Source: s3://data.kl3m.ai/documents/govinfo/USCOURTS/USCOURTS-cand-3_15-cv-04124/USCOURTS-cand-3_15-cv-04124-0/pdf.json

Nature of Suit Code: 530
Nature of Suit: Prisoner Petitions - Habeas Corpus
Cause of Action: 28:2241 Petition for Writ of Habeas Corpus

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United States District Court

Northern District of California

UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT

NORTHERN DISTRICT OF CALIFORNIA

ANTHONY OPOKU,

Petitioner,

v.

TIMOTHY S. AITKEN, et al.,

Respondents.

Case No. 15-cv-04124-JST (PR) 

ORDER DISMISSING PETITION FOR 

WRIT OF HABEAS CORPUS AS MOOT

Petitioner, a removable alien previously detained on behalf of the Department of 

Homeland Security (“DHS”) at the Mesa Verde Detention Facility in Bakersfield, California, filed 

a pro se petition for a writ of habeas corpus pursuant to 28 U.S.C. § 2241. For the reasons stated 

below, the Court dismisses the petition as moot.

BACKGROUND

According to the petition, petitioner, a Ghanian national, arrived in the United States on or 

around August 5, 2013, and sought asylum. Petitioner was detained by U.S. Immigration and 

Customs Enforcement (“ICE”) on or around August 5, 2013. On or around December 23, 2013, 

an immigration judge ordered petitioner removed from the United States. Petitioner did not appeal 

this order. 

Petitioner filed the instant federal petition on September 10, 2015. Petitioner claimed that 

he had cooperated fully with ICE’s efforts to remove him but ICE had been unable to remove him 

because Ghana refused to issue a travel document for him. Petitioner argued that his removal was 

no longer reasonably foreseeable, and thus that his detention was no longer authorized by statute. 

On November 10, 2015 and November 12, 2015, mail sent to petitioner from the Court 

was returned as undeliverable with the notation that he was no longer in custody. On November 

Case 3:15-cv-04124-JST Document 9 Filed 11/19/15 Page 1 of 2
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16, 2015, respondents filed a status report regarding petitioner stating that as of October 15, 2015, 

petitioner was released from ICE custody on an order of supervision.

DISCUSSION

Article III, § 2, of the United States Constitution requires the existence of a case or 

controversy through all stages of federal judicial proceedings. This means that, throughout the 

litigation, the petitioner “must have suffered, or be threatened with, an actual injury traceable to 

the [respondent] and likely to be redressed by a favorable judicial decision.” Lewis v. Continental 

Bank Corp., 494 U.S. 472, 477 (1990). Once a case no longer presents a live Article III case or 

controversy, it is moot. Abdala v. INS, 488 F.3d 1061, 1063 (9th Cir. 2007). 

A habeas petition is moot where the petitioner has been removed or released and there are 

no “collateral consequences” that would be redressed by granting a habeas petition where the alien 

is challenging the underlying conviction or removal order. See id. at 1064 (citing examples where 

removal of alien without addressing the underlying conviction would mean that alien was barred 

for a number of years from reentering the country). 

Here, petitioner has received the relief that he requested of the court: to be released 

pending his removal order. ICE released petitioner in October 2015. There are no “collateral 

consequences” for petitioner that success on his habeas petition can remedy, because petitioner did 

not challenge his underlying conviction or removal order. Thus, petitioner’s case is moot. 

CONCLUSION

Accordingly, the petitioner’s case is DISMISSED as moot. The Clerk shall enter judgment 

and close the file.

Respondents are requested to inform the Court of petitioner’s new address so that the Clerk 

can send petitioner a copy of this order.

IT IS SO ORDERED.

Dated: November 19, 2015

______________________________________

JON S. TIGAR

United States District Judge

Case 3:15-cv-04124-JST Document 9 Filed 11/19/15 Page 2 of 2