There are many reasons that an immigrant could be allowed to immigrate to the United States. Among those legal reason is an immigrant that is seeking a visa as an asylum seeker. An immigrant can seek this type of visa if the person could not return to his or her country because of persecution or a well-founded fear of persecution on account of race, religion, nationality, membership of a particular social group or political opinion.

 The alleged persecution or fear of persecution must be well documented. Most asylum seekers arrive in the U.S. illegally, but legal non-immigrants could also apply for asylum, if they meet the requirements.  Asylum will be denied if the immigrant could be removed to a safe third country pursuant to a bilateral or multilateral agreement with the U.S. Also, asylum could be denied if the application was not filed within one year of arrival in the U.S. or if the immigrant’s previous asylum application was denied. If the immigrant is a persecutor, a security threat or has committed a serious crime, he or she likely will not be granted asylum.

 The process starts with the filing of Form I-589. The immigrant will be interviewed by an asylum officer who could grant asylum or refer the case to an immigration judge for further review. Once your case has been referred to an immigration judge, there is a possibility that it will be longer than a year for your case to be decided. In some cases, asylum seekers must wait out this long period of time in immigration detention until a decision is made.

As a matter of fact, people of United States of America have always welcomed immigrants from all over the world, as they have contributed towards the growth of America’s economy. Even the 43rd President of the United States of America, President Bush, on January 7, 2005 reaffirmed the resolve of the American people to welcome you to the U.S. with open arms, assuming that immigrants use legal means to gain entry into America.

The President, while acknowledging the contributions of immigrants to the development of the United States, stated “Many of you here today are Americans by choice, and you have followed in the path of millions. And over the generations we have received energetic, ambitious, optimistic people from every part of the world. By tradition and conviction, our country is a welcoming society. America is a stronger and better nation because of the hard work and the faith and entrepreneurial spirit of immigrants.”  

There are many ways to enter America, though by far the best way is to enter as a legal immigrant. Should you decide to enter America as an illegal immigrant, the chances that you will need a knowledgeable and responsible bail bondsman will increase significantly. If you are detained for immigrations violations, it is important to know that 1800Libertad is there for you to help you secure your release so that you can carry on with your life once the judge has approved your application for bail.

In a previous blog post, we discussed how some states were beginning to look into taking steps that would bring them closer to the new Arizona Immigration Bill. Today, Mississippi Senate has passed a resolution allowing officers to verify the immigration status of anyone they deem suspicious or whom they think might be in the country illegally. Of course, the bill still has to pass House, and it is unsure whether it will, but this is certainly a step in the same direction as Arizona. This is all in an effort, according to the politicians, to safeguard American jobs. With a reported 49,000 illegal immigrants in Mississippi alone, there could be a valid concern that some jobs are being given to people who do not support the tax system. That being said, is it truly fair to stop every person of Hispanic origin and question their immigration status? For every illegal immigrant, there are many people who have Hispanic roots who are in this country as citizen or legal immigrants.

Perhaps you are an illegal immigrant, and these new laws are concerning to you. With the way that things are currently evolving, if you live in a state where these laws are put into practice, it would be helpful to have the name of a reputable bail bondsman on hand for the possibility that you are detained. If possible, it is also important to already have the name of a reputable attorney as well. If there is a chance that you will be able to be released from detention, your immigration attorney and your bail bondsman will be imperative to that process.

Finding a reputable bail bondsman is not as easy as picking up the phone. Many unscrupulous bail bondsmen exist, and it is important, wherever possible, to obtain a first or second hand recommendation. Picking up the yellow pages and taking a gamble on an unknown bail bondsman or attorney should be done as a last resort.

This country is experiencing a surge in immigration crackdown at the moment it seems, and it is prudent for legal and illegal immigrants alike to be prepared to deal with any situation that may arise. If you feel that you might be in the group that may or may not be stopped and asked about paperwork, it is important that you always have your paperwork with you if you have it. If for some reason you do not, perhaps now is the time to begin looking into a green card, permanent residency, or some other legal avenue of remaining in the country. This would eventually be a better scenario then always having to look over your shoulder worrying about what is next.

Doing what is best for you and your family is paramount. If there is even the smallest chance that you could be detained, take steps today to ensure that you have all of the proper people in place to help should the unfortunate occur.

Immigration to the United States has been a major source of population growth and cultural change throughout much of the country’s. As of 2006, the United States accepts more legal immigrants as permanent residents than all other countries in the world combined.

