ICE Custody and Detention Decisions

After ICE detention, some people may request release while the case is pending. Others face mandatory detention rules or other restrictions that make release harder, but not always impossible. We look closely at your situation to identify what options exist and what steps should be taken right away.

Bond Hearings and Release Planning

When eligible, a bond hearing can be a turning point. We help clients and families prepare a bond strategy that is realistic, organized, and supported with evidence.

This often includes:

• Building a bond packet with proof of community ties
•  Addressing flight risk and public safety concerns directly
• Preparing the detained client for testimony and questions
• Coordinating with family members for documents and support letters

Master Calendar Hearing

This is typically the first immigration court appearance. The judge confirms the allegations, explains rights, and sets timelines for applications and the individual hearing. In detained cases, the schedule can be tight, so preparation matters from day one.

Merits Hearing

At the individual hearing, the judge reviews evidence and testimony and decides whether the person qualifies for relief from removal. Detained clients need a plan that accounts for limited access to documents, shorter timelines, and the practical challenges of preparing a case from inside a facility.

Appeals and Emergency Filings

If the judge orders removal, there may be options to appeal to the Board of Immigration Appeals and, in certain situations, pursue additional review. Timing is critical. A late filing can end the case.

Legal Strategies and Relief Options to Fight Deportation

No two removal cases are alike. The best defense depends on the facts of your case, your immigration history, your family and community ties, and the risks you may face if returned to your home country. Our attorneys explore every possible avenue to help you remain in the United States legally. Below are some of the most common and powerful forms of relief available under U.S. immigration law:

Asylum

Asylum protects individuals who have fled persecution or have a well-founded fear of persecution due to race, religion, nationality, political opinion, or membership in a particular social group. If granted, asylum provides legal status, work authorization, and eventually the ability to apply for permanent residency.

Withholding of Removal

Similar to asylum, withholding of removal protects individuals whose return to their home country would pose a clear threat to their life or freedom. While this relief does not lead to permanent residence, it prevents deportation and may allow continued presence in the U.S.

Protection Under the Convention Against Torture (CAT)

Individuals who face the threat of torture by public officials in their home country may be eligible for protection under CAT. This form of relief is available regardless of other immigration violations and is often pursued alongside other defenses.

Cancellation of Removal

There are two primary types of cancellation:

• For Permanent Residents: Requires at least five years of lawful permanent residency, seven years of continuous physical presence, and no conviction for certain serious crimes.

• For Non-Permanent Residents: Requires ten years of continuous presence in the U.S., good moral character, and proof that removal would cause exceptional and extremely unusual hardship to a qualifying U.S. citizen or permanent resident family member.

VAWA-Based Relief

The Violence Against Women Act (VAWA) provides a path to legal status for victims of domestic violence who were abused by a U.S. citizen or lawful permanent resident spouse or parent. This allows survivors to apply independently, without relying on the abuser’s cooperation.

U Visa for Victims of Crime

This visa is available to victims of certain qualifying crimes, such as domestic violence, sexual assault, trafficking, or kidnapping, who have suffered serious harm and cooperated with law enforcement. U visa holders may eventually become eligible for permanent residency.

Adjustment of Status

In some cases, individuals already in the United States can apply for lawful permanent residence through family or employer sponsorship, even while in removal proceedings. This often requires proof of lawful admission or parole and an available immigrant visa.

Registry

Individuals who have lived continuously in the United States since before January 1, 1972, and meet other eligibility criteria, such as good moral character, may apply for lawful permanent residence through the registry provision.

Waivers of Inadmissibility

Certain immigration violations may be overcome through waivers. These include:

• Waiver for criminal grounds based on extreme hardship to U.S. citizen or permanent resident family members.

• Waiver for misrepresentation or fraud, often sought when an individual entered the country with false documents.

• Waiver for smuggling, available in limited cases where the individual assisted a spouse, parent, or child.