A federal judge in Baton Rouge has ordered the immediate release of four men held in the ICE unit at the Louisiana State Penitentiary, better known as Angola, after finding that their re-detention violated constitutional protections. The ruling, issued last Friday by U.S. District Judge John W. deGravelles, has already triggered sharp criticism from the Department of Homeland Security and Republican leaders in Louisiana.
Judge's ruling and legal basis
The court granted a petition for a writ of habeas corpus, finding that ICE had not followed its own procedures when it revoked the men’s Orders of Supervision and had not shown a significant likelihood of removal in the reasonably foreseeable future. The judge ordered the four released under their prior supervision terms and barred their re-detention without additional due process, according to CaseMine.
Who was freed
The petitioners named in the filing were Ibrahim Ali Mohammed and three Cuban nationals, Luis Gaston-Sanchez, Ricardo Blanco Chomat and Francisco Rodriguez-Romero. Their records, which the filings and local reporting say include sexual exploitation of a minor, homicide, kidnapping, aggravated assault, weapons offenses and drug crimes, as well as details of long-standing prior orders of removal, are summarized in reporting from KALB.
Federal and state backlash
The Department of Homeland Security did not mince words in its response, calling the ruling inexcusably reckless and warning that the decision risks further violent crime, as reported by KALB. Louisiana Gov. Jeff Landry publicly blasted the decision on social media, labeling the release absurd, according to WGNO.
Context: Angola and the Louisiana Lockup
The ruling lands in the middle of a broader fight over immigration detention at Angola, specifically Camp 57, which political coverage has dubbed "the Louisiana Lockup." A recent expansion of ICE capacity there has drawn scrutiny from advocates and reporters, and conditions at the penitentiary have turned the site into a flashpoint in the national debate over detention policy, according to reporting from The Guardian.
Legal note
On the legal front, the decision leans on habeas corpus principles and the Zadvydas framework, which limits post-removal detention when removal is not reasonably foreseeable. The court found that ICE’s revocations of the Orders of Supervision failed to provide the required individualized notice and process, and it ordered release under the previously revoked Orders of Supervision, as detailed in CaseMine.
What comes next
The Department of Homeland Security has said it will continue enforcement and removal efforts and could seek a stay or an appeal while the government evaluates its options. For now, the men are to be released under supervision, and the ruling joins a string of court decisions scrutinizing ICE revocation practices, leaving enforcement and legal teams to determine their next steps, according to WGNO.
