Removal & Bond Proceedings

Very often foreign nationals will find themselves in removal proceedings in immigration court due to an uninspected entry into the United States, overstaying the time authorized or other circumstances. In some cases, there are a variety of criminal issues that may further complicate the immigration proceedings.

There are certain requirements to removal proceedings that serve as guarantees to the alien that he or she will be treated as fairly as the process allows. The alien must be given proper notice and may choose to be represented by an attorney. The alien must be given the opportunity to present evidence on his or her behalf and examine the evidence against him or her. The decision to remove / deport or not to remove / deport the alien must be based on "reasonable, substantial, and probative evidence."

Attorney Ricardo Skerrett regularly appears before judges in United States Immigration Courts on his clients' behalf to make sure that they are fully protected to the maximum extent allowed by the law. Appeals are taken and defended before the Board of Immigration Appeals.

When an alien is taken into custody, the USICE does have the option to release the alien. An alien must show that he or she does not pose a threat to national security or a bail risk. Factors to consider are previous arrests in the U.S., previous convictions, illegal entry into the U.S., employment status, participation in subversive activities, and the presence of relatives in the U.S. Some aliens are entitled to bond hearings in immigration court.

Attorney Ricardo Skerrett provides skilled and personal legal services to men, women and children detained by the Immigration and Customs Enforcement (USICE), formerly a part of the INS.