Source: s3://data.kl3m.ai/documents/govinfo/USCOURTS/USCOURTS-cand-4_14-cv-01775/USCOURTS-cand-4_14-cv-01775-4/pdf.json

Nature of Suit Code: 440
Nature of Suit: Other Civil Rights
Cause of Action: 15:53(b) - Prelim &amp; Perm Inj Relief &amp; other Equitable Relief

---

1 

2 

3 

4 

5 

6 

7 

8 

9 

10 

11 

12 

13 

14 

15 

16 

17 

18 

19 

20 

21 

22 

23 

24 

25 

26 

27 

28 

United States District Court 

Northern District of Californi

a

UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT 

NORTHERN DISTRICT OF CALIFORNIA 

MARCO ANTONIO ALFARO GARCIA, ET AL.,

Plaintiffs, 

v. 

JEH JOHNSON, SECRETARY OF HOMELAND 

SECURITY, ET AL., 

Defendants. 

Case No. 14-cv-01775-YGR 

ORDER GRANTING PRELIMINARY 

APPROVAL OF CLASS ACTION SETTLEMENT

Re: Dkt. No. 102 

This matter having come before this Court on Plaintiffs’ unopposed motion for preliminary 

approval of the proposed settlement of the above-captioned class action (the “Action”) pursuant to 

the parties’ Settlement Agreement (the “Agreement,” attached hereto as Exhibit 1), and having 

duly considered the papers submitted and the arguments of counsel, the Court hereby FINDS and 

ORDERS as follows: 

1. Unless defined herein, all defined terms in this Order shall have the respective 

meanings set forth in the Agreement. 

2. Pursuant to Federal Rule of Civil Procedure 23(b)(2), the Court conditionally 

certifies, for settlement purposes only, the following Settlement Class: 

Any person who, during the period of this Agreement: 

a. is or will be subject to a reinstated order of removal under 8 

U.S.C. § 1231(a)(5) or an administrative removal order 

under 8 U.S.C. § 1228(b); 

b. has expressed, or in the future expresses, a fear of returning 

to his or her country of removal; 

c. is detained in the custody of the Department of Homeland 

Security (“DHS”); and 

d. has not received, or does not receive, an initial reasonable 

fear determination by the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration 

Services (“USCIS”) under 8 C.F.R. § 208.31 within ten (10) 

days of referral to USCIS; however, 

e. the defined class does not include individuals who have 

received their reasonable fear determination. 

Case 4:14-cv-01775-YGR Document 104 Filed 08/20/15 Page 1 of 4
2 

1 

2 

3 

4 

5 

6 

7 

8 

9 

10 

11 

12 

13 

14 

15 

16 

17 

18 

19 

20 

21 

22 

23 

24 

25 

26 

27 

28 

United States District Court 

Northern District of Californi

a

For purposes of settlement only, the Court finds that the prerequisites for a class action 

under Fed. R. Civ. P. 23(a) and 23(b)(2) have been preliminarily satisfied for the same reason as 

the Court found in its order granting Plaintiffs’ Motion for Class Certification (Dkt. No. 70). 

3. The Court has conducted a preliminary evaluation of the Settlement Agreement for 

fairness, adequacy, and reasonableness. Based on this preliminary evaluation, the Court finds that 

(i) there is cause to believe that the Agreement is fair, reasonable, and adequate and within the 

range of possible approval, (ii) the Agreement has been negotiated in good faith at arm’s-length 

between experienced attorneys familiar with the legal and factual issues in the Action, and (iii) the 

notice of the material terms of the Agreement to members of the Settlement Class for their 

consideration and reaction is warranted. Therefore, the Court grants preliminary approval of the 

Settlement Agreement. 

4. On October 20, 2015 at 2:00 p.m., in Courtroom 1 of the Federal Courthouse at 

1301 Clay Street in Oakland, California, or at such other time and place later set by Court order, 

the Court will hold a hearing on the fairness, adequacy, and reasonableness of the Settlement 

Agreement (the “Fairness Hearing”) and will determine whether final approval of the Settlement 

Agreement should be granted. 

