Immigration Bond Hearings
When immigrants are detained, a bond hearing determines whether they can be released while their case proceeds. Our data covers 1.59 million bond hearings — with an average bond of $11,412 and a grant rate of just 4.3%.
Key Insights
Bond Hearings by Year
Average Bond Amount Over Time
Bond Hearing Outcomes
Bond Hearing Outcomes
| Outcome | Count | % of Total |
|---|---|---|
| Continued | 563,798 | 35.5% |
| Administrative Close | 363,233 | 22.9% |
| No Bond | 182,579 | 11.5% |
| Set Bond Amount | 158,042 | 10.0% |
| Jurisdictional | 111,160 | 7.0% |
| Bond Granted | 68,593 | 4.3% |
| Withdrawn | 64,833 | 4.1% |
| Redetermination | 16,612 | 1.0% |
| Bond Denied | 16,472 | 1.0% |
| Expired / Ended | 14,416 | 0.9% |
| Insufficient | 13,328 | 0.8% |
| Other | 6,608 | 0.4% |
How Bond Hearings Work
Immigration bond hearings are separate from the main removal proceeding. They answer one question: should this person be released from detention while their case is pending?
The judge considers two factors: whether the person is a flight risk and whether they pose a danger to the community. The minimum bond is $1,500, but the average is $11,412 and the median is $7,500. Judges frequently set bonds at $5,000, $10,000, $15,000, or higher.
Why Bond Matters So Much
Bond isn't just about getting out of jail. It fundamentally changes case outcomes:
- Attorney access: Released immigrants can meet with lawyers and build their cases. Detained immigrants get minutes of phone access per day.
- Evidence gathering: You can't get affidavits, country condition reports, or medical records from inside detention.
- Family support: Released immigrants maintain connections, continue working, and avoid the psychological toll of indefinite detention.
- Coercion reduction: Detained immigrants face constant pressure to accept voluntary departure rather than fight.
The $7,500 Barrier
For an immigrant earning minimum wage (or nothing, while detained), a $7,500 bond might as well be $7 million. Many families scrape together money from extended networks. Some use bond fund organizations. Many simply can't pay — and remain detained for months or years while their case proceeds.
Mandatory Detention
Not everyone gets a bond hearing. Certain categories trigger mandatory detention:
- Certain criminal convictions (aggravated felonies, drug offenses, multiple convictions)
- Terrorism-related charges
- Arriving aliens at ports of entry (unless they pass a credible fear interview)
- People with prior removal orders who reentered illegally
The Custody Pipeline
Of all cases in our data, 2,115,304 involved detained individuals and 1,069,619 were released from detention. Released individuals join the non-detained docket and typically have better outcomes — not because their cases are stronger, but because they have more resources to fight them.