Oscar Morales Garcilazo, an immigration detainee held at the Golden State Annex Detention Facility, filed a habeas corpus petition challenging his detention. The case was referred to Judge Peterson after another judge granted Garcilazo's preliminary injunction motion in February.
In his order, Judge Peterson established an expedited briefing schedule requiring the government to file either an answer addressing the merits or a motion to dismiss within seven days. Peterson emphasized that "any argument by respondent that petitioner has procedurally defaulted a claim must be raised in the answer, which must also address the merits of petitioner's claims."
The case began when Garcilazo filed a motion for a temporary restraining order on February 5, 2026, which the court converted to a preliminary injunction motion and granted before referring the matter to Judge Peterson for further proceedings.
The expedited timeline reflects the urgency typically associated with detention challenges, with the court setting seven-day deadlines for each stage of briefing. If the government files an answer, Garcilazo will have seven days to file a traverse, after which the petition will be deemed submitted for decision.