how can an immigration lawyer help with my bond hearinf

by Jaylon Crona Jr. 10 min read

However, if an immigration official has not yet set a bond for you or you were unable to pay this bond, My Orlando Immigration Attorney could help you. Indeed, we can help you request a bond hearing in front of an Immigration Judge who will make a decision on whether or not to give you a bond or lower the one you already have.

Full Answer

How do I get a bond hearing in immigration court?

Jan 29, 2022 · The alien must ask the Immigration Court for a bond hearing to prove that they are entitled to be released on bond. At the hearing, the alien must prove that they intend to cooperate with the Immigration Court and obeys its orders including leaving the United States if the alien is found removable. Top of Page Removal Hearing – Court

How can I get my Bond reduced in immigration court?

There are usually volunteer lawyers at the court, and they can help you try to ask the judge to lower your bond. The detainee will likely be in custody for about ten days before they can see a judge and ask for a lowering of bond.

Can I talk to my attorney before my bond hearing?

An immigration attorney is the best option when already detained, as they will work with a bond agency to get you released and then can also represent you in a deportation defense trial. As an Arizona based law firm, JacksonWhite and our lead immigration attorney, Pace Rowlins, frequently help families detained at ports of entry on the Arizona-Mexico border.

What is a bond hearing for a deportation case?

Such cases can last months, even years, and require your bond hearing attorney to file an immigration appeal for your family member. In such battles, with deportation on the line, nothing less than an experienced immigration bond hearing lawyer will be able to guide your relative in his fight against removal from the U.S.

What is a bond for immigration?

WHAT IS A BOND? The bond is what immigration asks for as a guarantee that you will attend all of your hearings. You are promising that, if they release you from detention, you will go to all your court hearings and do what the judge orders you to do—even if that includes being deported.

How to ask for a bond hearing?

There are a few ways to ask for a bond hearing: Tell the judge at your first hearing that you’d like a bond hearing as soon as possible. Bond hearings are totally separate from your deportation hearings, even though you will be presenting your bond case to the same judge who considers your deportation case. If you ask for a bond hearing ...

Why is a detainee not eligible for a bond?

In some cases, a detainee is not eligible for a bond, for instance due to certain criminal convictions or because they have already been deported in the past.

What happens if you get out of detention on bond?

Remember, if you get out of detention on bond it is not the end of your deportation case. You will still need to go to all your court dates. If you miss even one hearing, you will likely be ordered deported without the chance to give evidence to the Judge or ask for permission to stay in the U.S. The bond money will be lost.

When does ICE assign bond?

ICE usually assigns detainees a bond amount by 2:00pm on the day the detainee arrives with ICE. Bond amount varies depending on each case. The immigration bond must be paid in full before a detainee can get out of custody.

Can you reschedule a bond hearing?

If your hearing is scheduled very quickly and you are still gathering evidence, you can tell the Judge you are waiting for more letters and you want to reschedule the bond hearing to give you more time to get the documents you need. This may be a good idea as it is best to be prepared for your bond hearing.

Can a judge lower a bond?

Sometimes the judge will lower it a bit, depending on factors such as criminal history, and whether the detainee qualifies for any legal remedy. There are usually volunteer lawyers at the court, and they can help you try to ask the judge to lower your bond.

What is a Bond?

In simplest terms, a bond is a specific amount of money that serves as collateral for the court to release you from the detention center. As long as you continue to appear in court as required and follow the judge’s orders, you’ll receive the full bond amount back at the conclusion of your case — even if you are ultimately deported.

Requesting a Bond Hearing

To request being released on bond, you’ll first have to request a bond hearing. You can do this in person at your Master Calendar Hearing, or you can file a written motion for a bond hearing with the Immigration Court.

Is Everyone Eligible for a Bond Hearing?

Your eligibility for a bond depends on a variety of factors, including your current legal status, why ICE detained you, and whether you’ve committed certain crimes in the United States. Regardless of how well-crafted your motion for a bond hearing is, an immigration judge is powerless to grant you a bond if any of the following conditions apply:

What to Expect at a Bond Hearing

Most bond hearings take place right before your Master Calendar Hearing. Many ICE detention centers have an immigration court onsite. Those that don’t will have to transport you to the immigration court by bus, or set up a video conference from the detention facility.

