Case: Doe 1 v. Patel

1:26-cv-00959 | U.S. District Court for the District of District of Columbia

Filed Date: March 19, 2026

Case Ongoing

Clearinghouse coding complete

Case Summary

[This summary is temporary while we research the case.] Four individuals filed a putative class action lawsuit against the Department of Homeland Security and related agencies on March 18, 2026, in the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Ohio. The plaintiffs—including asylum seekers from Honduras and Kenya, a Peruvian woman residing in the U.S. since 2014, and a visa holder—alleged that federal agents conducted warrantless immigration arrests in Ohio without making individualized d…

[This summary is temporary while we research the case.]

Four individuals filed a putative class action lawsuit against the Department of Homeland Security and related agencies on March 18, 2026, in the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Ohio. The plaintiffs—including asylum seekers from Honduras and Kenya, a Peruvian woman residing in the U.S. since 2014, and a visa holder—alleged that federal agents conducted warrantless immigration arrests in Ohio without making individualized determinations of probable cause that arrestees were likely to escape before warrants could be obtained⁻. According to the complaint, this practice was part of a nationwide immigration enforcement operation with arrest quotas, where plainclothes agents with face coverings detained individuals without warrants⁻⁻. The plaintiffs claimed they were arrested without being shown warrants and without any pre-arrest assessment of flight risk, despite having community ties and employment that suggested they were not flight risks⁻. Immigration judges subsequently found none of the plaintiffs to be flight risks when they were released on bond.

This case is ongoing.

Summary Authors

Benjamin Glicksman (6/12/2026)

Jinan Abufarha (3/21/2026)

People

For PACER's information on parties and their attorneys, see: https://www.courtlistener.com/docket/72515336/parties/doe-1-v-patel/


Attorney for Plaintiff

Donovan, Margaret (District of Columbia)

Hanke, Brittany (District of Columbia)

Tulis, Elizabeth Murray (District of Columbia)

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Documents in the Clearinghouse

Document
1

1:26-cv-00959

Complaint

March 19, 2026

March 19, 2026

Complaint

Docket

See docket on RECAP: https://www.courtlistener.com/docket/72515336/doe-1-v-patel/

Last updated June 15, 2026, 3:26 a.m.

ECF Number Description Date Link Date / Link
1

COMPLAINT against PAMELA J. BONDI, FEDERAL BUREAU OF INVESTIGATION, KASHYAP P. PATEL, U.S. DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE ( Filing fee $ 405 receipt number ADCDC-12308663) filed by JOHN DOE 1, JOHN DOE 2. (Attachments: # 1 Exhibit A, # 2 Exhibit B, # 3 Exhibit C, # 4 Exhibit D, # 5 Civil Cover Sheet, # 6 Summons to Kashyap P. Patel, # 7 Summons to FBI, # 8 Summons to Pamela J. Bondi, # 9 Summons to DOJ, # 10 Summons to USAO-DC)(Tulis, Elizabeth) (Entered: 03/19/2026)

1 Exhibit A

View on PACER

2 Exhibit B

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3 Exhibit C

View on PACER

4 Exhibit D

View on PACER

5 Civil Cover Sheet

View on PACER

6 Summons to Kashyap P. Patel

View on PACER

7 Summons to FBI

View on PACER

8 Summons to Pamela J. Bondi

View on PACER

9 Summons to DOJ

View on PACER

10 Summons to USAO-DC

View on PACER

March 19, 2026

March 19, 2026

Clearinghouse
2

NOTICE of Appearance by Margaret Donovan on behalf of All Plaintiffs (Donovan, Margaret) (Entered: 03/19/2026)

March 19, 2026

March 19, 2026

3

SEALED MOTION for Leave to Proceed Under Pseudonym by JOHN DOE 1, JOHN DOE 2. (Attachments: # 1 Exhibit (Filed Under Seal), # 2 Text of Proposed Order)(Donovan, Margaret) Modified event on 3/20/2026 (znmw). (Entered: 03/19/2026)

