Opinion ID: 787020
Heading Depth: 2
Heading Rank: 2

Heading: jurisdiction

Text: 6 The district court had jurisdiction over Garcia-Echaverria's habeas petition pursuant to 28 U.S.C. § 2241. Garcia-Echaverria filed both a direct appeal of his conviction for unlawful reentry and a habeas petition challenging his current detention. Typically, a federal prisoner may file a § 2241 petition contesting the legality of his detention only if his claim is such that he cannot obtain effective relief on direct appeal or through a § 2255 motion. Paulino v. United States, 352 F.3d 1056, 1060-61 (6th Cir.2003); Bannerman v. Snyder, 325 F.3d 722, 723 (6th Cir.2003). While an alien may file a § 2241 petition challenging his removal proceedings, an alien is not in custody for removal purposes if he is detained pursuant to a sentence for a criminal conviction, even if the INS has filed a detainer order with the prison where the petitioner is incarcerated. Zolicoffer v. U.S. Dep't of Justice, 315 F.3d 538, 540-41 (5th Cir.2003) (collecting cases); Prieto v. Gluch, 913 F.2d 1159, 1163-64 (6th Cir.1990), cert. denied, 498 U.S. 1092, 111 S.Ct. 976, 112 L.Ed.2d 1061 (1991). In this case, however, at the time Garcia-Echaverria filed his § 2241 petition, the INS had already reinstated Garcia-Echaverria's prior Final Order of Removal. The IIRIRA requires the INS to take custody of and commence procedures to execute the removal of an alien who is subject to a final order of removal based upon a conviction for an aggravated felony. Simmonds v. INS, 326 F.3d 351, 356 (2d Cir.2003); see also Mustata v. U.S. Dep't of Justice, 179 F.3d 1017, 1022 n. 4 (6th Cir.1999). This requirement was strong evidence of the DHS's intention to take custody of Garcia-Echaverria immediately following the conclusion of his sentence, and thus satisfies the custody requirement for a § 2241 petition. Because Garcia-Echaverria was in INS custody at the time he filed his habeas petition challenging the constitutionality of his confinement, the district court had jurisdiction pursuant to 28 U.S.C. § 2241. 4 7 This court has jurisdiction over the appeal pursuant to 28 U.S.C. §§ 1291 and 2253. Subsequent to this case being submitted on the briefs, Garcia-Echaverria completed his sentence for his § 1326(b) conviction, and Garcia-Echaverria is currently being detained by the DHS pending his removal. Garcia-Echaverria's completion of his criminal sentence neither deprives us of jurisdiction over this appeal nor moots the claims asserted in the habeas petition that we are reviewing in this appeal. Rosales-Garcia v. Holland, 322 F.3d 386, 394-96, 395 n. 6 (6th Cir.) (en banc), cert. denied, 539 U.S. 941, 123 S.Ct. 2607, 156 L.Ed.2d 627 (2003). We review de novo questions of statutory interpretation raised in a § 2241 petition. Mustata, 179 F.3d at 1019.