By Bryan Manabat
[email protected]
Variety News Staff
THREE U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement detainees — Yuetong Wang, Changwu Ruan, and Rui Li — who are being held at the Department of Corrections are challenging their extended detention.
The three are represented by attorney Cong Nie, who filed separate petitions for writs of habeas corpus in the District Court for the NMI on behalf of his clients.
The petitions name acting ICE San Francisco Field Office Director Sergio Albarran, ICE Acting Director Todd Lyons, U.S. Department of Homeland Security Secretary Markwayne Mullin, acting U.S. Attorney General Todd Blanche, and Corrections Commissioner Anthony Torres as respondents.
The petitioners’ claims remain under seal.
Following a preliminary review of the petitions, the federal court found that the cases may proceed.
Magistrate Judge Heather Kennedy issued orders to show cause why the petitions should not be granted against the respondents and scheduled a hearing on Wang and Ruan’s petition for May 27 at 9 a.m. before Chief Judge Ramona V. Manglona.
Judge Kennedy scheduled a hearing on Li’s petition for June 1 at 9 a.m.
Chief Solicitor J. Robert Glass Jr. of the CNMI Attorney General’s Office filed a notice of appearance for Commissioner Torres, while Assistant U.S. Attorney Mikel Schwab filed a notice of appearance for the federal officials.
Glass’ and Schwab’s responses to the orders to show cause also remained sealed as of press time Monday.
Bryan Manabat was a liberal arts student of Northern Marianas College where he also studied criminal justice. He is the recipient of the NMI Humanities Award as an Outstanding Teacher (Non-Classroom) in 2013, and has worked for the CNMI Motheread/Fatheread Literacy Program as lead facilitator.
