What is an Immigration Bond and How Do I Obtain One?

Each day in the United States, hundreds of immigrants are arrested by the Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agency. Whether these immigrants entered the country illegally or have simply overstayed their visas, they are subject to being held in detainment by the agency. This can be a stressful situation for the immigrants themselves, but also for their family members and loved ones who are not sure how they can help. Fortunately, many of these immigrants are not required to be held by ICE for a long period of time. In most cases, they will be eligible for an immigration bond that will allow them to be released from the local prison or ICE facility they are being held until their case resolves in the court system. Upon learning about this bond, many loved ones ask, “what is an immigration bond, and how do I obtain one?”

Simply put, an immigration bond is like a traditional bail bond for those who have been arrested for a criminal offense. In both cases, the arrested person is accused of an illegal action but are presented with an opportunity to return home until their case is heard before a judge. In order to secure their release, a judge, or in this case, the ICE agency, must determine whether or not the person is viewed as a flight risk or if they will cooperate and appear at their future legal proceedings. If they feel that the arrested person will cooperate, they will then use a variety of factors to come up with an amount of money that will act as a form of collateral to ensure the individual’s cooperation. This amount of money in the world of immigration is essentially the “immigration bond”.

In most cases, immigration bond eligibility (along with the price) will be determined automatically within the first few days of the immigrant’s arrival at an ICE facility. From there, the immigrant will be able to inform their family and loved ones of the cost. If the loved ones can pay the full price of the bond, they must select an immigration bond sponsor and this person must arrange to pay it at a local ICE facility. It is important to note that the sponsor must be a legal citizen of the United States and must be able to present a valid and original social security card at the time they pay the bond. This money must typically be paid in cash or through money order and once it is paid, the bond is obtained, and the immigrant will be released from detainment. If the immigrant abides by the terms of their bond, the sponsor will be eligible to receive a refund once the case has resolved in court. If not, the money is forfeited, and the immigrant can once again be detained until their case concludes.

Often times, however, securing an immigration bond is not as simple. This is because the cost of a bond can vary widely from a minimum of $1,500 up to a whopping $10,000 or more. In these scenarios, it can be difficult to raise the funds needed in a short amount of time. Luckily, this doesn’t mean that there is no hope for release. Instead, family and loved ones can turn to an immigration bond company or agent. Here, they will only be required to pay a small percentage of the total bond amount and provide a form of collateral. From there, the bond company will arrange the release of the immigrant from detainment. If this option is utilized, the sponsor will not be eligible for a refund; although, any collateral provided will not be collected unless the immigrant does not abide by the terms of their bond.

If you are still wondering, “what is an immigration bond and how can I obtain one?”, contact the immigration experts at US Immigration Bonds today to learn how we can help you secure the release of your loved one from ICE detainment.