Over the course of this last summer, the typical number of days that people were held in detainment for immigration violations rose sharply. In the past, 28 days had been the average, but in the summer of 2019, that number rose to 46! That’s a huge chunk of time spent locked away while waiting for a court date. The good news is that it doesn’t always have to be this way because immigration bonds are a tool that can be used to minimize just how long folks are detained.
To help people get a better idea of how immigration bonds work, and the various options that are available to them based on their situation, the team here at ABC Bail Bonds wanted to take a little time to look into the topic. Having a clearer understanding of how immigration bonds work can help you or a loved one get out of confinement faster and back to taking care of problems in daily life.
Understanding Immigration Bonds
Immigration bonds are a payment system designed to give the court assurance that a person who has been arrested for an immigration violation will return for their court date. They are utilized in a much the same way as criminal bail bonds, and also are actually returned once the full conditions of the bond have been met. There are generally two different types of immigration bonds available based on specific circumstances.
The first type is called a delivery bond, for situations where a person has been arrested by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) through an active warrant. Delivery bonds are used as an effective means of taking money to make sure that an arrested person will appear in court for their immigration hearing. If the person doesn’t appear for their hearing, or to any subsequent appeals or dates associated with their case, they can expect to forfeit the bond and face deportation.
The voluntary departure bond, another kind of immigration bond, is a tool used for very specific circumstances. These bonds have absolutely nothing to do with trials or court proceedings. Their purpose is to enable individuals that have been detained by ICE to voluntarily leave the country during a certain time frame, but any associated costs are their responsibility. If they provide proof that they did indeed leave the country within this time frame, the bond will be fully returned to them. On the other hand, failing to provide proof they have left will lead to a loss of any bond money they paid along with a warrant being issued for their arrest.
The Cost of Immigration Bonds
The cost of immigration bonds varies on a case by case basis, and each case needs to qualify for a bond before any amount will be specified by the court. Several factors are involved when it comes to deciding the bond amount including the financial resources of an individual as well as the seriousness of any crimes they are accused of including their immigration violation. The likelihood that a person could be a flight risk is also taken into consideration by the courts during this process.
While the actual cost of a bond varies based on various circumstances, the absolute minimum for any bond will always be $1,500. In addition, there are no specified limits on bond amounts, and according to the Justice Department, no rules are in place that governs the way in which a judge decides bond amounts for their cases.
You can appeal the bond if you feel that the judge made an oversight while hearing your case. Appeals have to be submitted within thirty days from the time the bond amount was originally handed down. Generally, bond amounts aren’t likely to change unless a major misinterpretation of a law can be pointed out effectively.
How can you Post an Immigration Bond?
One of the requirements for paying an immigration bond to the courts is to be an American citizen or at least a permanent resident with a valid green card. If there is nobody in your family who fulfills these requirements, then it is essential to find someone you know who can post bond for you. Being able to trust this person is important because they will be responsible for returning the bond amount to you once your court proceedings have finished.
In many cases, working with an experienced bond agent to post an immigration bond for you is an effective way of working around both of these problems at once. Instead of searching for someone you can trust to handle bond for you, and worrying about whether or not the full amount will be returned to you at the end, you can work with a professional to get the process taken care of quickly and easily.
Immigration Bonds Can Get Your Loved One Back Home
If you or someone you love has been detained for problems related to immigration, then you need to get in contact with a bond agent as soon as possible. Securing an immigration bond is the best way to make sure that you or your loved one spends as little time as possible in confinement so you can focus on taking care of important daily matters while spending time with family.
