Immigration Bond Lawyer in Florida — Get Your Loved One Out of ICE Detention

What is an immigration bond hearing?

An immigration bond hearing is a proceeding before an immigration judge where a detained person asks to be released from ICE custody while their removal case moves through court. The judge decides whether the person is eligible for release and, if so, sets the bond amount. It happens in the Executive Office for Immigration Review (EOIR) — the federal immigration court — and is entirely separate from any criminal bail set in state or county court.

ICE first makes a custody decision on Form I-286, Notice of Custody Determination, which tells the detained person whether ICE will release them, hold them without bond, or set an initial bond. If ICE denies bond or sets it too high, the detained person can ask the immigration judge for a bond redetermination — an independent review where the judge is not bound by ICE's number. This is the single most important step for most detained families, and it is where experienced representation matters most.

How do I find someone detained at Krome?

Use the ICE Online Detainee Locator System at locator.ice.gov. Search by the person's A-number (the nine-digit Alien Registration Number), or by their full name, date of birth, and country of birth. Many people arrested in South Florida are held at the Krome Detention Center in Miami, and Krome cases are heard in the detained EOIR court, which can be reached at (786) 422-8700 for hearing information.

Detainees are frequently transferred between facilities, sometimes out of state, so confirm the current location before doing anything else — never post a bond until you have verified where the person is held. Once you have the A-number and facility, we can pull the custody status, identify the assigned court, and move to schedule a bond redetermination.

How much is an immigration bond?

The statutory minimum for a delivery bond is $1,500, but in practice immigration judges set amounts ranging from a few thousand dollars to $25,000 or more. The number is not arbitrary: the judge weighs the Matter of Guerra factors to decide, first, whether the person is a danger to the community and, second, whether they are a flight risk. Only after clearing the danger question does the judge set an amount calibrated to ensure the person returns to court.

The stronger the evidence of community ties and a viable defense to removal, the lower the bond a judge is likely to set. That is why preparation — sponsor letters, proof of residence and employment, family documentation, and a clear account of the path to relief — directly affects the dollar amount your family will have to pay.

Types of immigration bonds

How to post an immigration bond (CeBONDS)

Once a judge sets a bond, someone must pay the full amount to ICE — unlike criminal bail, there is no 10 percent option through the government. The person who pays is called the obligor and must have lawful immigration status and a Social Security number. ICE now processes payments electronically through the CeBONDS (Cash Electronic Bond Online System), which lets the obligor pay by ACH transfer and reduces the need to appear in person at an ICE office.

When the case fully concludes and the person has met every appearance obligation, the bond money is refunded to the obligor with interest. If the released person misses a hearing, the bond is breached and forfeited — which is why the obligor takes on a real responsibility and should understand the conditions before paying.