Francisco Dorta Herrera v. Kristi Noem

UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT January 20, 2026 SOUTHERN DISTRICT OF TEXAS Nathan Ochsner, Clerk CORPUS CHRISTI DIVISION

FRANCISCO DORTA HERRERA, § § Petitioner, § § VS. § CIVIL ACTION NO. 2:26-CV-00025 § KRISTI NOEM, § § Respondent. § OPINION AND ORDER OF TRANSFER This is a habeas action filed pursuant to 28 U.S.C. § 2241. (D.E. 1). In the Petition, Petitioner asserts Francisco Dorta Herrera1 is being held at the South Texas Detention Facility. However, a review of the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement locator website indicates Petitioner is located at the La Salle County Regional Detention Center in Encinal, Texas. See https://locator.ice.gov/odls/#/results (last visited Jan. 20, 2026). The La Salle County Regional Detention Center is located in La Salle County, Texas which is within the Southern District of Texas, Laredo Division. 28 U.S.C. § 124(b)(3).

It is well established that a petition for writ of habeas corpus filed pursuant to 28 U.S.C. § 2241 must be filed in the district where the prisoner or detainee is incarcerated.

Hooker v. Sivley, 187 F.3d 680, 682 (5th Cir. 1999) (citation omitted); see also Pack v. 1Teresa Rodriguez filed this case “As Next Friend” of Francisco Dorta Herrera, asserting Herrera is a Cuban national currently in ICE custody at the South Texas Detention Facility. (D.E. 1, Pages 1-2).

1 / 2 Yusuff, 218 F.3d 448, 451 (Sth Cir. 2000) (citations omitted). Accordingly, this case is more appropriately transferred to the Southern District of Texas, Laredo Division.

Rather than dismissal, the Court finds this case should be transferred. Therefore, the Clerk of Court is ORDERED to TRANSFER this case to the United States District Court for the Southern District of Texas, Laredo Division. All pending Motions are DENIED as moot and the Clerk of Court is DIRECTED to CLOSE this case.

ORDERED on January 20, 2026.

C Jason & Libby Z United States Magistrate Judge 2/2