Federal Court Judge Orders U.S. to Reform Immigration Bond System

Federal Judge Jesus G. Bernal of the U.S. District Court for the Central District of California has issued a preliminary injunction that orders U.S. officials to substantially reform their system for setting bail bonds in order to ensure that immigrants are not detained solely as a result of their poverty. More specifically, the injunction instructs immigration authorities to follow constitutional requirements, such as those used in criminal cases, in setting bail bonds in immigration cases. In other words, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) authorities and immigration judges must examine a detained immigrant’s financial ability to pay a bond, limit the bond to the lowest amount necessary to assure the individual’s return to court, and consider alternatives to detention, such as supervised release. Judge Bernal’s ruling stemmed from a class action lawsuit filed by the ACLU Foundation of Southern California, the national ACLU, and various California pro bono attorneys on behalf of detainees in Southern California’s immigration detention facilities for months, and in some cases, years, because of extremely high bonds. For instance, one Honduran native seeking asylum remained in detention for four years because he had no means to afford the $3,000 bond. The ruling also denied the federal government’s motion to dismiss the case, and granted the ACLU’s motion to certify the class to include all non-citizens for whom ICE or an immigration judge has already set bond, but who remain detained. We know that you are entitled to a reasonable bond when detained by ICE, no matter what your circumstances may be. If you or a loved one end up detained because you cannot afford to pay your bond, you need our legal assistance today. We will immediately request a bond hearing on your behalf, and put forth our full efforts to win your release from custody and return to your family as quickly as possible. There are various defenses against deportation that may be applicable to your loved one’s case. The Oakland deportation defense attorneys of Landerholm Immigration, A.P.C. know how to help you through every step of your deportation proceedings. Take the first step today toward securing the future of your family in the United States, and call our office at (510) 756-4468 to set up a legal consultation with one of our highly skilled California immigration lawyers.