Question 1

What is an immigration bond?

Accepted Answer

An immigration bond is a contract with the United States government that allows an eligible person to be released from ICE custody while their immigration case continues. In a typical delivery bond, the obligor promises that the released person — the principal — will appear at immigration court hearings and comply with ICE notices and check-ins. The written contract is Form I-352, and its terms control what happens if a condition is violated. A bond can be posted as cash or a cash equivalent directly with the government, or as a surety bond through a licensed agent working with a Treasury-certified surety. The bond does not decide the immigration case; it addresses custody while the case is pending.

Question 2

Is an immigration bond the same as criminal bail?

Accepted Answer

No. Criminal bail is a state or county court process governed by state law, county bail schedules, and criminal court procedure. An immigration bond is federal and civil. It is set by ICE or an immigration judge, documented on Form I-352, and administered by federal agencies rather than a county jail or superior court. The vocabulary sounds similar, which causes real confusion — people are sometimes quoted a California bail percentage that has nothing to do with an ICE bond. A person can face both a criminal matter and an immigration matter at the same time, but the two systems have separate paperwork, separate decision-makers, and separate consequences.

Question 3

How do I find out if someone is in ICE custody?

Accepted Answer

Start with the official ICE Online Detainee Locator at locator.ice.gov. You can search with the nine-digit A-Number plus country of birth, or with the full legal name, date of birth, and country of birth. Spelling matters, and so does the exact legal name rather than a nickname. If the person was arrested very recently, the listing may not appear yet. For detention concerns you can call the ICE Detention Reporting and Information Line at 1-888-351-4024. For immigration court case status, EOIR's automated line is 1-800-898-7180. Those are government resources; we do not operate them and cannot look someone up on your behalf.

Question 4

What is an A-Number?

Accepted Answer

An A-Number, sometimes written A#, is the alien registration number the federal government assigns to a person in an immigration file. It is usually nine digits and appears on immigration paperwork, ICE notices, and court documents. It is the single most useful piece of information you can bring to a phone call, because it identifies the correct person in the ICE locator and in the immigration court system even when names are common or spelled several ways. If you do not have it, gather the full legal name, date of birth, and country of birth instead, and search the ICE locator with those details.

Question 5

What should I have ready when I call?

Accepted Answer

Bring the full legal name and any aliases, the nine-digit A-Number if you have it, the date and country of birth, the detention facility as it appears in the ICE locator, and any bond amount already set. Also useful: any paperwork the family received from ICE or the immigration court, the name and contact information of the adult who would sign as obligor or indemnitor, and information about anyone who might provide collateral. You do not need all of it to make the first call. Call (888) 845-8806 with what you have and we will tell you what is still missing.

Question 6

Who decides if a bond is available and how much it is?

Accepted Answer

ICE or an immigration judge decides, and neither decision belongs to us. ICE can make a custody determination that includes a bond amount. If ICE declines to set a bond or sets an amount the person believes is too high, an immigration judge may consider the question at a bond hearing when the law allows it. Some categories are subject to mandatory detention, which means no bond is available regardless of family circumstances. A licensed bail agent can explain the posting process and quote surety options, but cannot decide eligibility, request a hearing, or predict what a judge will do.

Question 7

What is Form I-352?

Accepted Answer

Form I-352 is the immigration bond contract itself. It records who the obligor is, who the principal is, the bond amount, and the conditions the released person must follow, including appearing for immigration proceedings and complying with ICE requirements. It also governs how the bond may be cancelled and what happens if a condition is substantially violated. Because the form controls, no website — including this one — replaces reading it. If a surety bond is posted, the family also signs a separate indemnity and collateral agreement with the surety or agent. We walk through both by phone before anyone signs anything.

Question 8

What if no bond has been set yet?

Accepted Answer

Nobody can post a bond before ICE or an immigration judge sets one. That waiting period is still useful time: confirm custody in the ICE locator, gather the A-Number and paperwork, identify which adult could act as obligor, and think through what collateral might be available. If eligibility itself is the question — whether the person is subject to mandatory detention, or whether a bond hearing can be requested — that is a legal question for an immigration attorney or a nonprofit legal services provider, not for a bail agent. Call us to understand the posting side while the legal side is being handled.

Question 9

Can you guarantee they will be released today?