5. The Court approves the form and manner of giving direct notice (in the form 

attached hereto as Exhibit 2) to the Settlement Class by: (1) posting notices at all Immigration and 

Customs Enforcement (“ICE”) immigration detention facilities where Settlement Class Members 

may be detained; (2) posting notices on the websites of USCIS, the ACLU of Southern California, 

the ACLU of Northern California, and the NIJC; and (3) providing notices to USCIS Public 

Engagement Division for distribution to a network of community-based and non-profit 

organizations that provide advice and assistance to immigrants. Notice will be posted/distributed 

by the parties within five (5) business days of the date of entry of this Preliminary Approval 

Order, and shall remain posted for no less than thirty (30) days. The notice in form, method, and 

content complies with the requirements of Rule 23 and due process, and constitutes the best notice 

practicable under the circumstances. 

6. Any member of the Settlement Class may object to final approval of the Agreement 

Case 4:14-cv-01775-YGR Document 104 Filed 08/20/15 Page 2 of 4
3 

1 

2 

3 

4 

5 

6 

7 

8 

9 

10 

11 

12 

13 

14 

15 

16 

17 

18 

19 

20 

21 

22 

23 

24 

25 

26 

27 

28 

United States District Court 

Northern District of Californi

a

by submitting his or her objection (“Objection”) to the Court in writing—via mail to the Class 

Action Clerk, U.S. District Court for the Northern District of California, 1301 Clay Street, 

Oakland, California 94612, or via in-person filing at any location of the U.S. District Court for the 

Northern District of California (or, in the case of objectors represented by counsel, via the Court’s 

ECF system)—provided, however, that all Objections must be filed or post-marked by no later 

than September 29, 2015. A Settlement Class member who objects to the Settlement need not 

appear at the Fairness Hearing for his or her objection to be considered by the Court; however, any 

additional papers, briefs, pleadings, or other documents that any objector would like the Court to 

consider must be filed with the Court no later than September 29, 2015. All papers filed by an 

objector with the Court shall include the case name (Alfaro Garcia, et al. v. Johnson, et al.) and 

number (4:14-cv-01775-YGR) and provide: (i) the Settlement Class Member’s full name and 

current detention facility or address; (ii) a signed declaration that the Settlement Class Member is 

a member of the Settlement Class; (iii) the specific grounds for the objection; (iv) all documents or 

writings that the Settlement Class Member desires the Court to consider; and (vii) a notice of 

intention (if any) to appear at the Fairness Hearing. A sample objection form is attached to 

Exhibit 2. 

7. Any Settlement Class member who fails to object in the manner prescribed herein 

shall be deemed to have waived his or her objections and forever be barred from making any such 

objections in this Action. While the declaration described in subparagraph 6(ii) is prima facie 

evidence that the objector is a member of the Settlement Class, the parties may take discovery 

regarding the matter, subject to Court approval. If an objector does not submit his or her 

Objection in accordance with the deadline and procedure set forth herein, and the Settlement Class 

member is not granted relief by the Court, the Settlement Class member will be deemed to have 

waived his or her right to be heard at the Fairness Hearing. 

8. The Settlement Agreement, and the proceedings and statements made pursuant to 

the Settlement Agreement or papers filed relating to the approval of the Settlement Agreement, 

and this Order, shall not be offered or received against any party as evidence of, or construed as or 

deemed to be evidence of, any presumption, concession, or admission by any of the parties of the 

Case 4:14-cv-01775-YGR Document 104 Filed 08/20/15 Page 3 of 4
4 

1 

2 

3 

4 

5 

6 

7 

8 

9 

10 

11 

12 

13 

14 

15 

16 

17 

18 

19 

20 

21 

22 

23 

24 

25 

26 

27 

28 

United States District Court 

Northern District of Californi

a

truth or falsity of any fact, claim, defense, or argument that was or could have been asserted in the 

Action, or any admission of liability, negligence, fault, or wrongdoing by any party, or referred to 

in any other way for any other reason as against the parties to the Settlement Agreement, in any 

other civil, criminal, or administrative action or proceedings, other than in proceedings to enforce 

the Settlement Agreement. Nothing contained herein, however, shall be construed to prevent the 

parties from offering the Settlement Agreement into evidence for the purposes of enforcement of 

the Settlement Agreement. 

This Order terminates Docket Number 102. 

IT IS SO ORDERED. 

Dated: August 20, 2015 

______________________________________ 

 YVONNE GONZALEZ ROGERS

 UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT JUDGE

Case 4:14-cv-01775-YGR Document 104 Filed 08/20/15 Page 4 of 4