Singh v. Warden of the Prairieland Detention Center et al

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UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT
NORTHERN DISTRICT OF TEXAS
DALLAS DIVISION
HARJINDER SINGH,
Petitioner,
v.
WARDEN OF THE
PRARIELAND DETENTION
CENTER, et al.,
Respondents.
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§ Civil Action No. 3:26-CV-00877
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MEMORANDUM OPINION AND ORDER
Before the Court is Petitioner Harjinder Singh’s (Singh) Ex Parte Motion for
Temporary Restraining Order and Preliminary Injunction (TRO/PI) (ECF No. 2).
For the reasons stated below, the Court DENIES the TRO/PI request.
A TRO serves to preserve the status quo at the timing the lawsuit was filed
and prevent irreparable harm to the movant so a court can “render a meaningful
decision after a trial on the merits.”1 To warrant the extraordinary relief of a TRO,
the movant must demonstrate:
(1) a likelihood of success on the merits; (2) a substantial threat of
irreparable injury; (3) that the threatened injury if the injunction is
denied outweighs any harm that will result if the injunction is granted;
and (4) that the grant of an injunction will not disserve the public
interest.2
1 Apex Grp. Cap. Advisors LLC v. Related Fund Mgmt. LLC, No. 3:25-CV-1627-X, 2025 WL
1869436, at *2 (N.D. Tex. July 7, 2025) (Starr, J.) (citing Canal Auth. of Fla. v. Callaway, 489 F.2d
567, 572 (5th Cir. 1974)).
2 Ladd v. Livingston, 777 F.3d 286, 288 (5th Cir. 2015).
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Preliminary relief should “not conclusively resolve legal disputes[,]” and thus
a TRO is an inappropriate vehicle for granting ultimate relief.3 Specifically, a court
cannot render ultimate relief sought in a habeas petition—releasing a detainee—in
the form of a preliminary injunction or TRO.4
Singh’s TRO seeks to upend these bedrock principles. First, it seeks to change
the status quo at the time of the lawsuit. Singh is in ICE custody and wants out.5
But granting a TRO would just preserve the status quo of Singh being in custody—
something he obviously does not want. What’s more, Singh’s TRO seeks to
conclusively resolve the ultimate legal dispute in this case—whether ICE can detain
him. Conclusively deciding legal issues and granting ultimate relief is something
courts do not do in TROs.
The Court DENIES Singh’s TRO/PI request. His habeas petition remains
pending.
IT IS SO ORDERED this 19th day of March, 2026.
_________________________________
ADA BROWN
UNITED STATES DISTRICT JUDGE
3 Lackey v. Stinnie, 604 U.S. 192, 200 (2025).
4 Ramirez v. Noem, 6:25-CV-035-H, at *2 (N.D. Tex. Feb. 5, 2026) (Hendrix, J.) (citing Ramirez
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Rios v. Noem, 3:25-CV-522, 2025 WL 3220095, at *1 (W.D. Tex. Nov. 7, 2025)).
5 ECF No. 3 at 2.
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