When a jail releases someone to ICE custody, the transfer typically happens quickly, often within hours to a few days of the court order. ICE does not always announce when they will pick someone up, and the process is not publicly tracked in real time. The jail will hold the person until ICE arrives to take custody.
Once ICE takes over, what happens next depends on several factors including the person's immigration history, how long they have been in the country, whether they have any prior deportation orders on record, and whether they have any legal basis to contest removal.
The fact that your friend grew up here and attended school in Phoenix from kindergarten through high school is potentially relevant to an immigration defense. People who have been in the country since childhood may have legal avenues available, including DACA if they qualify, or a claim for cancellation of removal if they can demonstrate long-term residence, good moral character, and that removal would cause exceptional hardship to qualifying family members. None of these are automatic, but they are worth exploring immediately with an immigration attorney.
The DUI violation while on an ankle bracelet complicates the picture because it is a new offense that affects the immigration judge's assessment of the case.
Time matters here. Once ICE takes custody, deportation proceedings can move quickly. An immigration attorney needs to be involved as soon as possible to assess what options exist and file any necessary motions before a removal order becomes final. Contact an immigration legal aid organization in Phoenix immediately. The Florence Project is one organization that provides free immigration legal services to detained individuals in Arizona and is a direct resource for this situation.
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