1 Exhibit (Filed Under Seal)

View on PACER

2 Text of Proposed Order

View on PACER

March 19, 2026

March 19, 2026

RECAP
4

SEALED DOCUMENT filed by JOHN DOE 1, JOHN DOE 2 re 1 Complaint, (This document is SEALED and only available to authorized persons.)(Donovan, Margaret) (Entered: 03/19/2026)

March 19, 2026

March 19, 2026

5

SEALED MOTION FOR LEAVE TO FILE DOCUMENT UNDER SEAL filed by JOHN DOE 1, JOHN DOE 2 (This document is SEALED and only available to authorized persons.) (Attachments: # 1 Exhibit (Exhibit A), # 2 Text of Proposed Order)(Donovan, Margaret) (Entered: 03/19/2026)

March 19, 2026

March 19, 2026

6

MEMORANDUM OPINION AND ORDER: The Court ORDERS that: 1) Plaintiffs' 3 Motion to Proceed Under Pseudonyms is GRANTED, subject to any further consideration by the United States District Judge to whom this case is randomly assigned; 2) All parties shall use the pseudonyms listed in the Complaint in all documents filed in this action; and 3) Within fourteen days of this Order, Plaintiffs shall file: i) A pseudonymous version of their 3 Motion on the public docket; and ii) A sealed declaration containing their real names and residential addresses. Signed by Chief Judge James E. Boasberg on March 26, 2026. (lcjeb4) (Entered: 03/26/2026)

March 26, 2026

March 26, 2026

RECAP
7

SUMMONS (5) Issued Electronically as to All Defendants, U.S. Attorney and U.S. Attorney General (Attachments: # 1 Notice and Consent)(znmw) (Entered: 03/27/2026)

March 27, 2026

March 27, 2026

8

MOTION for Leave to Appear Pro Hac Vice :Attorney Name- Brittany Hanke, Filing fee $ 100, receipt number ADCDC-12325593. Fee Status: Fee Paid. by JOHN DOE 1, JOHN DOE 2. (Attachments: # 1 Exhibit A - Declaration of Brittany Hanke, # 2 Exhibit B - Certificate of Good Standing, # 3 Text of Proposed Order)(Tulis, Elizabeth) (Entered: 03/27/2026)

March 27, 2026

March 27, 2026

9

ERRATA - Corrected Text of Proposed Order by JOHN DOE 1, JOHN DOE 2 re 8 Motion for Leave to Appear Pro Hac Vice,. (Tulis, Elizabeth) (Entered: 03/27/2026)

March 27, 2026

March 27, 2026

Case Assigned/Reassigned

March 27, 2026

March 27, 2026

Case Assigned to Judge Jia M. Cobb. (znmw)

March 27, 2026

March 27, 2026

11

SEALED DOCUMENT (Exhibit A) filed by JOHN DOE 1, JOHN DOE 2. re 3 Sealed Motion to Proceed Under Pseudonym. (This document is SEALED and only available to authorized persons.)(znmw) (Entered: 04/01/2026)

March 30, 2026

March 30, 2026

MINUTE ORDER granting 8 Motion for Leave to Appear Pro Hac Vice: Attorney Brittany Hanke is hereby admitted pro hac vice to appear in this matter. Counsel should register for e-filing via PACER and file a notice of appearance pursuant to LCvR 83.6(a). Click for instructions. Signed by Judge Jia M. Cobb on March 30, 2026. (lcjmc3)

March 30, 2026

March 30, 2026

Order on Motion for Leave to Appear Pro Hac Vice

March 30, 2026

March 30, 2026

Order on Sealed Motion for Leave to File Document Under Seal

March 30, 2026

March 30, 2026

ORDER granting 5 Sealed Motion for Leave to File Document Under Seal. Signed by Judge Jia M. Cobb on 3/30/2026. (zed)

March 30, 2026

March 30, 2026

10

NOTICE of Appearance by Brittany Hanke on behalf of JOHN DOE 1, JOHN DOE 2 (Hanke, Brittany) (Entered: 04/01/2026)

