A federal judge recently ruled that the Trump administration cannot impose mandatory detention on thousands of immigrants held by U.S. immigration authorities without giving them the opportunity to provide a bond to secure release. A nationwide class of immigrants who were already living in the United States when they were detained is now legally entitled to a hearing to determine whether they can be released on bond while their deportation cases move forward, according to U.S. District Judge Sunshine Sykes in Riverside, CA.
As of a week ago, about 65,000 people were being held in immigration detention across the United States. For thousands of families and asylum seekers, this ruling restores a crucial due-process safeguard. Immigration detention operates in a “gray” area between civil proceedings and punitive penalties. For many detained immigrants, a bond hearing can mean the difference between returning to their families or remaining in detention for months. If you or a loved one is currently in ICE detention, an experienced Lombard, IL immigration attorney may be able to help.