Accepted Answer

No, and we will never say otherwise. Release depends on eligibility, whether a bond has been set, government processing at the facility and the ICE office involved, payment and paperwork, and factors nobody outside the government controls. ICE also sets its own hours for accepting a cash bond. A licensed surety agent can begin the private-bond process by phone at any hour, but no company can promise a release time, a bond amount, or a case outcome. Anyone who does promise those things is telling you something they cannot deliver.

Question 10

What is CeBONDS?

Accepted Answer

CeBONDS is ICE's electronic system for cash immigration bonds. An obligor who wants to post the full face amount directly with the government uses that channel, or another method ICE directs. ICE has publicly stated that bond posting through this route generally happens between 9 a.m. and 3 p.m. in the time zone where the person is detained, so it is not an around-the-clock option. If the bond is later cancelled after its conditions are satisfied, the government handles the refund of the cash deposit under Form I-352 and related notices such as Form I-391. A private company does not issue that government refund.

Question 11

Can I post a bond at 2 a.m.?

Accepted Answer

You can call us at 2 a.m. — we answer the phone 24 hours a day, every day. What happens next depends on the route. A licensed surety agent can start the private-bond process at any hour: gathering information, explaining the premium and collateral, and preparing paperwork. Actual posting with the government follows ICE's own procedures and hours, and ICE has said cash bond posting generally happens during limited daytime hours in the detained person's time zone. So the conversation can start immediately; the government's part follows the government's clock.

Question 12

What payment options do you offer?

Accepted Answer

Payment and collateral depend on the specific bond, the state, the facility, and underwriting. Commonly discussed options are cash collateral placed with the surety or agent in addition to a premium, real estate collateral secured by a lien or deed of trust, and credit card collateral when the processor and surety allow it. There is no price list on this website and no numeric premium is published here. Quotes happen on the phone because the bond amount, collateral mix, and the people signing all change the answer. Call (888) 845-8806 and ask for a case-specific explanation.

Question 13

Is the premium refundable if the case ends?

Accepted Answer

Generally no. A surety bond premium is earned when the bond is posted, and it is typically not refundable even if the immigration case ends quickly or the person is released and the bond is later cancelled. That is different from collateral. Collateral is security, handled under a separate written agreement, and is returned according to that agreement after the bond is cancelled and all conditions are met. Cash posted directly with the government as an ICE cash bond is a third situation: that deposit is refunded by the government under its own process, not by a private company.

Question 14

Can I use a credit card?

Accepted Answer

Sometimes. When offered, a credit card may be used to pay a premium or to secure part of the agent's requirements, subject to processor rules, surety rules, and the cardholder's available credit. A charge is a real financial transaction and may appear as a payment or as an authorization hold. Fees, holds, and refund timing are explained verbally and in the contract before anyone pays. A credit card does not automatically mean no collateral is required — some bonds still need additional security. Nothing on this website approves a card or quotes a rate.

Question 15

What happens to real estate collateral?

Accepted Answer

For larger bonds, a sponsor may secure the bond with a lien or deed of trust against real property they own. The property is not sold as part of posting and ownership stays with the owner. The lien is a temporary claim that is released after the bond is cancelled and the contractual conditions are met. Availability depends on equity, title status, location, and underwriting. We do not provide appraisals or legal advice about title, and documents are reviewed by the agent and the surety — never on this website. Ask on the call what the specific bond would require.

Question 16

Which California ICE facilities do you help with?

Accepted Answer

We take calls about the publicly reported California immigration detention sites, including the Adelanto ICE Processing Center and Desert View Annex in San Bernardino County, Otay Mesa Detention Center in San Diego County, Imperial Regional Detention Facility near Calexico, Mesa Verde ICE Processing Center in Bakersfield, Golden State Annex and Central Valley Annex in McFarland, and the California City Immigration Processing Center in Kern County. Facilities open, close, and change operators, so verify current custody with the ICE locator. We are not any of these facilities and cannot arrange visits or pass messages inside.

Question 17

Do you serve Los Angeles in person?

Accepted Answer

In-person help in the Los Angeles area is arranged by phone with a local licensed agent. There is no public walk-in address listed on this website, and there is no lobby to visit. Call first: most of the work — explaining the bond, quoting options, discussing collateral, coordinating with the surety — happens by phone. If a signature or document review has to happen face to face, the agent will schedule it with you on that call and tell you exactly what to bring.

Question 18

Do you have a public office I can walk into?

