Case: Doe v. Mullin

3:26-cv-03988 | U.S. District Court for the Northern District of California

Filed Date: May 4, 2026

Case Ongoing

Clearinghouse coding in progress

Case Summary

(This summary is temporary while we research the case.) On February 4, 2026, DHS issued an administrative summons to Google LLC - without any court involvement - demanding broad categories of information associated with the Gmail account linked to Plaintiff "Doe's" social media presence, including account records, location information, and activity logs covering the period September 1, 2025 through February 4, 2026. Google notified Doe of the summons on February 9, 2026, and he objected on Febr…

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

On February 4, 2026, DHS issued an administrative summons to Google LLC - without any court involvement - demanding broad categories of information associated with the Gmail account linked to Plaintiff "Doe's" social media presence, including account records, location information, and activity logs covering the period September 1, 2025 through February 4, 2026. Google notified Doe of the summons on February 9, 2026, and he objected on February 16, 2026, though Google had neither complied nor committed to withholding compliance indefinitely. 

Doe filed this complaint on May 4, 2026, against Markwayne Mullin in his official capacity as Secretary of the Department of Homeland Security (DHS). The complaint alleged that DHS acted under the purported authority of § 1509, which authorizes summonses only in connection with customs law violations, none of which applied to Doe. The complaint further alleged that the summons was part of a broader pattern by the Trump administration of using § 1509 to unmask anonymous social media critics of its immigration policies, and sought declaratory and injunctive relief, as well as attorneys' fees and costs.

This case is ongoing.

People

For PACER's information on parties and their attorneys, see: https://www.courtlistener.com/docket/73289446/parties/doe-v-mullin/


Judge(s)

Cousins, Nathanael M. (California)

Attorney for Plaintiff

Follansbee, Laura K. (California)

Snow, Jacob Adam (California)

show all people

Documents in the Clearinghouse

Document
1

3:26-cv-03988

Complaint for Declaratory and Injunctive Relief

May 4, 2026

May 4, 2026

Complaint

Docket

See docket on RECAP: https://www.courtlistener.com/docket/73289446/doe-v-mullin/

Last updated June 2, 2026, 12:55 p.m.

ECF Number Description Date Link Date / Link
1

COMPLAINT against Markwayne Mullin ( Filing fee $ 405, receipt number ACANDC-21939088.). Injunction against the US government/official or APA vacatur requested. Filed by John Doe. (Attachments: # 1 Exhibit A)(Snow, Jacob) (Filed on 5/4/2026) (Entered: 05/04/2026)

1 Exhibit A

View on RECAP

May 4, 2026

May 4, 2026

Clearinghouse
2

MOTION to Proceed Pseudonymously filed by John Doe. Responses due by 5/18/2026. Replies due by 5/26/2026. (Attachments: # 1 Declaration of John Doe, # 2 Proposed Order)(Snow, Jacob) (Filed on 5/4/2026) (Entered: 05/04/2026)

1 Declaration of John Doe

View on RECAP

2 Proposed Order

View on PACER

May 4, 2026

May 4, 2026

RECAP
3

Administrative Motion to File Under Seal filed by John Doe. (Attachments: # 1 Declaration of Michael Perloff, # 2 Proposed Order, # 3 Exhibit A (Sealed))(Snow, Jacob) (Filed on 5/4/2026) (Entered: 05/04/2026)

May 4, 2026

May 4, 2026

4

MOTION for leave to appear in Pro Hac Vice ( Filing fee $ 328, receipt number ACANDC-21941495.) filed by John Doe. (Follansbee, Laura) (Filed on 5/4/2026) (Entered: 05/04/2026)

May 4, 2026

May 4, 2026

5

Proposed Summons. (Snow, Jacob) (Filed on 5/4/2026) (Entered: 05/04/2026)

May 4, 2026

May 4, 2026

6

Case assigned to Magistrate Judge Nathanael M. Cousins. Counsel for plaintiff or the removing party is responsible for serving the Complaint or Notice of Removal, Summons and the assigned judge's standing orders and all other new case documents upon the opposing parties. For information, visit E-Filing A New Civil Case at http://cand.uscourts.gov/ecf/caseopening.Standing orders can be downloaded from the court's web page at www.cand.uscourts.gov/judges. Upon receipt, the summons will be issued and returned electronically. A scheduling order will be sent by Notice of Electronic Filing (NEF) within two business days. Consent/Declination due by 5/19/2026. (pjf, COURT STAFF) (Filed on 5/5/2026) (Entered: 05/05/2026)

