How to Help a Loved One in ICE Detention

 Posted on May 15, 2022 in Immigration

When you have a family member or dear friend who is undocumented, finding out that they have been taken into ICE custody can be terrifying. Trying to get someone out of an ICE detention center is nothing at all like trying to bail someone out of the county jail after a run-of-the-mill arrest. Helping an undocumented immigrant who is in ICE custody can be complicated. It is a much more involved process than posting bail. Finding a way to help your loved one remain in the country legally can require a lot of effort. The process may be long and complex. In many cases, you will need to enlist an experienced immigration attorney to help get your loved one out of ICE detention. Any legal mistakes could be deeply problematic, so you should avoid trying to do this without skilled legal assistance.

Steps to Take When Your Loved One is in ICE Custody

Helping someone who has been taken into custody by immigration enforcement can be an exercise in patience. COVID-related backlogs may mean that it takes quite some time before you can make meaningful progress towards rescuing your loved one. Steps that may help include:

• Find them - For many, simply locating their loved one in ICE detention is half the battle. You may be able to locate them using ICE’s online detainee locator, but you may not. If you do not have their Alien Number on hand, you might need to try several different spellings or variations of their name.
• Contact the deportation officer - Getting in contact with your loved one’s deportation officer may help. They may be able to tell you how to visit or send necessities to your loved one in a detention center. You may need to put money into your loved one’s account so that they can make phone calls or purchase items from commissary. However, you must be extremely careful about what you say or reveal to this officer. Remember that any information you provide could be used against your loved in a deportation hearing.
• Get a lawyer - The smartest and kindest thing you can do for someone in ICE custody is to find them an immigration attorney. A lawyer who is experienced with this process may be able to help your loved one much more quickly and effectively.

Remember that time is of the essence. Deportations can happen very, very quickly. The sooner your loved one is represented by counsel the more likely they are to avoid this dreaded outcome.

Call a DuPage County Immigration Lawyer

Mevorah & Giglio Law Offices can act quickly to help get your loved one out of ICE detention. Our skilled Lombard immigration lawyers are dedicated to helping individuals remain in America legally. Contact us at 630-932-9100 for a free consultation.