne Rojas added to party Ernesto Santacruz, Jr.(pty:res), Attorney Erika Suzanne Rojas added to party Fereti Semaia(pty:res))(Rojas, Erika) (Entered: 01/15/2026)

Jan. 15, 2026

Jan. 15, 2026

6

ANSWER to Petition for Writ of Habeas Corpus, 1 filed by Respondents Pamela Bondi, Todd Lyons, Kristi Noem, Ernesto Santacruz, Jr., Fereti Semaia.(Rojas, Erika) (Entered: 01/15/2026)

Jan. 15, 2026

Jan. 15, 2026

7

TRAVERSE filed by Petitioner Sonik Manaserian. (Darbinian, Anna) (Entered: 01/16/2026)

Jan. 16, 2026

Jan. 16, 2026

8

ORDER GRANTING PETITION FOR A WRIT OF HABEAS CORPUS (ECF NO. 1) by Judge R. Gary Klausner: IT IS HEREBY ORDERED THAT: 1. Respondents must release Petitioner from custody immediately and must file a notice of compliance with this order, notifying the Court that Petitioner has been released, no later than three calendar days from the date of this order. 2. Respondents are ENJOINED from:a. re-detaining Petitioner unless they have individualized evidence that herremoval is reasonably foreseeable; b. re-detaining Petitioner without providing her a determination by an impartial adjudicator that her detention is justified based on danger or flight risk, which cannot be sufficiently addressed by alternative conditions of release or supervision, at which hearing Respondents will bear the burden of proof of demonstrating that Petitioner is a flight risk or a danger to the community;c. removing Petitioner to a third country without sufficient notice and opportunity to demonstrate that she faces a specific risk of torture or persecution in that third country; and d. taking retaliatory or otherwise unlawful adverse action against Petitioner on account of Petitioner' filing or maintaining this action, or for the purpose of circumventing or undermining this Court's orders, including but not limited to the use of unnecessary delay, bad-faith denials or revocations of release, and denying the right to employment authorization documents. 3. Petitioner is the prevailing party in this action and may seek an award of reasonable attorneys fees and costs as provided in the Local Rules of this Court; and 4. The Court retains jurisdiction over this matter for the limited purpose of (a) enforcing this Court's orders herein, ensuring Respondents' timely and good-faith compliance with such orders, and (b) adjudicating any issues arising from Respondents' actions in implementing this Courts orders, including any alleged retaliatory or otherwise unlawful adverse actions taken against Petitioner. (lc) (Entered: 01/23/2026)

Jan. 23, 2026

Jan. 23, 2026

Clearinghouse
9

Notice (Other)

Jan. 26, 2026

Jan. 26, 2026

Case Details

State / Territory:

California

Case Type(s):

Immigration and/or the Border

Special Collection(s):

Trump Administration 2.0: Challenges to the Government

Key Dates

Filing Date: Dec. 24, 2025

Case Ongoing: Yes

Case Details

Other Dockets:

Central District of California 5:25-cv-03542

Available Documents:

Trial Court Docket