Accepted Answer

No. This is a phone-first operation and no walk-in street address is published on this site. The principal place of business is Los Angeles, California, and the operator is Hutch K. Harutyunyan DBA: Hutch's Bail Bonds, California Lic. 1840622 / 0840622, Insurance. Anything that would normally involve a lobby visit is arranged by phone instead, and in-person needs in the Los Angeles area are scheduled with a local licensed agent. Call (888) 845-8806 and we will tell you what can be handled without leaving home.

Question 19

Do you cover all 50 states?

Accepted Answer

Yes, for information and coordination. Immigration bonds are federal, so the structure is the same everywhere: ICE or an immigration judge sets eligibility and the amount, and Form I-352 controls the bond. California-licensed agents handle California work. Out-of-state posting is coordinated through properly authorized agents in the state where the bond must be posted, because a state criminal bail license is not the same as authority to post a federal immigration bond. If we cannot post a particular bond, we will tell you plainly rather than waste your time.

Question 20

What if they were transferred to another state?

Accepted Answer

Call anyway. Transfers are common and can happen more than once, sometimes within days. What changes is logistics: which ICE office handles the posting, where paperwork is delivered, and which authorized agent coordinates locally. What does not change is the federal bond process. Re-check the ICE locator for the current facility, keep the A-Number handy, and call (888) 845-8806 so we can work from the current listing rather than an old one.

Question 21

What languages do you speak?

Accepted Answer

Calls are answered in English, Spanish, and Armenian, 24 hours a day, every day. Ask for the language you prefer as soon as the call connects. Explaining a bond, a premium, collateral, and who can sign as obligor is difficult in any language; doing it in the language you think in prevents costly misunderstandings. This website is also published in all three languages, though the legal documents are provided in English, which controls, with a phone explanation available in Spanish and Armenian.

Question 22

What happens after someone is released on bond?

Accepted Answer

Release does not end the immigration case or the bond obligations. The bonded person must follow every condition in Form I-352 and every valid government notice — that usually means attending all immigration court hearings, appearing for ICE appointments and check-ins, and keeping addresses current with the appropriate agencies. Missing a required appearance can lead ICE to declare the bond breached and to collect the bond amount. With a surety bond, the surety and any indemnitor may then enforce the collateral agreement. We explain the known conditions by phone before anyone signs so nobody is surprised later.

Question 23

Will calling you notify ICE or hurt the case?

Accepted Answer

Calling a bail agent for information does not notify ICE about your family and does not file anything with any court. We are a private business, not part of ICE, DHS, CBP, EOIR, USCIS, or any court, and we do not report callers to the government. We also do not give legal advice, so nothing said on our call becomes a legal position in the immigration case. If you are worried about how a step could affect the case strategy, that is a good question for a qualified immigration attorney before you act.

Question 24

Are you immigration lawyers?

Accepted Answer

No. We are not attorneys and this is not a law firm. We do not give legal advice, do not represent anyone in immigration court, and cannot request a bond hearing, file motions, or advise on immigration relief. What we do is explain how immigration bonds work, quote surety options by phone, and coordinate posting through licensed agents when a person is eligible. For legal representation, contact a qualified immigration attorney. EOIR publishes a list of pro bono legal service providers, which we link to as a convenience and not as an endorsement.

Question 25

Are you part of ICE?

Accepted Answer

No. Immigration Bail Bonds is a private business and is not affiliated with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, the Department of Homeland Security, CBP, EOIR, DOJ, USCIS, or any court. We cannot look up custody status for you, arrange a visit, deliver messages inside a facility, change a bond amount, or speak for the government in any way. Custody and case information come from official government tools: locator.ice.gov, the ICE Detention Reporting and Information Line at 1-888-351-4024, and EOIR's automated case line at 1-800-898-7180.

Question 26

Is this website legal advice?

Accepted Answer

No. Everything on this site is general educational information about how immigration bonds work. It is not legal advice, not an attorney advertisement, and not a government website. It does not create an attorney-client relationship and does not substitute for Form I-352, official government instructions, or advice from a licensed immigration attorney about a specific person's case. The website is operated by Hutch K. Harutyunyan DBA: Hutch's Bail Bonds, California Lic. 1840622 / 0840622, Insurance, principal place of business Los Angeles, California. Questions? Call (888) 845-8806.

Immigration Bond Questions

Getting started

Eligibility & amounts

Paying the bond

California & facilities

After release

This website

Confirm where they are held

Still have a question? Ask a person.