Houston Immigration Attorney

Help for Houston Families After an ICE Arrest

Help for Houston Families After an ICE Arrest

Immigration arrests in the Houston area often happen without warning: at a traffic stop, at work, at a check-in appointment or at home. Within hours, a family member can be booked into the Houston Contract Detention Facility near Bush Intercontinental Airport or moved north to the processing centers in Conroe. Faragalla Law helps Houston families find their loved ones, request bond and defend the case in immigration court.

Our Houston office is at 5718 Westheimer Road, and consultations are held remotely so families can talk to us quickly from anywhere. Attorney Sam Faragalla has more than 27 years of immigration experience and over 2,000 cases handled. We answer calls 24 hours a day, Spanish-speaking paralegals are available, and the first consultation is free. Call (800) 707-3038.

Immigration Bond Hearings for Houston Families

At a bond hearing, the immigration judge decides whether the person can be released while the case continues and how much the bond should be. The judge looks at whether the person is a flight risk or a danger to the community.

Questions Houston Families Ask

Release from detention does not end the case. We continue to represent clients in immigration court and look for every available defense. See our removal defense practice and our page on ICE detention across Texas.

Talk to a Houston ICE Detention Lawyer Now

If someone you love was detained by ICE in Houston, Harris County, Montgomery County or anywhere in Texas, call (800) 707-3038. We answer 24/7, and the consultation is free. You can also contact us online. En español: Abogado de Detención de ICE en Houston.

Sam Faragalla is licensed in New York and Florida. His practice is limited to federal immigration law.

Where People Arrested in Houston Are Usually Held

  • Houston Contract Detention Facility, Houston
  • Montgomery Processing Center, Conroe
  • Joe Corley Processing Center, Conroe
  • IAH Polk Adult Detention Facility, Livingston

    • ICE can transfer detained people to other facilities in Texas or in other states, sometimes with little notice. Detained cases from the Conroe facilities are often heard on the detained docket at the Conroe Immigration Court. If you cannot find your family member, call us. We can help confirm their location and A-Number.

  • ICE processes the person, takes fingerprints and decides whether to hold them, release them with conditions or set a bond.
  • If ICE holds the person, they are usually issued a Notice to Appear, which starts removal proceedings in immigration court.
  • If bond is possible, an immigration judge can hold a bond hearing, usually within days or weeks of the request.
  • The removal case continues, either on the detained docket or, after release, on the regular immigration court docket.

    • Detained dockets move quickly. Evidence for a bond hearing needs to be gathered right away, and the first court dates can come sooner than families expect.

  • Proof of identity and a stable address in the Houston area
  • Evidence of family ties, especially U.S. citizen or permanent resident relatives
  • Employment records, tax returns and letters from employers
  • Letters of support from family, church and community members
  • Court records and evidence of rehabilitation if there is any criminal history
  • A realistic defense to removal that gives the person a reason to keep coming to court

    • Certain criminal convictions, prior removal orders, arrival at the border and recent changes in how the law treats people who entered without inspection can all limit bond eligibility. We review these issues before the hearing so families know what to expect. Read more about immigration bond hearings in Texas.

    Once a bond is set, it must be paid to ICE before the person is released. ICE accepts bond payments online and at certain ICE offices. The person paying the bond generally must be a U.S. citizen or lawful permanent resident with valid identification. As long as your loved one goes to every hearing and follows the conditions of release, the bond money can be returned when the case is over.

    It depends on the facility and the court's calendar, but bond hearings on detained dockets are often scheduled within days to a few weeks of the request. Having documents ready before the hearing is what makes the difference.

    Most facilities allow phone calls and scheduled visits, and attorneys can arrange legal calls and visits. Rules differ by facility, so check with the facility or ask us.

    They should not answer questions about their immigration history or sign documents without speaking to a lawyer first. They have the right to remain silent and to ask for an attorney.