Steal My Deal

Hopefully none of us will ever have any substantial run-ins with the law. Let’s hope the worst infractions we face are nothing more than an occasional speeding ticket or a random jaywalking citation. However, some of us do - or will - have more significant legal problems to deal with. If you are one of those people who are facing more intense legal problems and if your problems involve immigration issues, chances are you may need an immigration bond at some point.

First, it helps to understand what an immigration bond is. If you are - or if you know - an immigrant who is in Miami illegally, there is the chance you (or he or she) may be picked by the immigration department. At that point, you may be facing deportation, but you won’t immediately be sent out of the country. Instead, you may be released from custody, but you will have to pay an immigration bond.

In essence, an immigration bond is very similar to bail: you pay to be released from custody and you promise to return to court when it is your time, otherwise you forfeit the money you put down. Again, the main difference is a traditional bond deals with all sorts of crimes, while an immigration bond focuses only on immigration issues, which is generally considered a civil matter, not a criminal one. However, there are some unique issues with immigration bail bonds.

The issue that separates traditional bonds and immigration bail bonds is the amount of difficulty that immigration bonds present for the bond agent. A regular bond license is not sufficient for immigration bail bonds; they require a causality insurance license. Also, if the arrested individuals do not appear in court, immigration bail bonds are subject to immediate forfeiture, making them a much higher financial risk. Not many bondsmen deal in immigration bail bonds because of these complications, although you may be able to locate one by contacting the Division of Insurance in the appropriate state to find out who is properly insured to provide immigration bail bonds.

Hopefully you’ll never have a need for an immigration bond, but there are many options available if you ever do.