A newly filed federal habeas case identifies Zohaib Muhammad's DACA documentation, pending renewal and an immigration judge's bond denial. The public docket does not show that DACA was terminated or that a final removal order was issued.
The second legal track
A federal habeas petition filed September 2 in the Western District of Michigan opened a second legal track for Houston jeweler Zohaib Muhammad, known professionally as Zo Frost. The case, Muhammad v. Putra, Case No. 1:26-cv-02501, was brought under 28 U.S.C. § 2241 and challenges his continued immigration detention after an immigration judge denied bond.
The public docket lists nine attachments to the petition. They include Muhammad's I-94 arrival and departure record, proof of DACA status, proof of a pending DACA renewal, biographical materials with client photographs and invoices, testimony from a detective, a bond record, federal release conditions, the immigration judge's bond denial and a civil cover sheet.
The docket marks the case active. Its latest listed activity is a September 9 order to show cause.
A new immigration case
A habeas petition asks a federal court to review whether a person's detention is lawful. It does not decide the criminal accusations pending in a separate case.
The September 9 order to show cause directs the government to respond to the petition. It is a procedural order, not a ruling that Muhammad must be released, and not a decision on the merits of his claims.
The petition's docket identifies exhibits concerning DACA status and a pending renewal. The public record does not show that Muhammad's DACA was terminated. It also does not show that a final removal order was issued or that deportation is imminent.
How the criminal cases began
In March, Friendswood police announced the arrests of six people in an alleged gold bar scam that authorities said targeted elderly victims. According to police reports cited by FOX 26 Houston and ABC13 Houston, the alleged losses totaled about $2.8 million. Muhammad was among those arrested, and state bond was reportedly set at $5 million.
In May, federal prosecutors charged Muhammad and Samir Ali in an alleged wire fraud and money laundering scheme. The Houston Chronicle reported that each was released under conditions that included a $100,000 cash bond. Muhammad's attorney, Kent Schaffer, denied the allegations and said his client had no involvement in the alleged conduct.
Those criminal accusations remain allegations. Neither the filing of charges nor a bond decision establishes guilt.
What is known and what remains unresolved
As of September 27, the public record shows two distinct federal proceedings involving Muhammad. One concerns criminal allegations. The other is the active habeas case challenging immigration detention.
The immigration docket identifies DACA documentation, proof of a pending renewal, federal release conditions and an immigration judge's bond denial among the petition's exhibits. It does not establish that DACA was canceled or terminated, that Muhammad was ordered deported, or that deportation is imminent.
The habeas court had issued an order to show cause, but the public docket did not yet reflect a final ruling on the detention challenge.
Editor's note
All criminal accusations discussed in this report are allegations. Zohaib Muhammad and the other defendants are presumed innocent unless proven guilty in court. Drip With Diggs will update this report if additional court records become publicly available.
