What is the Average Bond for Immigration?

After an immigrant is detained by the United States Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agency, in many cases they are eligible to be released through an immigration bond. Typically, the agency will determine their eligibility and the amount of their bond within the first day or two after initial detainment. In the meantime; however, families are left wondering, what is the average bond for immigration?

Unfortunately, being arrested by ICE is something that is never anticipated. An arrest can be made during a routine traffic stop, a workplace raid, or as the result of an arrest by local law enforcement agents. This leaves friends and families shocked and scrambling to come up with the funds needed to get their loved ones out of detainment. Paired with the cost of legal representation and the need to continue paying typical bills, such as rent or childcare, it is a distressing situation. And many loved ones have no idea what to expect in terms of price.

While there is no simple answer to “what is the average bond for immigration?”, there are several factors that contribute to the final figure set by ICE. By evaluating these circumstances, families can more quickly decide if they will be able to come up with the cash or if they will need to resort to other options like selling assets or consulting a bail bond service for immigration.

One of the biggest determining factors in the cost of an immigration bond lies in the type of bond that is granted. There are two main types of immigration bonds: a delivery bond and a departure bond. There are drastic differences between the two, including the requirements and the price. Of the two, a delivery bond is generally more expensive with the minimum price being set around $1500. This bond allows the immigrant to remain in the United States until their case concludes in court. It stipulates that the immigrant must return to court for all future hearings or they risk being detained once again or even deported. A departure bond, on the other hand, starts at $500 but in accepting this bond, immigrants agree to voluntarily leave the country. This means that they do not have the opportunity to have their case heard in court and must pay for their own departure within a specific timeframe; usually between 30 to 90 days.

Beyond the minimum price for each type of immigration bond, other factors may cause the price to rise. One of the biggest factors that affect the price of a bond is an immigrant’s flight risk. ICE wants the immigrant to cooperate and if they do not believe that the immigrant will do so, they may not allow for release on a bond at all or may drastically increase the cost. Other factors like criminal history, family ties, prior immigration status, and employment status may cause the price to fluctuate. In a worst-case scenario, the price of either immigration bond type can exceed $20,000 although in most cases the price falls somewhere in between this amount and the minimum.

Once an immigration bond amount is set, it is also important to remember that the immigrant can request a redetermination hearing where they can ask that this amount is lowered. Their case for a bond reduction will be heard before the immigration judge and in some cases, it may be granted. If your family is struggling to come up with the funds to get your loved one released from ICE detainment or have yet to receive an amount but are wondering, “what is the average for bail bond immigration?”, contact us today to learn how we can help get your loved one home.