Civil Rights
Ms. Hoq represents individuals and groups challenging laws and policies that prevent them from enjoying the full spectrum of their civil rights. She also takes cases that seek to expand those rights, particularly in the areas of public and private anti-discrimination, employment, and immigration. The following is a representative sample of her work in this practice area.
Vargas v. United States of America
U.S. District Court, Central District of California
Case No. 5:23-CV-00380
Pending
Ms. Hoq is co-counsel on behalf of the surviving son of Martin Vargas Arellano, who died after contracting Covid-19 while in immigration detention. Despite being subject to Court orders to release individuals like Mr. Vargas Arellano, both for the sake of his own health and to minimize the spread of the illness to other detainees in light of findings that the Adelanto immigration detention center lacked necessary Covid-19 protections. Plaintiff Martin Vargas seeks damages against the U.S. government and its immigration detention contractors the Geo Group and Wellpath, LLC for their mistreatment of his father leading to his the untimely death.
James v. City of South Pasadena
U.S. District Court, Central District of California
Case No. 2:21-CV-08256
Pending
Ms. Hoq is lead counsel in a case against the City of South Pasadena on behalf of two Black Lives Matter activists who were the victims of multiple hate crimes while peacefully protesting for racial justice and police accountability. The case alleges that the City’s police department violated their First Amendment rights and failed to carry out its mandatory duties to protect them from repeat and escalating attacks by White supremacist vigilantes, and instead colluded with the perpetrators, including South Pasadena resident Defendant Richard Cheney, and allowed them to act with impunity. Plaintiffs settled the case against the City and five of its Officers in April 2023 for $500,000, and are proceeding to litigate the case against individual Defendant Richard Cheney.
Gomez v. Trump
U.S. District Court, District of Columbia
Case No: Case 1:20-cv-01419-APM
Pending
Ms. Hoq is class counsel in a case that challenged the Trump Administration's extended ban on nearly all categories of lawful immigration to the U.S., including family-based, diversity and temporary work visas. As cooperating counsel with Justice Action Center, Ms. Hoq helped secure a preliminary and final injunction against the government, forcing them to process over 15,000 additional DV lottery visas. She also helped litigate an appeal of the case to the DC Circuit Court Appeal.
Press: Trump’s Assaults on DACA, Green Cards, Work Visas and More
Chhoeun v. Homan
U.S. District Court, District of Columbia
Case No: Case 1:20-cv-01419-APM
Together with a coalition of civil rights groups, Ms. Hoq litigated a nationwide class action on behalf of nearly 2000 Cambodian refugees challenging the Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s largest ever raids targeting the Cambodian community, leading to their unlawful arrest, prolonged detention, and summary deportation of class members. The government’s actions denied class members their Constitutional due process rights, resulting in individuals who had come to the U.S. as child refugees being ripped apart from their families and communities and deported to a country where they had no significant ties. The case resulted in both Temporary Restraining Orders and a Preliminary Injunction against certain of the unlawful practices, and habeas relief for one of the lead plaintiffs who the Court ruled was being unlawfully detained.
Trinh v. Homan
U.S. District Court, Central District of California
Case No. 8:18-cv-316
Together with a coalition of civil rights groups, Ms. Hoq litigated a nationwide class action on behalf of between 8,000 and 10,000 Vietnamese refugees challenging the Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s aggressive arrest and prolonged detention of Vietnamese refugees with final orders of removal in violation of their statutory and Constitutional rights. The class members arrived in the U.S. before 1995, and were slated for removal in contravention of a Repatriation Agreement the U.S. had negotiated with Vietnam which prohibits the deportation of Vietnamese nationals who immigrated before this time. Upon filing the case, the government ceased certain of its unlawful policies, resulting in significant relief from unlawful detention and summary deportation suffered by the class.
Press: Immigrant rights group says ICE is holding Vietnamese in limbo
Valle Del Sol. v. Whiting
U.S. District Court, District of Arizona
Case No. Case 2:10-cv-01061-SRB
Together with a coalition of civil rights groups, Ms. Hoq challenged Arizona’s anti-immigrant SB1070 law, which spawned copycat laws across the country. SB1070 required police to determine the immigration status of someone arrested or detained when there was "reasonable suspicion" they are not in the U.S. legally. The law invited law enforcement to engage in racial profiling of Arizona residents, in violation of their Constiutional rights. The lawsuit contributed to enjoining most of the most harmful aspects of the law.
Press: Arizona's once-feared immigration law, SB 1070, loses most of its power in settlement
Jennings v. Rodriguez
U.S. Supreme Court
Case No. 15-1204
Together with a coalition of civil rights groups, Ms. Hoq filed an amicus brief in class action case on behalf of immigrants subject to prolonged detention while their immigration cases are pending, including many who are legal residents of the United States or who are seeking asylum, asserting their right to a bond hearing and the possibility of release. The brief argued that the laws the government was relying on to justify these unlawful detentions were based on racially discriminatory underpinnings, and should be rejected for that reason.