Bastidas v. Dickerson

By removing Bastidas to El Salvador without notice or hearing despite his removal order designating Venezuela, the government violated the regulatory restriction in 8 C.F.R. § 241.8 against third-country removals without additional process and the due process requirement to provide notice and opportunity to contest material changes to removal proceedings. The violation was particularly acute because Bastidas had no criminal record, no gang involvement, and his attorneys received no notification before his transfer to El Salvador's CECOT maximum-security facility, leaving him unable to challenge the unauthorized destination change. However, after 125 days of detention, Bastidas was released to Venezuela through diplomatic arrangement rather than judicial order, prompting the government to move to dismiss the habeas petition as moot and leaving the underlying legal questions about third-country removals unresolved by the court.