What to do after being detained by ICE

What do you do after being detained by Immigration and Customs Enforcement? This is a question many in the United States face daily. Your initial concern is to check if they are safe. It is possible to find out the location of the person being detained by visiting the ICE detainee website. To acquire the information of their location you will need their alien number or their date of birth and full name. Although, this is the best option to locate them, they may not always be at an ICE detention center.

For those who cannot be found in the system, they may be at a local jail or detention center. In this case, you will need to call the local jails, explain the situation, and ask for information on visitation and release bond, if set. If you experience trouble receiving information about the status of the detainee, contact an immigration office or immigration bail bonds specialist to learn more about possible options.

Immigration cases typically run fast, so it is important to find the necessary information quickly. It can take as little as a few hours to have a detainee removed or transferred to another location, depending on their situation. Factors that impact a detainee’s case include, the gravity of their offense, if they have a removal order on their name, or if they have previously been deported.

After locating the detainee and acquiring information you may be informed of their bond. Immigration bonds are similar to bail. Ideally your goal should be to achieve a same day release bond. In this way, the detainee will spend the least amount of time in the detention center and may be released under the condition they will attend all future court dates. If the detainee meets all requirement after being released then the immigration bond money will be returned, however should the detainee flee after being released then all money will be forfeited.

What if no bail is set? In this situation, it is best to ask the deportation officer whether the detainee is not eligible for a release bond or if the bond has not been set yet. In the case that the detainee is not eligible for bail, contact an immigration attorney to confirm nothing can be done.

Immigration bail is set, now what? The minimum bond amount is $1,500, but can go up much higher than that. Once bond is set, your next step should be to contact an immigration bonds service to make the process simpler for you and to ensure a quicker release of the detainee. The bonds service will also ensure that the detainee meets all the requirements after being released.

The entire process from being to detained to being removed can take as little as one day in same day immigration release situations, or can take up to a few years to be complete. After a loved one is detained by Immigration and Customs Enforcement it is best to move fast, learn as much information about the location and status of the detainee and obtain a release bond to return them home as soon as possible.