After the Bond Hearing

Assuming the judge grants your request for bond, the court will issue a written order. Your Master Calendar hearing will be rescheduled in the next 30 days, providing you time to pay the bond and be released from the detention center before the hearing.

Receive Help With a Bond Hearing in Arizona

Whether a family member is currently detained, or you are preparing for the possibility of being detained, working with an immigration attorney can only benefit your situation.

What is the key to winning the release of your family member at the lowest possible price?

In most bond cases, the key to winning the release of your family member at the lowest possible price is well-documented, precisely detailed, and strong documentary evidence and personal testimony . . . which demonstrates not only why your relative is entitled to bond, but also why he deserves a low bond amount.

What is the meaning of the posting bond?

The government sets the bond amount at a level high enough to ensure the immigrant will show up at all deportation hearings. The payment of bond is known as “posting bond.”. Once the deposit is made, the immigrant is discharged from custody. At the end of the case, the money is given back to the person who made the deposit.

What is bond hearing?

What Is A Bond Hearing? If the immigrant cannot afford to the bond amount set by DHS, he can request a bond hearing with an immigration judge. The judge has the authority to review the bond amount. In some cases, the judge may lower the bond amount. But there is no assurance of a lower bond amount.

Why is my family member not under arrest?

Maybe your family member was not placed under arrest or convicted because of the crime alleged by the government. Maybe he was guilty of the crime, but the crime is not the type which warrants mandatory detention. Such cases can last months, even years, and require your bond hearing attorney to file an immigration appeal for your family member.

Can a family get a lawyer for a limited bond?

This is why new rules allowing a family to obtain a lawyer for the limited purpose of bond representation is important to keep your family intact, Often, the government will refuse to set a bond amount.

Can immigration judges release people?

Immigration Judges cannot release a person subject to mandatory detention . . . . . . But they can hold a “Joseph Hearing” to determine whether immigrants’ convictions properly fall the mandatory detention provisions. After all, the government could be mistaken. Or wrong under correct legal standards.

Is there a guarantee that your family member will get a bond?

The mandatory detention provisions are among the cruelest aspects of immigration law today. As noted above, there is no guarantee your family member will get bond. Or released from immigration custody.

What happens if you don't appear in immigration court?

It is extremely important to continue to appear at all immigration court proceedings. If you do not, the IJ will order you removed from the U.S. and you will forfeit (lose) any bond amount your obligor (the person who paid the bond) paid.

What happens if you don't pay the bond?

If you do not pay the bond before then, you will have to appear at this hearing while still in immigration custody. If able to post the bond, you will be released from custody and your removal proceedings will be continued in the immigration court for non-detained persons.

How long does it take to get out of custody after bond hearing?

At the conclusion of the bond hearing, the IJ will reschedule your Master Calendar Hearing (usually for no more than 30 days later) to give you a chance to pay the bond and be released from custody before your next court appearance.

How much can IJ bond be?

The minimum bond amount the IJ can set is $1,500. However, under the Trump administration, getting bond set at $1500 is more of a theoretical possibility than a likely outcome. Most bond amounts are set substantially higher, and there is no cap as to how high the bond amount can be. A $10,000 bond is quite common.

What happens if you disagree with ICE?

If you disagree with ICE's determination, you will have the opportunity to request a bond hearing from the IJ. ICE will usually assign a bond amount by 2 pm on the date of someone's arrival in detention.

What to do if you have an arrest that did not lead to a conviction?

If you have an arrest that did not lead to a conviction, be prepared to show why that arrest was improper. If, however, you have a conviction, immigration court is not the place to try and relitigate your criminal case. Instead, take responsibility and provide strong evidence of rehabilitation.

What does the IJ think about bonding?

The more the IJ thinks you might be a flight risk or a danger to the U.S., the higher your bond amount will be. The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) might object to the bond amount given by the IJ and suggest a higher amount. However, the decision is ultimately the IJ's.

What happens when someone is detained?

It’s different in every case, but generally, the first thing that happens is they’ll be assigned an alien number, assuming they’ve never been in contact with immigration before. The A number is very important for the family to find out as soon as possible if they’re going to be talking to a lawyer, because that’s what is used to identify the person in custody.

Can you get a bond for domestic violence?

