If you are an immigrant who has worked tirelessly to build a new life in a foreign country, any small offense can shatter this life for you. Whether you have secured a job, your children are in school, or you are on the path to legal residency or citizenship, if you or a family member gets entangled in a drug trafficking investigation, the life you have built painstakingly will be at risk of being dismantled. Several people are detained by the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) because they illegally smuggle or traffic drugs across the border. In such cases, immigration bonds in New York can come in handy to help the accused immigrant go back to normalcy and maintain family and community ties during the legal process.

Deportation and Removal

Drug trafficking and convictions are among the most severe offenses under U.S. immigration law. Whether an immigrant is documented or undocumented, if they are convicted of drug trafficking, they are subjected to immediate deportation. The Immigration and Nationality Act (INA) categorizes drug trafficking as an aggravated felony, making it a deportable offense. Once deported, individuals may face significant barriers to re-entry, often being permanently barred from returning to the United States.

Inadmissibility and Denial of Entry

Once an immigrant is arrested for drug possession, trafficking, or abuse, they can also be deemed inadmissible after their courtroom trial. Inadmissibility can also happen without a conviction, as mere involvement or reasonable suspicion of drug trafficking activities can lead to a denial of entry. This status affects those seeking green cards, asylum, visas, and even those immigrants who are trying to renew their existing legal status.

Impact on Legal Residency and Citizenship

For legal permanent residents (LPRs) and those on the path to citizenship, a drug trafficking conviction can halt the naturalization process. Besides, LPRs convicted of drug trafficking can also lose their residency status. They can be deported, and those who are applying for citizenship can be denied application and possibly removed from the country if they are associated with drug trafficking.

Types of Immigration Bail Bonds

There are two primary types of immigration bail bonds:

• Delivery Bond: This type of bond ensures that the detainee appears for all immigration hearings. It requires a notice of custody conditions from ICE and an arrest warrant.
• Voluntary Departure Bond: This bond allows the detainee to leave the country voluntarily within a specified time frame. If they depart as agreed, the bond amount is refunded; otherwise, it is forfeited.

Conclusion

When an immigrant is detained by the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), they might be eligible for an immigration bail bond, which allows temporary release from detention before their actual trial. Suppose the ICE detains you or someone in your friend circle or family due to a drug offense, violent crime, or any other charges, and their immigration status is at stake. In that case, immigration bonds in New York can ensure that detainees can work on their defense and sort things out for their families or get everything in order when they are at risk of deportation.

Blog Source: https://www.amistadbailbonds.com/how-drug-trafficking-across-borders-can-affect-immigration-status/