Q&A

 

 

My brother, who is from El Salvador, was recently picked up by ICE. He has no papers in this country, and is young and unmarried. We expect he will have to go back to our country, but how quickly will this happen?

 

Answer:

 

Even if it is true that your brother has no choice but to leave the U.S., how soon this happens depends on a number of factors, such as:

•Whether he has been ordered removed before. If so, the immigration authorities
  can simply act on that previous order of removal and send him back to El Salvador
  right away.

 

•How long he has been in the United States. If it is for fewer than two years,

  he may be subject to “expedited  removal,” meaning that he can be deported

  very quickly without a hearing before an immigration judge. If, on the other hand,

  he has been in the U.S. for ten or more years, has been of good moral character,

  and can show that his deportation would cause “exceptional and extremely unusual

  hardship” to a qualifying relative(s) who is (or are) U.S. citizens or lawful permanent 

  residents, he may qualify for “cancellation of removal” or a green card.

 

•How far from the U.S. border he was when picked up. If he was within 100 miles,

  and cannot show that he entered the U.S. more than less than 14 days before the

  arrest date, he may also be subject to expedited removal, and will not

  receive a hearing.

 

•Whether he fears persecution or torture in El Salvador. If so, he might avoid

  the effects of expedited removal, and be able to present a case for asylum,

  withholding of removal, or Convention Against Torture relief before an immigration

  judge. See “Asylum & Refugee Status” for more information on this.

 

•Whether he would prefer to leave voluntarily, without the hassle of further proceedings.

  See “Voluntary Departure: Who Is Eligible?” for more information on this option,

  which avoids the effects of a removal order, such as a long-term bar to future U.S.

  immigration.

 

•Whether he is placed into removal proceedings before an immigration judge. If so,

  see “Judge's Decision in Immigration Court: How Long It Will Take to Get” for

  further analysis of the likely timing. As you can see, dealing with deportation

  proceedings is a highly complex area of immigration law, and getting your brother

  in contact with an experienced immigration attorney would be well worth your while.