Julian Antonio Nixon, a citizen of the Bahamas, filed the petition challenging the constitutionality of his detention following a Detroit Immigration Court order that denied him bond.
Nixon was admitted to the United States on a B2 visa in June 2008, which expired in December 2008. He has remained in the country since then and was arrested by ICE agents on January 3, 2026, following detention by local law enforcement.
At a bond hearing on February 13, 2026, an immigration judge denied Nixon’s request for bond, finding that he failed to meet his burden to show he was not a danger to the community.
The Detroit Immigration Court subsequently denied Nixon’s request for a change in custody status on February 20, 2026, ruling that there had been no change of circumstances and that he remained a danger to the community.
In his opinion, Judge Jane M. Beckering addressed arguments regarding jurisdiction and exhaustion of administrative remedies by referencing a prior ruling in Soto-Medina v. Lynch.
The court also clarified the proper respondents in the action, retaining the ICE Detroit Field Office Director and the Secretary for the Department of Homeland Security while dismissing the United States Department of Homeland Security and the United States Attorney General.
Judge Beckering ordered Respondents to provide Nixon with an individualized bond hearing before a neutral immigration judge within five business days.
The government must demonstrate dangerousness or flight risk by clear and convincing evidence at that hearing. Alternatively, the court ordered the immediate release of Nixon from custody.
Respondents must file a status report within six business days certifying compliance, including details on whether bond was granted, the conditions, or the reasons for denial.