Posting immigration bond

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If an alien is in detention and granted bond before a hearing, is there a stated time period during which a bond is valid? In other words, must bond be posted within a certain time after it is granted by the District officials?

Is it customary to grant a bond at an initial interview and then immediately ship the bonded alien off to a distant detention center, particularly when there is one close by? Does INS have any stated or adjudicated responsibility (duty) to give a bonded alien the opportunity to arrange the bond, and make his records available to him so this can be accomplished? And finally, is it customary for INS to mix non-criminal detainees with criminal ones in open populations? Your assistance is greatly appreciated.

-- Susan (suelately@hotmail.com), June 17, 2004

Answers

>If an alien is in detention and granted bond before a hearing, is there a stated time period during which a bond is valid? In other words, must bond be posted within a certain time after it is granted by the District officials?

Normally the bond remains valid until the case is concluded. The INS or judge can raise or lower it based on changed circumstances, but that is pretty unusual.

>Is it customary to grant a bond at an initial interview and then immediately ship the bonded alien off to a distant detention center, particularly when there is one close by?

It is not uncommon, although most of the time if the judge granted bond and the family is eager and able to pay they will hold off transferring the person.

Does INS have any stated or adjudicated responsibility (duty) to give a bonded alien the opportunity to arrange the bond, and make his records available to him so this can be accomplished?

You can pay the bond at any INS office on any day, usually till 3 pm. If you have the noncitizen's name and A number and the money (most offices require a certified check or money order), they have to take your money. (I don't know what you mean about making necessary records available. The name, A number and money are normally all you need.) If the person is in a remote location (like Oakdale, LA) they normally can tell you how to arrange a taxi out, etc.

And finally, is it customary for INS to mix non-criminal detainees with criminal ones in open populations?

> It is the norm in most locations. INS/DHS-only facilities are the exception.

-- Michael Boyle (info@immigrantcenter.com), June 17, 2004.


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