April 1, 2026

April 1, 2026

12

RESPONSE TO ORDER OF THE COURT re 6 Order,,, Memorandum & Opinion,, filed by JOHN DOE 1, JOHN DOE 2. (Attachments: # 1 Exhibit ECF No. 3 (unsealed))(Donovan, Margaret) (Entered: 04/06/2026)

1 Exhibit ECF No. 3 (unsealed)

View on RECAP

April 6, 2026

April 6, 2026

13

SEALED DOCUMENT filed by JOHN DOE 1, JOHN DOE 2 re 6 Order,,, Memorandum & Opinion,, (This document is SEALED and only available to authorized persons.)(Donovan, Margaret) (Entered: 04/06/2026)

April 6, 2026

April 6, 2026

14

RETURN OF SERVICE/AFFIDAVIT of Summons and Complaint Executed as to the United States Attorney. Date of Service Upon United States Attorney on 3/27/2026. Answer due for ALL FEDERAL DEFENDANTS by 5/26/2026. (Attachments: # 1 Exhibit Proof of Service - USAO-DC)(Donovan, Margaret) (Entered: 04/15/2026)

April 15, 2026

April 15, 2026

15

NOTICE of Appearance by Isaac Belfer on behalf of All Defendants (Belfer, Isaac) (Entered: 05/26/2026)

May 26, 2026

May 26, 2026

16

Unopposed MOTION to Stay re 14 Summons Returned Executed as to US Attorney, Defendants Unopposed Motion to Stay Their Deadline to Respond to the Complaint Pending the Entry of a Briefing Schedule for Their Motion to Dismiss by PAMELA J. BONDI, FEDERAL BUREAU OF INVESTIGATION, KASHYAP P. PATEL, U.S. DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE. (Attachments: # 1 Text of Proposed Order)(Belfer, Isaac) (Entered: 05/26/2026)

1 Text of Proposed Order

View on PACER

May 26, 2026

May 26, 2026

RECAP

MINUTE ORDER granting 16 Motion to Stay: Having considered the motion, and for good cause shown, the Court GRANTS the motion. Defendants' deadline to respond to the complaint is stayed pending the entry of a briefing schedule. The parties are further ORDERED to file a joint status report with their proposed briefing schedule by June 11, 2026. Signed by Judge Jia M. Cobb on May 28, 2026. (lcjmc3)

May 28, 2026

May 28, 2026

Order on Motion to Stay AND Set/Reset Deadlines

May 28, 2026

May 28, 2026

17

Joint STATUS REPORT by PAMELA J. BONDI, FEDERAL BUREAU OF INVESTIGATION, KASHYAP P. PATEL, U.S. DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE. (Belfer, Isaac) (Entered: 06/10/2026)

June 10, 2026

June 10, 2026

RECAP

Case Details

State / Territory:

District of Columbia

Case Type(s):

Presidential/Gubernatorial Authority

Special Collection(s):

Trump Administration 2.0: Challenges to the Government

Trump Administration 2.0: Litigation and Investigations Involving the Government

Key Dates

Filing Date: March 19, 2026

Case Ongoing: Yes

Plaintiffs

Public Interest Lawyer: No

Filed Pro Se: No

Class Action Sought: No

Class Action Outcome: Not sought

Defendants

Federal

Federal Bureau of Investigation

U.S. Department of Justice

Defendant Type(s):

Jurisdiction-wide

Case Details

Causes of Action:

Ex Parte Young (Federal) or Bivens

Ex parte Young (federal or state officials)

Constitutional Clause(s):

Due Process: Substantive Due Process

Freedom of speech/association

Other Dockets:

District of District of Columbia 1:26-cv-00959

Available Documents:

Complaint (any)

Trial Court Docket

Outcome

Prevailing Party: None Yet / None

Relief Sought:

Attorneys fees

Declaratory judgment

Injunction

Relief Granted:

None yet

Source of Relief:

None yet

Issues

General/Misc.:

Government services

Discrimination Area:

Content/viewpoint discrimination

Discharge / Constructive Discharge / Layoff

Presidential/Gubernatorial Authority:

Civil Service

Recommended Citation