Pasadena man held in immigration raid lawsuit ordered released by federal judge
Apr 23, 2026·Location: Pasadena, CA
Country of origin: Panama
Isaac Antonio Villegas Molina, a Pasadena resident originally from Panama, was ordered immediately released by U.S. District Judge Michelle Williams after being detained during an ICE check-in while serving as a plaintiff in a federal lawsuit challenging immigration raids in Los Angeles. The judge barred the government from redetaining him without notice and a hearing before a neutral adjudicator, noting officials had not contested his earlier release request. Villegas was arrested in June while waiting at a bus stop and released on bond; the Department of Homeland Security said his redetention followed missed check-ins, but his attorney, Stacy Tolchin, disputed this and alleged the arrest was retaliatory, aimed at shifting his case to a more government-friendly immigration court in Adelanto. Villegas is scheduled to appear before an immigration judge to seek termination of his removal proceedings.
Sources
- Los Angeles Times
- Federal judge orders release of Pasadena man who is plaintiff in lawsuit against immigration raids
Yahoo News·Apr 23, 2026·archived copy
- Federal court orders release of plaintiff detained by ICE - Smart Insights Alley
smartinsightsalley.com·Apr 23, 2026·archived copy
- aol.com
- abcnews10.com
More incidents in California
- Colombian asylum seeker ordered released after ICE detained him at homeOct 9, 2026 · Los Angeles, CA
- Deaf teen with disabilities handcuffed at gunpoint outside LA school, mistaken for gang memberOct 8, 2026 · Los Angeles, CA
- Kerman resident detained while buying coffee and pastry, assemblymember saysOct 8, 2026 · Kerman, CA
- Mendota worker detained for hours, released after work permit found in walletOct 8, 2026 · Mendota, CA
- ICE arrests more than 70 people across Fresno-Madera area amid profiling reportsOct 8, 2026 · Fresno, CA
- Nearly 15,000 deported after ICE arrest surge in Los Angeles, study findsOct 8, 2026 · Los Angeles, CA