Ernesto José Cruz Tejada v. Rebecca González et al.

The American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) of Puerto Rico filed a habeas corpus petition arguing that Ernesto José Cruz Tejada’s detention is unlawful because he was processed for expedited removal even though he had lived continuously in Puerto Rico and the United States for more than two decades, had an approved I-130 family petition filed by his mother, a lawful permanent resident, and, according to the petition, does not fall within the categories of mandatory detention. The filing argues that his imprisonment violates due process, that he was denied a bond hearing to which he was entitled, and that there is an imminent risk he will be transferred outside Puerto Rico, which would impair his access to counsel and worsen the impact on his 68-year-old mother, whose health is fragile and for whom he is the primary caregiver.

The complaint states that the arrest took place on March 7, 2026, in Barrio Obrero, San Juan, as Cruz Tejada was on his way to the market to buy breakfast for his sick mother. The petition further alleges that the stop was racially motivated, that authorities failed to verify how long he had continuously lived in Puerto Rico before placing him in expedited removal proceedings, and that his arrest and detention occurred without a valid legal basis or adequate consideration of less restrictive alternatives.