Freedom isn’t free, literally, for some immigrants arrested at the hands of ICE agents in New York.
amNewYork has learned that some of those detained by the federal agency are required to pay thousands of dollars to be released from custody — and wear tracking devices like hardened criminals, even if they don’t have a criminal record.
An Ecuadorian man who asked to remain unnamed while his open immigration case unfolds stood with his wife, Gloria, as he showed amNewYork a GPS monitor wrapped around his ankle.
This partial freedom came with a significant cost to the family — $20,000 — despite the man having no criminal record.
Gloria’s husband arrived in the US from Ecuador in 2023. When he walked into an immigration appointment in Malta, NY, he thought he was following the rules and complying with the law. Instead, ICE took him into custody — and he was detained in Batavia, NY, for a month.
After that, Gloria’s husband was transferred across five states and released only after his wife raised the $20,000 needed for his release through charitable contributions. The man’s release, however, came with the condition that he wear an ankle monitor at all times.
Usually, in the American criminal justice system, such requirements are reserved for those accused of serious crimes, such as organized crime bosses. Gloria’s husband is at a loss as to why he and many other immigrants released by ICE must be monitored in such a fashion.
“I haven’t killed anyone to wear this. This is a little uncomfortable. We’re not doing anything wrong to have this shackle on. It cost us so much money, I don’t know why they treat us like this,” he said.
With tears welling in his eyes, he recalled the hardship.
“The judge told me to come back with the evidence by 2027. I was confident about that; I showed up at all the court hearings, and I left confidently with the seal the judge gave me. I arrived with what I had to present, gave them the papers, and they told me it was worthless,” the man said in Spanish. “They gave me food, you have to eat because of hunger. But someone who hasn’t done anything in this country who came here isn’t worth the treatment they gave us. And the bail was a lot of money.”
An abnormal bond for releasing a man without a criminal history
Nneka Jackson, an immigration attorney, explained that bonds are a normal procedure used to ensure a person’s return to court. Yet high amounts, such as in the case of Gloria’s husband, are not normal for a person without a criminal record. She believes that judges are now asking for higher bonds to avoid incurring the government’s wrath.
“Paying a bond is normal. The bond amount, paying $20,000 with no criminal record, and you know, you have a history of showing up, that is a little egregious, but the court does have technically the authority to do so,” Jackson explained. “I think a lot of judges are scared of losing their jobs, so if they are giving bond out, they want to make sure that they are not making this administration and the government angry.”
Gloria recalled the legal, emotional, and financial struggle to secure her husband’s release. She had to ask others for help; many refused to do so.
“Filing a bail motion is a tough process; you need a lot of documents. Nowadays, it’s a very delicate thing that no one wants to do. Many people told me, ‘I don’t know him, what if he does something, I have to protect my home and my family,’” she said.
Jackson told amNewYork that while paying bonds is a normal process, she has only experienced the fixture of an ankle monitor under the Trump administration.
“When I did bond, prior to this administration, none of my clients had to wear ankle monitors. I think a lot of judges are granting bond with the requirement of an income monitor so that DHS won’t oppose or appeal their bond,” Jackson added.
During amNewYork’s interview with the couple earlier this week, Gloria’s husband held his wife’s hand — stating that he still felt terrified of being detained by ICE again. Even as he spoke, he looked pensively around his surroundings.
With a voice trembling, he said he was afraid to speak about his experience in the detention center since his case is still ongoing. As his case moves forward, he says he is putting all of his faith in a higher power.
“Trust in God. God has the final say,” he said.
