Who Qualifies for an Immigration Bond in Atlanta?

After an immigrant arrives in the United States, they may settle in any city or state across the country. Regardless of where an immigrant decides to live, they must remain compliant with U.S. immigration laws and requirements. One of the requirements is that an immigrant must possess a valid Visa in order to remain in the country legally. If this Visa expires and the immigrant does not leave, they can be arrested by the Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agency. Unfortunately, they can be held in these facilities for several weeks or months if they are not released on a bond. For those located in Georgia, one of the biggest questions is: who qualifies for an immigration bond in Atlanta?

While many laws in the country are cut and dry, the process of qualifying for an immigration bond is less clear. Essentially, whether a person qualifies for one or not is left up to the discretion of those who are in charge at the local Atlanta ICE facility. Despite this, there are certain situations which may make an immigrant more or less likely to qualify for an immigration bond.

The hope of ICE agents is that immigrants who are released on an immigration bond will fully cooperate with the agency while their case processes through the court system. Depending on the amount of cases that the Atlanta court system has to work through, this process can take anywhere from a few weeks to more than a year to conclude. Throughout this time, immigrants may be required to appear in court or at the facility for a number of reasons. If the immigrant seems as if they will appear at these proceedings, ICE is more likely to allow them to return home and return as needed. Factors like how long the immigrant has been in the country, their family ties, community standing and employment status are typically considered when making this decision.

On the other hand, if an immigrant seems reluctant to cooperate, has been previously deported or has certain criminal charges, they may be ineligible for a bond. This is particularly true if they are viewed as a threat to national security or the community and they may be held in what is known as mandatory detention. This means that they must remain in the ICE facility until an Immigration Judge (IJ) makes a final ruling in the case pertaining to their immigration charges. For less serious criminal charges, ICE may opt to grant a bond but set the price at a much higher amount than they otherwise would.

After ICE has decided whether or not an immigrant qualifies for a bond in Atlanta, the immigrant is able to notify their loved ones. From there, they can pay the bond at an ICE facility or through an immigration bond service in Atlanta. Afterwards, they are able to return home to their loved ones but must comply with the terms of their bond until the case concludes. If the immigrant complies fully, loved ones will be able to receive a refund if they paid the bond in full.

Want to learn more about who qualifies for an immigration bond in Atlanta? Reach out to US Immigration Bonds today to discuss the specifics of your case.