An Immigration Bond is a type of financial assurance sometimes required when an immigrant or foreign national needs to be released from immigration detention. This bond promises that the individual will appear for all scheduled immigration hearings and comply with any orders or decisions issued by the court. The bond amount is set by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and must be paid before the individual can be released from custody. Generally, the bond amount will range from $1,500 to $25,000, depending on the circumstances of each case.
To secure an immigration bond, a third party such as a relative or friend must typically sign an agreement with ICE stating that they will pay the total bond amount if the individual does not show up for his/her immigration court hearing or fails to comply with any other terms of their release. The third party must also provide financial records showing sufficient funds to cover the bond cost if necessary. Additional requirements may be imposed on the third party, such as travel restrictions, residency requirements, and notification of address changes.
In some cases, ICE may also require additional security measures beyond an immigration bond, such as Electronic Monitoring Devices (EMDs), GPS tracking devices, weekly check-ins with ICE agents, and reporting obligations to verify compliance with all stipulations set forth by ICE. Furthermore, in certain situations where individuals are deemed ineligible for release on bond due to flight risk or danger posed to society, ICE may choose not to grant a bond of any kind regardless of who offers it or how much money is offered. In these uncommon instances, it is up to an Immigration Judge (IJ) to determine whether someone should remain in detention until their hearing date arrives and/or until their case has been resolved in court.