Deportation, officially known as "removal," is the formal legal process where the U.S. government orders a non-citizen to leave the United States. This can be initiated for various reasons, including overstaying a visa, entering the country without authorization, violating the terms of your immigration status, or having certain criminal convictions. The process usually involves appearing before an immigration judge in removal proceedings to determine whether you must leave the country.

Absolutely. Being placed in removal proceedings does not mean you will automatically be deported. You have the right to hire a lawyer and present a strong defense in immigration court. Depending on your unique circumstances, immigration history, and family ties, there are often several forms of legal relief available to help you stay in the U.S., such as asylum, cancellation of removal, or an adjustment of status.

Asylum is a form of protection granted to individuals in the United States who fear returning to their home country. To qualify, you must demonstrate that you have suffered past persecution or have a "well-founded fear" of future persecution based on your race, religion, nationality, membership in a particular social group, or political opinion. If granted asylum, you are protected from deportation and can eventually apply for a green card.

Cancellation of Removal is a form of legal relief that allows an immigration judge to cancel your deportation and, in some cases, grant you lawful permanent residence (a green card). The requirements are very strict and depend on whether you already have a green card or are undocumented. For non-permanent residents, you typically must prove you have lived in the U.S. continuously for at least 10 years, have "good moral character," and can show that your deportation would cause "exceptional and extremely unusual hardship" to a qualifying U.S. citizen or green card-holding family member (like a spouse, parent, or child).

Item If your loved one has been detained, you can locate them using the ICE Online Detainee Locator System. To use this system, it is easiest if you have their 9-digit Alien Registration Number (A-Number) and their country of birth. If you do not have their A-Number, you can also search using their exact first and last name, country of birth, and date of birth. ICE frequently transfers detainees between different facilities across the country without warning. If you are struggling to locate your family member, contact our office immediately so we can help track them down and begin their defense.

By law, the absolute minimum amount for an immigration delivery bond is $1,500, but it is very common for Immigration Judges to set bonds much higher—often between $5,000 and $10,000, or even more. The judge determines the amount based on factors like the person's ties to the community, employment history, and any past criminal record. It is important to know that, unlike criminal court bail where you might only pay a 10% fee to a bondsman, immigration bonds usually must be paid in full (100%) directly to the Department of Homeland Security. Our goal at the bond hearing is to present the strongest possible evidence to get the bond set as low as possible.

Unfortunately, no. U.S. immigration law requires "mandatory detention" for certain individuals. If your loved one has certain criminal convictions on their record (such as aggravated felonies, drug offenses, or crimes involving moral turpitude) or if they were detained while arriving at the border, the law may prohibit the judge from granting them a bond. However, the laws surrounding mandatory detention are complex. Our attorneys will carefully review your family member's specific charges and immigration history to determine if they are legally eligible for a bond or if we need to pursue other avenues for release, such as parole.