Filed Date: Feb. 23, 2026
Case Ongoing
Clearinghouse coding in progress
[This summary is temporary while we research the case.]
The Plaintiffs and the putative class they represent are children who were living with their families in the United States when they were suddenly uprooted from their communities and put back into Office of Refugee Resettlement (ORR) custody. They allege that children who were released from the custody of the ORR to vetted and approved sponsors, often parents or close family members, are being re-detained and held for prolonged periods in federal immigration custody despite having family members available and eager to continue caring for them. These children were re-arrested by the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) and re-referred to ORR within the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) after having lived with their families in the United States for months and sometimes years. Plaintiffs challenged ORR’s “blanket policy of requiring all previously approved sponsors to reapply for sponsorship” while detaining children in its custody, and allege that such policy violates the Fifth Amendment and the Administrative Procedure Act.
Summary Authors
Jinan Abufarha (3/2/2026)
For PACER's information on parties and their attorneys, see: https://www.courtlistener.com/docket/72313370/parties/n-v-us-department-of-health-and-human-services/
Deffebach, Anna Lynn (District of Columbia)
McElvain, Joel L. (District of Columbia)
Thurston, Robin F. (District of Columbia)
Wolozin, Rebecca Ruth (District of Columbia)
See docket on RECAP: https://www.courtlistener.com/docket/72313370/n-v-us-department-of-health-and-human-services/
Last updated March 2, 2026, 7:35 p.m.
State / Territory:
Case Type(s):
Key Dates
Filing Date: Feb. 23, 2026
Case Ongoing: Yes
Case Details
Other Dockets:
District of District of Columbia 1:26-cv-00577
Available Documents: