A federal judge in Minnesota ordered immigration authorities to immediately release a Canadian dentist and father who was detained by ICE after an immigration hearing notice was sent to an address that government records indicated was no longer current. District Judge Michael J. Davis, a Clinton appointee, ruled Sunday that the arrest and detention of William Virgil Lizardo, a 32-year-old dentist from Mississauga, Ontario, violated the Fourth and Fifth Amendments, finding an "obvious" risk that he had been erroneously deprived of his liberty.
"The hubris of admitting that USCIS made a big mistake, but not even offering any sort of relief is galling, although not surprising," Davis wrote in his November 1 order. He described the facts presented in the case as "appalling." Davis ordered officials to release Lizardo in Minnesota no later than 6 p.m. Sunday and prohibited the government from detaining, transferring, or removing him again without first obtaining permission from the court.
Federal judges and the Trump administration have repeatedly been at odds over the limits of ICE’s enforcement authority, particularly in cases involving due process protections. The administration and DHS officials have frequently criticized rulings restricting immigration enforcement, accusing some judges of overstepping their authority and obstructing the administration’s agenda. Newsweek has contacted the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) and the man's legal team for comment via email.
Lizardo entered the United States in 2019 on an F-1 student visa to attend the University of Minnesota School of Dentistry, according to court filings. He graduated in 2023 and married a U.S. citizen who had been his dental school classmate. Their daughter was born in April 2025.
His wife filed a petition for an alien relative in September 2023, while Lizardo applied to adjust his status to permanent residency. The relative petition was approved in January 2025, according to the court. Lizardo practiced dentistry in federally designated shortage areas until his work authorization was revoked and later volunteered at a low-cost clinic in Burnsville, Minnesota, according to court documents.
USCIS denied his application for permanent residence in January 2026 because the agency said he had not provided a certified Ontario court record related to a 2012 charge that had been withdrawn after diversion. Lizardo appealed the decision, and that appeal remained pending at the time of Davis' ruling. The following month, DHS issued him with a Notice to Appear for a March 26 immigration court hearing.
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