People are often shocked at the fact that what seem to be minor crimes, like maybe a minor drug conviction or a misdemeanor that involves fraud, can actually make you totally ineligible for a bond. Also, domestic violence convictions can make you totally ineligible for a bond. This surprises some people. Most firearm convictions – sometimes even just minor carrying or licensing infractions – can make you ineligible.

Can you appeal a bond denied by ICE?

If the bond is denied by ICE, you really can’t review it. They have a lot of discretion on whether or not to grant it. But if the immigration court denies a bond, you can appeal that.

How much of the immigration bonds are secured?

Currently, about 91 percent of the immigration bonds issued each year are secured by cash, while the other 9 percent are issued by surety companies that are certified by the Treasury Department to post bonds on behalf of the federal government.

Why is the obligor of a bond a family friend?

Because of the requirement that the obligor have legal status, the obligor is often a family friend or acquaintance, rather than an immediate family member of the detainee. This often poses a hurdle in recuperating the bond refund, as the obligor may lose touch with the family of the bonded individual.

What form is required for a bond refund?

The obligor should safeguard the receipt, ICE Form I-305, as it will be required for the bond refund process. Once the ICE ERO Field Office where the obligor posted the bond communicates this completed transaction to the detention center holding the individual, the detention center will release the individual.

What is a bond for ICE?

The bond refers to money paid to secure a detained foreign national’s release that serves as a guarantee to the government that , once out of detention, the bonded individual will attend all immigration court hearings . After ICE detains a foreign national, ICE sets the bond amount, assuming the person is eligible for a bond.

What documents are needed for ICE ERO?

Generally, the ICE ERO Field Office requires that the obligor provides a valid Employment Authorization Document, a U.S. birth certificate or passport, an original Certificate of Citizenship or Certificate of Naturalization, or a Lawful Permanent Resident card.

Where to contact DHS about refunds?

Williston, VT 05495-5000. If the obligor has questions about immigration bond refunds, it is better to call the Financial Operations of the DHS Debt Management Center at (802) 288-7600 and select option 1 to speak with someone.

When was the cash bond breached?

The cash bond, which was posted on June 7, 2011, was held to be breached after the alien failed to appear at her master calendar hearing on June 13, 2012.

What is Casas-Castrillon hearing?

2008), the Ninth Circuit found that detention pursuant to § 236(c) is authorized through the administrative appeal of the removal order to the BIA ; however, upon judicial review, authority for detention shifts to § 236(a) (discretionary detention). This meant that the petitioner was entitled to a discretionary bond hearing. In addition to requiring a bond hearing for prolonged detention, Casas-Castrillon shifts the burden to the government to prove that the person should not be released because he is a flight risk or a danger to the community.59 Many detainees and practitioners have reported, however, that the burden is being placed on the noncitizen to show that he or she is not a flight risk or a danger.60 Because Rodriguez hearings are currently in place, detained immigrants don’t generally need a

What is considered inadmissibility in the United States?

Generally, a person present in the United States that entered without inspection is considered to be seeking admission.

What are the issues that arise during a bond hearing?

This section describes complex legal issues that can arise in the bond hearing context, including when mandatory detention might apply to your client, your options for challenging mandatory or prolonged detention, and ICE transfers of detainees.

What is flight risk?

“Flight risk” refers to the likelihood that your client will show up for their immigration hearings in court. In assessing flight risk, the immigration judge takes into consideration a large number of factors collectively

What is the burden of proving that a client merits bond?

Your client has the burden of proving that he or she merits bond by proving that 1) he or she does not pose a danger to the community21 and, 2) is not a flight risk. 22 Your client also must prove that he or she is not a threat to national security.23

How to find out where a client is in custody?

You can search for your client by 1) his or her Alien Registration Number (Alien Number or A-Number)3 and country of birth; or 2) by his or her first and last name and country of birth. Keep in mind that this database is only for individuals who are 18 years of age or older.4 If you have trouble locating a client, contact your local

What is the first custody determination?

When someone is first arrested by ICE, they are taken to a local ICE processing office where an ICE officer makes a custo dy determination, deciding whether the person should remain in custody or should be released. Technically, this is the person’s first custody determination. The second one will be in front of the Immigration Judge (the bond hearing). An ICE officer fills out Form I-286, the “Notice of Custody Determination,” which provides the details of this determination.