Recent debates on immigration reform have called for increasing enforcement of existing laws with regard to illegal immigrants, building a barrier along some or all of the entire 2,000 mile U.S. / Mexico border, or creating a new guest worker program. With all of this increased enforcement more and more illegal immigrants are being arrested and deported.

If you or a friend did not pass through a U.S immigration checkpoint on a valid visa, then you have entered the U.S. illegally. If you had a visa and it has reached or exceeded the expiration date, you are in the country illegally.

1-800-Libertad understands immigration laws. If you or someone you know has been arrested for US immigration violations, you can call 1-800-Libertad (1-800-542-3782) 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.. 1-800-Libertad has bilingual agents available to help you out.

 There are two types of immigration bonds, delivery bonds and voluntary departure bonds. Many non-citizens or illegal aliens that are arrested by ICE and issued a Warrant of Arrest or Notice of Custody Conditions may be eligible for a delivery bond.  The amount of the delivery bond will be large enough to ensure that the non-citizen will appear at all immigration proceedings.  The second type of immigration bond is a voluntary departure bond.  Any non-citizen or alien who is allowed to depart the country voluntarily after being placed in removal proceedings has been given a Voluntary Departure.  The immigration Judge may require that someone post a large enough bond to ensure that the non-citizen leaves the United States within the time specified.

Cash bonds and surety bonds are two options for payment of either a delivery bond or a voluntary departure bond.  It is important to remember that with a cash bond, the full bond amount must be paid on behalf of the non-citizen by someone who has legal status in the United States.  The cash bond must be paid directly to ICE.  For example, if the bond amount is $10,000, then $10,000 must be paid to ICE in order to gain the individuals release. The other option is a surety bond.  If the individual is unable to pay the bond in cash a surety bond is an option.  This will require using the services of a private bail bond company.

It is illegal to enter the USA without a valid visa, or to stay in the USA past the visa’s expiration date, so named “valid provision”.  A provision is a valid visa, passport, green card or citizenship. Violating this provision is considered an extremely serious offense and not to be taken lightly.  If you or someone you know has been arrested for being in the United States illegally, the defendant is considered in violation of immigration laws and is subject to a trial and potential deportation by the ICE (US Immigration and Customs Enforcement).   When awaiting trial, the individual will either be detained or in some instances, the judge may allow them to post bond.

Working with a bondsman with knowledge in Immigration Bonds is crucial.  They should be familiar with Immigration Bonds as well as with the ICE (US Immigration and Customs Enforcement) system as well.  1-800-Libertad is a company that understands the ICE system and can make the entire process more affordable, easier and quicker.

Immigration bail is similar to criminal bail in that it acts as a guarantee that the individual will show up on the day of his trial and face the penalties.  ICE will want the accused to give them some form of guarantee, in the form of money or assets, that they will show up.  As in Criminal Bond cases, if the accused doesn’t show up, their assets can be seized by ICE. Immigration bonds are Federal Bonds but are not related to criminal charges.

There are two types of immigration bonds, delivery bonds and voluntary departure bonds. Any non-citizen or alien that is arrested by ICE and is issued a Warrant of Arrest and a Notice of Custody Conditions may be eligible for a delivery bond.  The amount of the delivery bond will be large enough to ensure that the non-citizen will appear at all immigration proceedings.  The second type of immigration bond is a voluntary departure bond.  Any non-citizen or alien who is allowed to depart the country voluntarily after being placed in removal proceedings has been given a Voluntary Departure.  The Immigration Judge may require that someone post a large enough bond to ensure that the non-citizen leaves the United States within the time specified.

Cash bonds and surety bonds are two options for payment of either a delivery bond or a voluntary departure bond.  It is important to remember that with a cash bond, the full bond amount must be paid on behalf of the non-citizen by someone who has legal status in the United States.  The cash bond must be paid directly to ICE.  For example, if the bond amount is $10,000 then $10,000 must be paid to ICE in order to gain the individuals release. The other option is a surety bond.  If the individual is unable to pay the bond in cash a surety bond is an option.  This will require using the services of a private surety company.

For those with an immediate need to post a bail bond for a friend or loved one, you can reach an agent 24 hours per day, 7 days per week by calling 1-800-Libertad. We have bilingual agents who can assist you with both Criminal Bail Bonds as well as Immigration Bonds.