When ICE (Immigration and Customs Enforcement) detains someone, it may set a bond — a sum of money paid directly to ICE before the individual is released. Detainees can also request a bond hearing before an immigration judge, who may lower or modify the amount. ICE bond amounts commonly range from $1,500 to $25,000, with many set between $5,000 and $15,000. For families already under financial strain, these sums are often impossible to raise quickly.

Unlike the criminal legal system, people in ICE detention have no constitutional right to a government-appointed attorney. Without access to counsel — and without the ability to fight their case from outside detention — many people accept deportation orders simply because they cannot afford to stay and fight.

The average length of ICE detention has grown significantly in recent years. Many people are held for months or longer, separated from children, spouses, and employers, while their cases work through an overwhelmed immigration court system.

Non-profit ICE bond funds fill a critical gap: they pay the bond to ICE on behalf of detained individuals, allowing release while the case is pending. When a person attends all of their court hearings — which the vast majority do — the bond money is returned to the fund and can be recycled to help the next person. Your donation is not consumed; it circulates.

Every organization listed in this directory is a non-profit or community-run fund focused specifically on ICE bond assistance. Verify a fund's current activity and needs before donating, as circumstances change.