There are 4 field offices for ICE that cover different parts of Illinois. In order to post the bond of an immigration detainee within the Chicago district, you will need to notify Chicago ICE at least one day in advance of when you plan to post the bond. You will need to call ICE at 312-347-2400 or go to the ICE/ERO office in person (address below). 

In order to reach the appropriate officer, you will need to know the immigrant’s USCIS number (also referred to as A-number, alien number, or alien registration number). Once you reach the officer, give the officer the immigrant’s full USCIS number and state when you plan to post the bond. 

If you reach the officer’s voicemail, leave a message with the USCIS number and your name and contact information. Also, state when you plan to post the bond. The officer should call you back to confirm that the immigrant will be brought in for release upon payment of bond. ICE will not allow you to post the bond if the immigrant has not been brought in for release.

Bond payments must be in the form of bank certified checks or U.S. postal money orders; personal checks are not allowed. Payment should be made to “U.S. Department of Homeland Security.” The person posting the bond (the obligor) should be the same as the person named as payor on the check or money order. The obligor/payor must be a U.S. citizen or lawful permanent resident and will need to bring proof of citizenship or residency in order to post the bond and sign as obligor. 

Bond is posted at the window of the ICE/ERO Chicago office, located on the 4th floor of 101 W. Ida B. Wells Drive, Chicago, IL 60605. As it sometimes takes several hours for ICE to process the bond payment, it is recommended that you go early in the morning – around 8a.m. – and be prepared to wait. Once the bond is processed, the immigrant – who should already be present at 101 W. Congress – will be released. The person posting the bond will have to sign a document with ICE; make sure to keep a copy of the document that you sign in a safe place, as you will need this later when requesting that bond money be returned to you. 

Once bond is posted and an immigrant is released, it is very important that the immigrant change their mailing address with the immigration court, as all future hearing notices will be send to them via mail. If the immigrant misses their court hearing, they will be removed in their absence. The immigrant should complete Form EOIR-33 and mail this form to the Immigration Court at 525 W. Van Buren St., Ste. 500, Chicago, IL 60607, with a copy to DHS/ICE Office of Chief Counsel at Ste. 701 of the same building.