What Should You Do If You Are Detained At The Airport?
When an immigrant is detained at the airport, there are certain actions that they can, and should, take. By doing so, they will have an easier time entering the United States or, depending on their status, remaining in the United States.
Why Are Immigrants Detained At The Airport?
Every now and then, an immigrant is detained at the airport. The reason why an immigrant might be detained at the airport is almost always due to a belief, on the part of the individual who has detained the immigrant, that the immigrant is a public safety threat.
Some of the most common reasons why an immigrant might be detained at the airport, with regards to them being perceived as a public safety threat, are as follows:
- The immigrant has committed a crime.
- The immigrant has missed previous immigration hearing dates.
- The immigrant has a significant deportation record.
- The immigrant arrived at a U.S. border checkpoint without previously applying for a visa.
- The immigrant arrived at a U.S. border checkpoint without previously applying for asylum.
Every single one of the circumstances above, if present, can lead to an immigrant being detained at the airport.
What Should You Do If You Are Detained At The Airport?
No matter the specific reasons why an immigrant has been detained, there are certain actions that every immigrant can, and should, take.
Ask To Speak With An Immigration Lawyer
Right away, the first thing that a detained immigrant should do is ask to speak with an immigration lawyer. By doing so, an immigrant will then be able to speak with an immigration lawyer who can assist them in dealing with their case.
Every single immigrant, within the United States, has the right to speak with an immigration lawyer. But, unlike citizens, they do not have a right to government-appointed legal assistance, which means that they will need to hire their own lawyer.
Right after obtaining a lawyer, an immigrant should clarify every single detail of their case. A failure to do so can negatively affect an immigrant’s ability to enter/remain in the United States.
Refuse To Take A Voluntary Departure
Every immigrant will be given the option to take a voluntary departure. Even though this option may be tempting, it is unwise to take a voluntary departure.
The reason why it is unwise to take a voluntary departure is because signing it can prevent an immigrant from either obtaining legal status as an immigrant or, even, entering the United States in the future.
Contact Your Family
Every immigrant has the right to contact an immigration lawyer, as well as the right to contact their family. Given the circumstances, it is almost always wise for an immigrant to contact their family and inform them of the situation.
The act of contacting one’s family can allow the family to support the immigrant, in whatever ways they can, while also giving the immigrant, and their family, some peace of mind.
Speak With An Immigration Lawyer
No immigrant wants to be detained at the airport but, sometimes, that’s what happens. Regardless of the circumstances behind one’s detainment, the best thing to do is to speak with a Houston immigration lawyer at BBA Immigration as soon as possible.
Sources:
americanimmigrationcouncil.org/topics/right-counsel
justice.gov/eoir/page/file/1480811/download
