Immigration officials may deport foreign nationals if a court determines that they have violated United States immigration law. Additionally, officials may deport people who enter the United States without travel documents or with forged documents without a hearing.
If you are facing deportation, you may be wondering how the process works.
The deportation process
Immigration Customs Enforcement may hold you in a detention center while you wait for your trial or deportation. If you are not deported without a hearing under an order of expedited removal, a U.S. Department of Justice immigration court will hear your case. If the judge decides to proceed with deporting you, the country you will return to must first agree to accept you and issue travel documents. Once the court receives those documents, ICE will execute the removal order.
Alternatives to deportation
If you are facing deportation, you can choose to leave the United States voluntarily instead. You may also go through the adjustment of status process to attempt to acquire a green card to become a lawful permanent resident of the United States. This process is usually done by having a family member make a petition or by seeking asylum or withholding of removal if you have reason to fear persecution or danger if you return to your home country. You may also appeal some types of deportation rulings.
If ICE removes you from the United States, you may be able to seek reentry by filing an I-212 form. Persons facing deportation have legal rights. You may wish to seek assistance from an attorney or nonprofit organization.
