govinfo:USCOURTS-vtd-2_26-cv-00145-1

UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT 
FOR THE 
DISTRICT OF VERMONT 
LEONEL DAVID TORRES BASANTA, 
Plaintiff, 
U.S. Ji,.::;; ;di.., l COUfH 
DISTRICT Of VERMONT 
FiLEO 
2026 MAY - I PM 12: 34 
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Case No. 2:26-cv-145 
DONALD J. TRUMP et al., 
Defendants. 
SUPPLEMENTAL JUDGMENT ORDER 
Following a hearing on May 1, 2026, the court orders the immediate release of petitioner 
Leonel David Torres Basanta pursuant to the inherent authority of the court in habeas cases 
challenging detention. See Mapp v. Reno, 241 F.3d 221 (2d Cir. 2001). The record is 
undisputed as to the following facts: 
• As a Venezuelan national, Mr. Basanta previously received 18 months' work 
authorization on the basis of his status under the humanitarian "temporary protected 
status" program, 8 U.S.C. § 1254a. He has done nothing himself to cause his TPS status 
to be revoked. Unless TPS status is removed for all Venezuelan nationals, 1 he has the 
right to remain in the United States as a person with TPS status. 
1 The Administration sought to do so in early 2025. See 90 Fed. Reg. 8805 (Feb. 3, 
2025). A federal district court blocked that action in March 2025. Nat'! TPS All. v. Noem, 
773 F. Supp. 3d 807 (N.D. Cal. 2025). The United States Supreme Court stayed that preliminary 
order, and then stayed the subsequent final order holding that the Secretary of Homeland 
Security had unlawfully vacated an extension of TPS for Venezuelan nationals and had 
unlawfully terminated that status. Noem v. Nat'! TPS All., 146 S. Ct. 23, 24 (2025). The 
Supreme Court heard argument on April 29, 2026, in a similar case as to whether the 
Administration can end TPS status for Syrian nationals. Mullin v. Doe, No. 25-1083 (U.S. 
argued Apr. 29, 2026). 
2:26-cv-00145-gwc     Document 18     Filed 05/01/26     Page 1 of 2
• Mr. Basanta is currently engaged in the early stages of an immigration removal case with 
a master calendar video appearance scheduled in May 2026. 
• Mr. Basanta is married and the father of a small child who is an American citizen. His 
wife has a pending asylum case. Mr. Basanta has no criminal record. There is no reason 
to believe that he presents a threat of any kind to the community. The evidence is to the 
contrary. He is a skilled shipwright with 13 years' experience as a welder. Until his 
work authorization expired, he worked in the field of ship repair in Everett, Washington. 
• There is also no reason to believe that Mr. Basanta presents a risk of flight. His wife and 
child have moved to Lakeland, Florida where he has an invitation to stay with them in the 
home of a friend. If he regains work authorization, he believes that he can return to his 
employment in Washington State. He also has a job opportunity at a shipyard in Florida. 
On these uncontested facts, the court orders Mr. Basanta's immediate release. 
There is no longer any need to conduct a second bond hearing before the immigration 
court. The court appreciates the cooperation of the immigration court in Chelmsford, 
Massachusetts in scheduling a video hearing for next week. This order supersedes the court's 
prior order dated April 29, 2026, ordering an immigration court hearing. 
Mr. Basanta's release today affords him all the relief he seeks through his habeas petition. 
The court will not schedule further hearings in this case. This order is the final order in the case. 
SO ORDERED. 
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Dated at Burlington, in the District of Vermont, this L ~ 
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Geoffrey W. Crawford, Judge 
United States District Court 
2:26-cv-00145-gwc     Document 18     Filed 05/01/26     Page 2 of 2

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