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.
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