Kenneth J. Gonzales
How Judge Gonzales rules, drawn from 33 signed orders. Every observation links to the order it came from.
How Judge Gonzales decides
Patterns drawn from this judge's own signed orders. Every observation links to the order it came from.
What persuades
In several 2026 immigration-detention cases involving people who had previously lived in the United States outside custody, the court granted Section 2241 relief and ordered prompt individualized bond hearings under Section 1226(a); in multiple orders it required the government to justify continued detention by clear and convincing evidence.
“The Court directs the Government to provide Petitioner with a bond hearing under § 1226(a) before an immigration judge within seven (7) days of this Order. At that hearing, the Government has the burden of justifying Petitioner’s detention by clear and convincing evidence.”
Procedural preferences
The court distinguished the absence of any individualized bond hearing from disagreement with an immigration judge's completed discretionary bond decision. Where the petitioner had already received the hearing required by Section 1226(a), the court denied habeas relief and directed any challenge to the discretionary denial to the immigration appellate process.
“Petitioner received a bond hearing on March 5, 2026. Doc. 1 at 115. At that hearing, the IJ considered the record and found that Petitioner failed to carry her burden and denied bond. Id. That is all § 1226 requires.”
Signed rulings
A grounded sample of orders signed by this judge, with the verbatim dispositive language.
“the Court grants Plaintiff's Motion to Modify, (Doc. 11)”
“denies as moot Defendants' Motion to Dismiss, (Doc. 3)”
“and Plaintiff's Motion for Summary Judgment, (Doc. 9)”
“the Court grants Defendants' Motion for Partial Summary Judgment No. I, (Doc. 63), as it relates to Defendant Officers execution of the PIT maneuver and dismisses Count I only to the extent it alleges the PIT maneuver alone violated Plaintiff's constitutional rights”
“The Court also grants Defendants' Motion for Partial Summary Judgment No. II, (Doc. 65), and dismisses Count II”
“the State Defendants' Motion to Dismiss Plaintiff's Fifth Amended Complaint, Doc. 115, filed February 17, 2025, is GRANTED as follows: (i) Plaintiff's claims pursuant to federal law are DISMISSED with prejudice; (ii) Plaintiff's claims pursuant to state law are DISMISSED without prejudice.”
“IT IS ORDERED that the following Motions are DENIED without prejudice: (i) Motion for Summary Judgment, Doc. 14, filed August 1, 2025. The Court denies Plaintiff's Motion for Summary Judgment”
“the Court grants, in part, Defendant’s Motion to Dismiss, (Doc. 2). The Court dismisses Plaintiff’s Equal Protection violation claim with prejudice.”
“grants Defendant Allstate’s Motion for Judgment on the Pleadings (Doc. 4);”
“grants the Motion for Sanctions (Doc. 9);”
“the Court grants Plaintiff’s Motion.”
“the Court denies, as moot: (1) Defendant’s Motion to Stay Proceeding’s and Compel Arbitration, (Doc. 4),”
“(2) Plaintiff’s Motion to Stay Pending a Decision on Plaintiff’s Motion to Remand, (Doc. 19).”
“Defendants‟ Motion to Dismiss on the Basis of Qualified Immunity and Other Grounds (Doc. 5) is granted and this case will be dismissed in its entirety”
“the Court hereby GRANTS the Motion for Default Judgment on Foreclosure as follows:”
“DENIES Ms. Graham’s Motion for Certification (Doc. 62).”
“the Court GRANTS in part BCBSNM’s Cross-Motion for Judgment on the Pleadings (Doc. 64)”
“Defendants’ Motion to Stay Proceedings Pending Resolution of Qualified Immunity Appeal (Doc. 147) is granted;”
“Plaintiffs’ Motion for District Court Certification of Defendants’ Interlocutory Appeals as Frivolous (Doc. 150) is denied;”
“the Court denies, without prejudice to later refiling upon the completion of full discovery, Plaintiff’s Motion, (Doc. 62).”
Caseload & timing
From public federal docket records for this judge.
Median case duration in the sampled dockets: 259 days (N = 7).
Median motion-to-ruling time: 214 days (N = 5).
- Chief Judge Gonzales sits principally in Santa Fe and draws cases from the Albuquerque, Las Cruces, and Roswell divisions.
- The sampled caseload is predominantly criminal, especially illegal-reentry and drug prosecutions in Las Cruces and Roswell, with prisoner civil-rights cases, other civil-rights matters, and removed insurance and contract disputes on the civil side.
- This describes caseload composition, not motion outcomes.
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