Houston Immigration Bond Lawyer

Located Near the Houston CDF, With a Decade of Detention Experience Behind Every Bond Hearing

When a family member is arrested and transferred into ICE custody, every hour matters. Unlike a criminal bond, which courts set automatically based on the charge filed, an immigration bond may not be set until a request is made, either by ICE at the initial custody determination or by an attorney through a formal motion before an immigration judge. Without that filing, a detainee can remain held at the Houston Contract Detention Facility (CDF, also known as the CCA) for days or weeks with no hearing scheduled and no movement on the case.

Our office is located near the Houston Contract Detention Facility. Attorney Mana Yegani brings more than a decade of immigration law experience to bond hearings for detained clients, representing permanent residents, visa holders, and undocumented individuals alike. She works to defeat ICE hold requests, file for bond hearings immediately upon retention, and seek release from immigration detention for clients across Houston and Southeast Texas. Immigration bonds are governed by the Immigration and Nationality Act, not state or federal criminal procedure, which means a criminal defense attorney without immigration experience can’t represent a detainee at an immigration bond hearing.

Why an Immigration Attorney Makes the Difference at a Bond Hearing

The outcome of a bond hearing depends heavily on the attorney’s ability to gather and present compelling evidence of good moral character, community ties, and eligibility for immigration relief before the judge. When you retain Attorney Yegani, you work directly with her throughout the bond process, not with rotating staff or paralegals. She appears regularly at the Houston Immigration Court on behalf of detained clients and customizes her approach for individuals in high-pressure situations.

What Attorney Yegani can do for your detained family member:

• File a motion for a bond hearing the same day she is retained
• Argue for a lower bond amount based on case-specific evidence
• Contest detention and request a bond redetermination if ICE set bond too high or denied it
• Pursue cancellation of removal proceedings alongside the bond case
• Ensure all rights are protected regardless of immigration status

Attorney Yegani’s commitment to detained clients extends beyond the courtroom. During the Trump Travel Ban, she went directly to Bush Intercontinental Airport to assist those held in detention, work that earned her international recognition and the Sharon Levine Unsung Heroes Award at the 2017 HCCLA Banquet in Houston. She also holds a Clients’ Choice Award (2023), a 5-star rating on Avvo, Rising Star recognition by SuperLawyers, and placement on the National Advocates Top 100 Lawyers list from 2015 through 2019, with more than 500 client reviews. The firm’s multilingual team communicates in Farsi, Spanish, and Russian, serving Houston’s diverse detained population across Southeast Texas.

Who Qualifies for an Immigration Bond in Houston

Not every person held in immigration detention is eligible for a bond hearing. Eligibility depends on immigration history, the reason for detention, and whether mandatory detention applies to the individual’s case.

How an Immigration Judge Decides Bond

An immigration judge determines bond based on two primary questions: whether the detainee poses a danger to the community, and whether the detainee is a flight risk. Factors weighed in that determination include:

• U.S. family ties: U.S. citizen or lawful permanent resident family members, length of residency in the United States
• Community and employment ties: employment history, lease or mortgage records, tax returns, letters from employers or community members
• Available immigration relief: eligibility for cancellation of removal or adjustment of status can support a lower bond amount
• Willingness of a sponsor: a sponsor who can support the detainee upon release strengthens the flight risk argument

The minimum immigration bond amount under the Immigration and Nationality Act is $1,500, though bonds are frequently set much higher depending on perceived flight risk and case facts. ICE may set a bond at the initial custody determination, or we can request a bond redetermination before an immigration judge if ICE didn’t set bond or set it too high.

Mandatory Detention

Mandatory detention bars an immigration judge from granting bond for certain categories of individuals, regardless of the facts. Under INA § 236(c), these include people with aggravated felony convictions, certain controlled substance offenses, crimes involving moral turpitude under specified conditions, firearms offenses, and certain other criminal or national security grounds. Attorney Yegani evaluates each case individually to determine eligibility and the strongest available path forward.

Family Member Held in County Jail With an ICE Hold?

An ICE hold placed on someone in county criminal court or district court can block the family from posting bond on the criminal case entirely. The hold is issued when ICE receives notice that a person’s immigration status is in question during an arrest for an unrelated offense. Without an attorney taking action, the detainee may be transferred to the Houston Contract Detention Facility and held without a bond hearing scheduled.

Steps we take when you hire us:

• Attorney Yegani files a motion for an immigration bond hearing as soon as possible to get the case before a judge
• She fights to seek the detainee’s release from immigration detention
• She provides deportation defense to help your family member remain in the United States
• She pursues cancellation of removal for both non-permanent residents and lawful permanent residents where applicable

Throughout the process, we keep you in close contact with your detained family member and help the case move forward without unnecessary delays. Attorney Yegani fights for clients held in ICE detention centers and jails throughout Houston and across Texas.

The Houston Immigration Bond Hearing Process

Bond hearings for Houston-area detainees are held at the Houston SPC (Service Processing Center) Immigration Court, which is connected to the Houston Contract Detention Facility and handles the detained docket for the area’s detention centers. A bond hearing request is filed via written motion delivered to the detention facility or the immigration court with administrative control over the case. That motion can be filed the same day Attorney Yegani is retained.

Evidence Assembled Before the Hearing

Before the hearing, Attorney Yegani assembles the supporting evidence the judge needs to evaluate bond: proof of U.S. citizen or lawful family members, employment records, tax returns, lease or mortgage documents, and letters from employers or community members that establish ties and good character. Documentation of available immigration relief is also gathered to support a lower bond amount.

Locating a Detained Family Member & Posting Bond

If you need to locate a detained family member, ICE maintains an online detainee locator at locator.ice.gov. You can search using the detainee’s A-Number, or a combination of their full legal name, country of birth, and date of birth. Once bond is set, payments for individuals detained at the Houston CDF can’t be made at the facility itself. Payment must be made at an ICE ERO bond acceptance facility by cashier’s check, certified check, or U.S. postal money order made payable to the U.S. Department of Homeland Security.

If Bond Is Denied or Set Too High

If an immigration judge denies bond or sets it too high, the decision can be appealed to the Board of Immigration Appeals within 30 days of the judge’s decision. If bond was set, it may still be paid while the appeal is pending. If circumstances change materially after a denial, a new bond hearing can be requested.

Contact an Immigration Bond Attorney in Houston Today

Time is critical when a family member is detained. The sooner you retain an attorney, the sooner a motion for a bond hearing can be filed and the process can move forward. We serve clients throughout Houston and Southeast Texas, with multilingual support in Farsi, Spanish, and Russian. From the first call through the resolution of your case, you work directly with Attorney Yegani.