Removal Defense Attorney in Texas

Help for Families When a Loved One Is Detained by ICE in Texas

Help for Families When a Loved One Is Detained by ICE in Texas

When Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) detains a parent, spouse or child, families usually have hours, not weeks, to start making decisions. Where was your loved one taken? Can they get out on bond? Will they be deported before anyone can help? Faragalla Law represents people held in ICE detention centers across Texas and works with their families from the first phone call.

Founding attorney Sam Faragalla has practiced immigration law for more than 27 years and has handled over 2,000 cases. His practice is limited to federal immigration law, which allows him to represent detained clients at every Texas facility and before the immigration courts that hear detained cases. Our phones are answered 24 hours a day, Spanish-speaking paralegals are available, and every case starts with a free consultation. Call (800) 707-3038.

Getting a Detained Family Member Released on Bond

For most families, the first goal is getting their loved one home while the immigration case continues. Whether that is possible depends on the person's immigration and criminal history, how and when they entered the United States, and the evidence presented to the judge.

Defending the Deportation Case

Getting out of detention is the first step, not the last. The removal case continues in immigration court, and the outcome determines whether your loved one can stay in the United States.

Talk to a Texas ICE Detention Lawyer Today

If someone you love is in ICE custody anywhere in Texas, call (800) 707-3038 now. We answer 24/7, and the consultation is free. You can also send us a message online. En español: Abogado de Detención de ICE en Texas.

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

What to Do in the First 24 Hours After an ICE Arrest

The first day matters. What you do now can affect whether your family member is released, transferred out of state or removed quickly.

  • Find out where your loved one is being held. ICE publishes an Online Detainee Locator. You can search with the person's A-Number (Alien Registration Number) and country of birth, or with their full name and country of birth. New arrests can take a day or more to appear.
  • Write down everything you know: full legal name, date of birth, A-Number if they have one, the date and place of the arrest, and any immigration paperwork they have received in the past.
  • Gather documents that show ties to Texas, such as a lease or mortgage, pay stubs, tax returns, children's birth certificates and school records, and letters from employers or community members.
  • Do not let your loved one sign papers they do not understand. Some forms waive the right to see a judge or agree to leave the country.
  • Call an immigration attorney right away. We can confirm where the person is held, explain the next steps and start preparing for a bond request. Call (800) 707-3038, day or night.

    • Texas holds more people in immigration detention than any other state. Detained people are often moved between facilities, sometimes far from where they were arrested. We represent clients held at facilities across the state, including:

  • Houston Contract Detention Facility (Houston)
  • Montgomery Processing Center (Conroe)
  • Joe Corley Processing Center (Conroe)
  • IAH Polk Adult Detention Facility (Livingston)
  • Port Isabel Service Processing Center (Los Fresnos)
  • South Texas ICE Processing Center (Pearsall)
  • Karnes County Immigration Processing Center (Karnes City)
  • Dilley Immigration Processing Center (Dilley)
  • Rio Grande Processing Center (Laredo)
  • CoreCivic Laredo Processing Center (Laredo)
  • CoreCivic Webb County Detention Center (Laredo)
  • El Paso Service Processing Center (El Paso)
  • El Valle Detention Facility (Raymondville)
  • East Hidalgo Detention Center (La Villa)
  • Coastal Bend Detention Center (Robstown)
  • Prairieland Detention Facility (Alvarado)
  • Bluebonnet Detention Facility (Anson)
  • Rolling Plains Detention Center (Haskell)
  • Eden Detention Center (Eden)
  • Limestone County Detention Center (Groesbeck)

    • Detained cases are usually heard on special detained dockets, often at immigration courts located inside or near the facility, such as the courts in Conroe, Port Isabel and Pearsall. These dockets move much faster than regular immigration court cases, so preparation needs to start immediately.

  • Waiting to see whether ICE releases the person on its own.
  • Hiring a notario or consultant instead of a licensed attorney. Only attorneys and accredited representatives can represent someone in immigration court.
  • Telling ICE officers or detention staff about the case without legal advice.
  • Signing a stipulated removal order or voluntary departure paperwork without understanding the consequences.
  • Missing a hearing date after release. A missed hearing can lead to an order of removal in the person's absence.

    • Many people held by ICE can ask an immigration judge to set a bond or lower the bond ICE has already set. At a bond hearing, the judge looks at two main questions: whether the person is a danger to the community and whether they are likely to show up for future court dates. The minimum immigration bond set by law is $1,500, but bonds are often much higher.

  • Certain criminal convictions trigger mandatory detention, which means a judge cannot set bond.
  • People who were stopped at the border or who are in expedited removal are often not eligible for a bond hearing before an immigration judge.
  • Recent decisions and policy changes have taken the position that many people who entered the United States without inspection cannot receive bond from an immigration judge. These rules are being challenged in federal court, and the answer can depend on when and how the person entered.
  • A person with a prior removal order may face reinstatement of that order and different options altogether.

    • Because the rules have changed quickly, an attorney should review your family member's history before anyone assumes they can or cannot get out. When a bond hearing is possible, we prepare the evidence the judge needs to see: proof of identity and address, family and employment ties, letters of support, and an explanation of any criminal history.

    If a judge grants bond, the full amount generally must be paid to ICE before release. ICE accepts payment through its online bond system and at certain ICE offices. The person who posts the bond, called the obligor, generally must be a U.S. citizen or lawful permanent resident with valid identification. If the detained person attends all hearings and follows the conditions of release, the bond can be refunded to the obligor when the case ends.

    Learn more about our immigration bond hearing representation.

  • Asylum, withholding of removal and protection under the Convention Against Torture
  • Cancellation of removal for certain long-time residents and green card holders
  • Adjustment of status through a qualifying family relationship, when the law allows it
  • Motions to terminate or reopen proceedings when there are legal or procedural problems
  • Voluntary departure, when leaving on agreed terms is the best available option

    • See our full removal defense practice.

  • More than 27 years of immigration experience and over 2,000 cases handled
  • Representation at ICE detention centers throughout Texas
  • Calls answered 24 hours a day, 7 days a week
  • Spanish-speaking paralegals
  • Free consultation and clear explanations of your options
  • A practice focused only on immigration law