1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT 9 SOUTHERN DISTRICT OF CALIFORNIA 10 11 CARLOS ALBERTO IZQUIERDO- Case No.: 25-cv-2979-BJC-BLM MATOS, 12 ORDER GRANTING MOTION FOR Petitioner, APPOINTMENT OF COUNSEL 13

v. 14 KRISTI NOEM, Secretary of the [ECF No. 2] 15 Department of Homeland Security, 16 PAMELA JO BONDI, Attorney General, TODD M. LYONS, Acting Director, 17 Immigration and Customs Enforcement, 18 JESUS ROCHA, Acting Field Office Director, San Diego Fie1d Office, 19 CHRISTOPHER LAROSE, Warden at 20 Otay Mesa Detention Center, 21 Respondents. 22 23 Before the Court is Petitioner Carlos Izquierdo-Matos’ Motion for Appointment of 24 Counsel, seeking the Court’s appointment of the Federal Defenders of San Diego, Inc. 25 pursuant to 18 U.S.C. § 3006A(a)(2). ECF No. 2. Under this statute, a district court may 26 appoint counsel for an indigent habeas petitioner pursuing relief under

if 27 the court determines that the interests of justice require it. 18 U.S.C. § 3006A(a)(2)(B). In 28 1 making this decision, the court must consider both the petitioner’s likelihood of success on 2 merits and their ability to effectively present their claims pro se, given the complexity 3 || of the legal issues involved. See Rand v. Rowland,

(9th Cir. 1997) (citations 4 || omitted). 5 Federal Defenders of San Diego, Inc. is prepared to assist Petitioner, as evidenced 6 ||by their involvement in drafting the present motion and the supporting declaration of 7 ||Zandra Lopez, an appellate attorney with Federal Defenders. ECF No. 2 at 13. 8 || Additionally, Petitioner states that he lacks the financial means to retain private counsel 9 has shown a sufficient likelihood of success on the merits. /d. After careful 10 ||consideration of the arguments presented, the Court finds that appointing counsel is 11 || warranted in this case. Accordingly, Petitioner’s motion for appointment of counsel is 12 ||} GRANTED, and Federal Defenders of San Diego, Inc. is APPOINTED to represent her. 13 |} IS SO ORDERED. 14 || Dated: November 6, 2025 15

17 18 Honorable Benjamin J. Cheeks United States District Judge 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 25-cv-02740-BJC-BJW