Case: Trilleras Gomez v. Mullin

1:26-cv-02364 | U.S. District Court for the District of District of Columbia

Filed Date: July 6, 2026

Case Ongoing

Clearinghouse coding in progress

Case Summary

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

On July 6, 2026, a physician holding a J-1 exchange visitor visa and her U.S. citizen spouse filed this lawsuit in the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia against U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services and the Department of State. The plaintiffs challenged USCIS's denial of the physician's application for an exceptional-hardship waiver of the two-year foreign residence requirement. They alleged that the denial rested on an unwritten State Department rule barring review of any waiver application from a person with a prior approved waiver, and that the rule was ultra vires and had never gone through notice-and-comment rulemaking under the Administrative Procedure Act. The plaintiffs claimed the denial was arbitrary and capricious, in excess of statutory authority, and an unlawful subdelegation under the APA.

People

For PACER's information on parties and their attorneys, see: https://www.courtlistener.com/docket/73578893/parties/trilleras-gomez-v-mullin/

Attorney for Plaintiff

Schmitt, Brian Christopher (District of Columbia)

Attorney for Defendant

Bryant, Lauren (District of Columbia)

Attorney for Plaintiff

Schmitt, Brian Christopher (District of Columbia)

Attorney for Defendant

Bryant, Lauren (District of Columbia)

Attorney Contact Information via CourtListener

Documents in the Clearinghouse

Documents in this case

1 1:26-cv-02364	Plaintiffs' Complaint for Relief Under Administrative Procedure Gomez et al. v. Mullin et al.	July 6, 2026	July 6, 2026 Complaint
8 1:26-cv-02364	Plaintiffs' Motion for Preliminary Injunction Oral Argument Requested Trilleras Gomez et al. v. Mullin	Aug. 24, 2026	Aug. 24, 2026 Pleading / Motion / Brief

show / hide documents

Docket

See docket on RECAP: https://www.courtlistener.com/docket/73578893/trilleras-gomez-v-mullin/

Last updated Sept. 7, 2026, 3:07 a.m.

Docket for: TRILLERAS GOMEZ v. MULLIN

ECF Number	Date	Description	Link
1	July 6, 2026	COMPLAINT against All Defendants ( Filing fee $ 405 receipt number ADCDC-12526937) filed by ANGELICA PAOLA TRILLERAS GOMEZ, JONATHAN ALAN LIAO. (Attachments: # 1 Civil Cover Sheet Civ. Cov. Sheet, # 2 Summons Atty. Gen., # 3 Summons Edlow, # 4 Summons Mullin, # 5 Summons Rubio, # 6 Summons Selby, # 7 Summons Weronski, # 8 Summons Civ. Pro. Clerk)(Schmitt, Brian) (Attachment 1 replaced on 7/7/2026) (zmtm). (Entered: 07/06/2026) 1 Civil Cover Sheet Civ. Cov. Sheet View on PACER 2 Summons Atty. Gen. View on PACER 3 Summons Edlow View on PACER 4 Summons Mullin View on PACER 5 Summons Rubio View on PACER 6 Summons Selby View on PACER 7 Summons Weronski View on PACER 8 Summons Civ. Pro. Clerk View on PACER	Clearinghouse
2	July 7, 2026	SUMMONS (7) Issued Electronically as to All Defendants, U.S. Attorney and U.S. Attorney General (Attachments: # 1 Notice and Consent)(zmtm) (Entered: 07/07/2026)	RECAP
	July 7, 2026	Case Assigned/Reassigned
	July 7, 2026	Case Assigned to Judge Jia M. Cobb. (zmtm)
3	July 28, 2026	AMENDED COMPLAINT against All Defendants filed by ANGELICA PAOLA TRILLERAS GOMEZ, JONATHAN ALAN LIAO. (Attachments: # 1 Summons United States Citizenship and Immigration Services, # 2 Summons United States Department of State, # 3 Exhibit Redline between original and amended complaint)(Schmitt, Brian) (Entered: 07/28/2026)	RECAP
4	July 28, 2026	REQUEST FOR SUMMONS TO ISSUE filed by JONATHAN ALAN LIAO, ANGELICA PAOLA TRILLERAS GOMEZ.(Schmitt, Brian) (Entered: 07/28/2026)	RECAP
5	July 29, 2026	SUMMONS (2) Issued Electronically as to UNITED STATES CITIZENSHIP AND IMMIGRATION SERVICES, UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF STATE. (znmw) (Entered: 07/29/2026)	RECAP
6	July 29, 2026	SUMMONS (2) Reissued Electronically as to JOSEPH B. EDLOW, CARRIE M. SELBY (znmw) (Entered: 07/29/2026)	RECAP
7	July 29, 2026	NOTICE of Appearance by Lauren Bryant on behalf of JOSEPH B. EDLOW, MARKWAYNE MULLIN, MARCO A. RUBIO, CARRIE M. SELBY, UNITED STATES CITIZENSHIP AND IMMIGRATION SERVICES, UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF STATE, JENNIFER L. WERONSKI (Bryant, Lauren) (Entered: 07/29/2026)	RECAP
8	Aug. 24, 2026	MOTION for Preliminary Injunction by JONATHAN ALAN LIAO, ANGELICA PAOLA TRILLERAS GOMEZ. (Attachments: # 1 Memorandum in Support, # 2 Text of Proposed Order)(Schmitt, Brian) (Entered: 08/24/2026) 1 Memorandum in Support View on RECAP 2 Text of Proposed Order View on RECAP	RECAP
9	Aug. 24, 2026	Unopposed MOTION to Expedite re 8 MOTION for Preliminary Injunction by JONATHAN ALAN LIAO, ANGELICA PAOLA TRILLERAS GOMEZ. (Attachments: # 1 Text of Proposed Order)(Schmitt, Brian) (Entered: 08/24/2026)	RECAP
	Aug. 24, 2026	Order on Motion to Expedite AND Set/Reset Deadlines
	Aug. 24, 2026	MINUTE ORDER granting 9 Motion to Expedite: Having considered the unopposed motion, and for good cause shown, the Court GRANTS the motion. It is further ORDERED that Defendants' Opposition shall be due September 1, 2026, and Plaintiffs' Reply shall be due September 4, 2026. Signed by Judge Jia M. Cobb on August 24, 2026. (lcjmc2)
10	Aug. 28, 2026	First MOTION for Extension of Time to File Answer re 3 Amended Complaint, by JOSEPH B. EDLOW, MARKWAYNE MULLIN, MARCO A. RUBIO, CARRIE M. SELBY, UNITED STATES CITIZENSHIP AND IMMIGRATION SERVICES, UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF STATE, JENNIFER L. WERONSKI. (Attachments: # 1 Text of Proposed Order Proposed Order)(Bryant, Lauren) (Entered: 08/28/2026)	RECAP
	Aug. 28, 2026	Order on Motion for Extension of Time to Answer AND Set/Reset Deadlines
	Aug. 28, 2026	ORDER granting 10 Motion for Extension of Time to Answer: Having considered the unopposed motion, and for good cause shown, the Court GRANTS the motion. It is ORDERED that Defendants shall respond to the complaint in this action by November 3, 2026. Signed by Judge Jia M. Cobb on August 28, 2026. (lcjmc2)
11	Sept. 1, 2026	Memorandum in opposition to motion	RECAP
12	Sept. 4, 2026	Stipulation	RECAP
13	Sept. 4, 2026	Reply to opposition to motion	RECAP
	Sept. 4, 2026	.Order