A Midwest Bond Fund Is Helping Detained Chicago Immigrants Return To Their Families

The Midwest Immigration Bond Fund assists detained immigrants in Illinois, Indiana, Wisconsin, and Kentucky by helping them pay bond amounts ranging from $1,500 to $50,000. Created by a coalition of attorneys, the nonprofit addresses the surge in immigration enforcement, with over 3,000 arrests reported since operations Midway Blitz and At Large began in September. Alejandra Oliva, co-vice president of the fund, emphasizes the importance of community contributions to make bond payments feasible. Unlike other bonds, immigrants must pay the full bond to be released, leading the fund to operate on a revolving basis to help multiple detainees. Advocates argue that releasing immigrants on bond improves their ability to access medical care, food, and legal counsel without restrictions.

U. S. District Judge Robert Gettleman criticized the conditions at the Broadview ICE facility, calling them "disgusting" and "unacceptable. " Many detainees are transferred out of state, complicating family contact and access to legal support. The fund's mission has grown more challenging under the Trump administration's immigration policies, which now deny bond hearings to those who entered the U.

S. without permission.