The current policy of U.S. Immigration Customs Enforcement (ICE) is to detain all undocumented or removable immigrants after any arrest.  There several other reasons an immigrant is likely to be detained by ICE, including:

• living in the U.S.A. without legal documents;
• if you are determined to pose a risk to national security or public safety;
• if you commit a crime; and,
• if you have a pending deportation order.

When ICE detains undocumented immigrants located in Mississippi, they will initially be transported to the Enforcement and Removal Operations Office located in Jackson. Once there, they will be fingerprinted, asked questions, assigned an Alien number and reviewed for bond eligibility.

Under the current presidential administration, most ICE detainees are not eligible for bonds at the beginning of their proceedings, and if they are, the bonds are high. However, you can still request a bond and potentially get out of detention during your deportation proceedings. Any bond request has to be filed before an immigration judge, and it is recommended that you retain an experienced immigration attorney to help you through this process. If you are denied a bond, you still have the right to present your case to a judge. However, you will have to do so while in detention, deprived of both your liberty and ability to work.

The Jackson office does not have a detention center. Therefore, unless released the immigrant will be transferred to one of the following detention centers in Louisiana:

• LaSalle Detention Center;
• Pine Prairie Correctional Center;
• Tensas Parish Detention Center; and
• Basile Detention Center.

Once transferred to one of these detention centers, the immigrant will be assigned a deportation officer. The assigned officer will be the one who gives information to family members and representatives. With the Alien number and country of birth, you can locate a detained person using the following web page: www.ice.locator.gov

Every detained immigrant has the right to a deportation hearing. This involves appearing before a judge who will decide: (1) if the deportation is legal; and (2) if you qualify for an exception that will allow you to stay legally in the U.S.A. In order to determine your chances of successfully challenging your removal, you will need to consult with an experienced immigration lawyer.