May 5, 2026

May 5, 2026

7

Initial Case Management Scheduling Order with ADR Deadlines: Case Management Statement due by 7/29/2026. Initial Case Management Conference set for 8/5/2026 10:00 AM in San Jose, - Videoconference Only. (pjf, COURT STAFF) (Filed on 5/5/2026) (Entered: 05/05/2026)

May 5, 2026

May 5, 2026

RECAP

~Util - Case Assigned by Intake

May 5, 2026

May 5, 2026

Remark

May 5, 2026

May 5, 2026

Remark Re: Proposed Summons 5 will not be Issued Until Motion to Proceed Pseudonymously 2 is Ordered on. (pjf, COURT STAFF) (Filed on 5/5/2026)

May 5, 2026

May 5, 2026

8

ORDER GRANTING 4 Application for Admission of Attorney Laura K. Follansbee Pro Hac Vice representing Plaintiff. Signed by Judge Nathanael M. Cousins. (lmh, COURT STAFF) (Filed on 5/7/2026) (Entered: 05/07/2026)

May 7, 2026

May 7, 2026

9

CONSENT/DECLINATION to Proceed Before a US Magistrate Judge by John Doe.. (Snow, Jacob) (Filed on 5/19/2026) (Entered: 05/19/2026)

May 19, 2026

May 19, 2026

10

CLERK'S NOTICE OF IMPENDING REASSIGNMENT TO A U.S. DISTRICT COURT JUDGE: The Clerk of this Court will now randomly reassign this case to a District Judge because a party has not consented to the jurisdiction of a Magistrate Judge. You will be informed by separate notice of the district judge to whom this case is reassigned. ALL HEARING DATES PRESENTLY SCHEDULED BEFORE THE CURRENT MAGISTRATE JUDGE ARE VACATED AND SHOULD BE RE-NOTICED FOR HEARING BEFORE THE JUDGE TO WHOM THIS CASE IS REASSIGNED. This is a text only docket entry; there is no document associated with this notice. (lmh, COURT STAFF) (Filed on 5/19/2026) (Entered: 05/19/2026)

May 19, 2026

May 19, 2026

Clerk's Notice of Impending Reassignment - Text Only

May 19, 2026

May 19, 2026

11

ORDER REASSIGNING CASE IT IS ORDERED that this case is reassigned using a proportionate, random and blind system pursuant to General Order No. 44 to District Judge Noel Wise. Magistrate Judge Nathanael M. Cousins no longer assigned to the case. Counsel are instructed that all future filings shall bear the updated judicial initials immediately after the case number. Counsel are reminded to verify the location of the judge on the court website. All hearing and trial dates presently scheduled are vacated. However, existing briefing schedules for motions remain unchanged. Motions must be renoticed for hearing before the judge to whom the case has been reassigned, but the renoticing of the hearing does not affect the prior briefing schedule. Other deadlines such as those for ADR compliance and discovery cutoff also remain unchanged. Mark B. Busby Clerk, United States District Court (This is a text-only entry generated by the court. There is no document associated with this entry.) (jnk, COURT STAFF) (Filed on 5/20/2026) (Entered: 05/20/2026)

May 20, 2026

May 20, 2026

Case Referred to Magistrate Judge for Discovery

May 20, 2026

May 20, 2026

Case Assigned/Reassigned

May 20, 2026

May 20, 2026

CASE REFERRED to Magistrate Judge Susan van Keulen for Discovery. (jnk, COURT STAFF) (Filed on 5/20/2026)

May 20, 2026

May 20, 2026

Case Details

State / Territory:

California

Case Type(s):

Privacy

Special Collection(s):

Trump Administration 2.0: Challenges to the Government

Key Dates

Filing Date: May 4, 2026

Case Ongoing: Yes

Case Details

Other Dockets:

Northern District of California 3:26-cv-03988

Available Documents:

Complaint (any)

Trial Court Docket

Recommended Citation