What You Need to Know About The Bond Process

When ICE detains an individual in the Lehigh Valley, eventually that person ends up at York County Prison until he or she is deported or released on bond. Once a person is successfully bonded out, the immigration court in Philadelphia generally handles the immigration court proceedings.

In order to bond a person out of immigration detention, it is important to know whether that person is eligible for bond or subject to what is called “mandatory detention.” Mandatory detention, just like it sounds, means that the person is not eligible for bond and must remain in prison until deportation is carried out or removal proceedings are terminated. Mandatory detention occurs when the person has been convicted of certain crimes or is deemed a threat to national security.

If the person is eligible for bond, the immigration court will review numerous factors to determine the amount of money the person must deposit with ICE in order to be released from prison. Factors considered by the immigration judge include the person’s criminal history, connection to the community, and whether or not the person has a remedy to avoid deportation. The money is held by the government until the person is either deported or removal proceedings are terminated.

Decisions made during the immigration bond hearing can dictate the type of relief ultimately available to the detainee once bonded out and, therefore, it is important to have an attorney who has experience and knowledge of immigration law and the bond process. At Lehigh Immigration, once a client becomes detained, bonding that client out becomes our number one priority. Please give us a call or email if you have a loved one detained by ICE.