A family member was detained by ICE: what to do now

When a family member is detained by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), the first steps are to find where they are held, gather their identity details and documents, and contact an immigration attorney about bond or release. Nassiripour Law Firm in Irvine represents detained clients in bond and custody hearings and in detained removal cases. Families can call (718) 916-4407.

What should I do in the first 24 hours?

1. Write down their details: full name and any other names used, date and country of birth, and their A-number (the 8- or 9-digit number on immigration papers) if they have one.
2. Search the ICE detainee locator (see below). A newly arrested person may not appear for a day or more, and people are sometimes moved between facilities.
3. Collect documents: passport or ID, immigration papers and court notices, and proof of ties such as U.S. citizen or permanent-resident family, a lease, pay stubs and tax returns.
4. Contact an immigration attorney. A detained person may be asked to sign documents, some of which, such as agreements to leave the country or to accept a removal order, can end the case. It is generally wise to speak with a lawyer before signing anything.
5. Keep a log of every call, name and date.

How do I find where ICE is holding my relative?

Use ICE’s Online Detainee Locator System. You can search by A-number and country of birth, or by name and country of birth. If the person does not appear, call the ICE Enforcement and Removal Operations field office for the area where they were arrested. People arrested in Southern California may be held at a facility far from home.

Can my relative be released on bond?

Possibly. A bond is money paid to guarantee that the person will attend every hearing. ICE may set a bond itself. If ICE refuses or sets an amount the family cannot pay, the detained person can ask an immigration judge for a bond (custody redetermination) hearing (8 C.F.R. §§ 1236.1(d), 1003.19). Some people are held under mandatory detention by law, for example because of certain criminal convictions (INA § 236(c)), and the judge cannot set a bond for them.

Since 2025, who can receive a bond hearing, especially people who entered the United States without inspection, has been the subject of active federal litigation, and the answer has changed more than once. Whether your relative can ask a judge for bond today depends on how and when they entered, their record, and the rulings in force at the time. It is one of the first questions to ask an attorney.

What does the judge consider at a bond hearing?

The detained person generally has to show that they are not a danger to the community and not a flight risk. Judges look at factors such as length of residence, family ties, employment, a fixed address, criminal and immigration history, and whether the person has a path to relief in the removal case (Matter of Guerra, 24 I&N Dec. 37 (BIA 2006)).

Families can help by gathering evidence: letters of support from U.S. citizen and permanent-resident relatives, proof of the address where the person will live, employment and tax records, birth certificates of U.S.-citizen children, and records of any medical needs.

How much is an immigration bond, and how is it paid?

The legal minimum is $1,500 (INA § 236(a)(2)(A)). There is no set maximum, and amounts vary widely with the facts. The bond is paid to ICE, not to the court, at an ICE bond office or through ICE’s online bond payment system, and ICE sets rules on who may post it. The money is generally returned when the case ends if the person attended every hearing and met the bond conditions; it can be forfeited if they did not. Bond companies can post a bond for a fee that is not refunded.

How fast does a bond hearing happen?

Detained cases move on a faster schedule than non-detained ones. A bond hearing can usually be requested soon after detention, and the timing depends on the docket of the immigration court that covers the detention facility. That court may be far from Orange County, and hearings are often held by video.

What if bond is denied?

A bond decision can be appealed to the Board of Immigration Appeals (8 C.F.R. § 1236.1(d)(3)). A new bond request can be made if circumstances change materially (8 C.F.R. § 1003.19(e)). Other routes may include parole or release on humanitarian grounds, and in some cases a habeas corpus petition in federal court challenging the detention itself. Meanwhile the removal case continues on the detained docket, so the defense of the case has to be prepared on a compressed schedule.

What happens after release?

The removal case continues on the non-detained docket. Keep the address on file with the court current (Form EOIR-33, within five days of a move), attend every hearing, and follow every ICE check-in or monitoring condition. See how removal defense works.

How does Nassiripour Law Firm help families of detained people?

The firm’s detained-cases practice includes locating a detained relative, bond and custody redetermination hearings, detained master calendar and merits hearings, transfers between facilities, parole and humanitarian release requests, and emergency stay requests. Families are kept informed throughout. Clients work directly with attorney Ali R. Nassiripour.

Related: Detained cases · Appeals and motions · Ali R. Nassiripour

How to reach Nassiripour Law Firm

Nassiripour Law Firm, 15615 Alton Parkway, Suite 450, Irvine, CA 92618. Phone (718) 916-4407, or use the contact form. Ali R. Nassiripour speaks English, Farsi and French. Staff also assist clients in Spanish, Hindi, Punjabi, Mandarin and Arabic.