Deportation

Overview of U.S. Removal Laws

When, why, and how the U.S. can deport (remove) people and return them to their home countries.

Overview of the Removal (Deportation) Hearings Process

Learn about the various hearings you'll need to attend, and what will happen, when you're facing removal from the United States.

What Does ICE Do?

Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) is charged with enforcing U.S. federal laws concerning border control, customs, trade, and immigration. Immigrants dealing with ICE are usually facing deportation.

Legal Reasons a U.S. Immigrant May Be Deported

The U.S. immigration laws contain numerous grounds upon which non-citizens, including green card holders, may be deported back to their country of origin.

The Immigration Hold Process After Jail

When an immigrant is detained by law enforcement for an alleged crime, he or she may be placed on an "immigration hold" or "immigration detainer". Here's how the process works.

Can I Lose My Green Card and Be Deported?

Overview of the grounds of deportability for green card holders.

Voluntary Departure vs. Deportation

In some cases, an immigrant may benefit from voluntarily leaving the U.S. instead of waiting for the deportation process.

Immigration Detention - Removal Proceedings and the Bond Process

Read an overview on the detention process, as well as the typical steps after an immigrant is detained, from bond (like bail) to defenses to removal (deportation).

Received a Deportation Order: What Happens Now?

An overview of your options to fight a deportation order and stay in the United States.

How to Prepare for an Immigration Removal Hearing

If you're facing removal (deportation), here are the first steps steps upon receiving a notice to appear (NTA) in immigration court.

Cancellation of Removal in Deportation Proceedings

Overview of this unique defense against removal, available only to people who have lived in the U.S. for several years.

What Happens at a Merits Hearing in an Immigration Case?

What to expect when at a hearing to consider your defense to removal from the United States.

Your Options If Your Spouse Is Deported (Removed) From the U.S.

Determining whether your husband or wife may be eligible to return to the U.S. based on your marriage, and how to apply.

How to Help a Detainee in an Immigration Hold

If someone you know has been detained after an immigration hold, here are the first things to do.

Voluntary Departure: Why "Volunteer" to Be Deported?

If you're facing removal from the U.S. (deportation) and have no means of defense, you may request voluntary departure to avoid some future immigration consequences.

Stopping Removal (Deportation) With an Asylum Application

Applying for asylum during a deportation proceeding offers some immigrants a means of staying in the United States.

Hiring a Lawyer for a Removal Proceeding (Deportation Hearing)

If you or a family member is facing removal from the United States, you'll need an attorney to fight the case. Here's what to expect.

Can You Re-Enter the U.S. After Deportation by Marrying a U.S. Citizen?

An immigrant that has been deported may have an option to get back into the United States by marriage to a U.S. citizen.

Can You Return to the U.S. After Being Deported?

Coming back to the U.S. after having been deported is a difficult proposition, and a complicated process, but it's not impossible.

Reentry to the U.S. After Removal (Deportation)

Find out when and how someone can apply for a U.S. visa or green card, and return to the U.S., even after having been deported or removed.

Getting a Hardship Waiver After Deportation or Unlawful U.S. Presence

If you or a member of your family have been deported (removed) from the United States or spent time in the U.S. without lawful permission to be there, obtaining the legal right to return will not be easy. The law has placed various barriers in your way. Although some of these can be overcome with a request for a waiver, others cannot.

Understanding the Three and Ten-Year Bars for Unlawful Presence

One of the most troublesome grounds of inadmissibility for U.S. green card applicants.

If You're Detained For Illegal Reentry to the U.S.

Illegally re-entering the U.S. after having been denied admission or ordered removed (deported) is a federal felony offense. Here's what to expect and some options you may have available.

Eligibility to File for an I-212 Waiver to Reenter the U.S. After Deportation

Eligibility rules to apply for permission to reapply for admission into the United States after deportation or removal.