Dems Press Mayorkas, Garland to Relax Immigration Bonds
'Immigration bonds can be hundreds of thousands of dollars, imposing huge costs that families are unable to afford,' wrote a group of congressional Democrats
Published 10/31/23 07:58 AM ET|Updated 1 hr ago
Alec Dent
Agroup of Democrats have demanded President Joe Biden end immigration bonds "which the defendant cannot meet" in a letter sent to administration officials Monday.
"ICE may subject an individual to mandatory detention if there is ‘a reason to believe’ that the person has been involved in trafficking in controlled substances, even if the individual was never convicted of such a crime," wrote Sens. Dick Durbin, D-Ill., and Alejandro Padilla, D-Calif., and Reps. Jerry Nadler, D-N.Y., and Pramila Jayapal ,D-Wash. in their letter to Attorney General Merrick Garland and Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas.
"Immigration bonds can be hundreds of thousands of dollars, imposing huge costs that families are unable to afford. By contrast, the federal Bail Reform Act forbids the imposition of financial conditions which the defendant cannot meet," the group continued.
Noncitizens are currently required to show they are not a flight risk to avoid detainment.
The letter was first reported by The Hill.
https://themessenger.com/politics/dems-press-mayorkas-garland-to-relax-immigration-bonds
