In recent days, immigration agents on highways across America have arrested at least twenty Serbian truck drivers, causing great concern and fear in the Serbian community, especially in Chicago and its surroundings, where most of the arrested and their families live.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
These families, as well as many of our people without American \u201cpapers,\u201d are turning to lawyers for professional help. We sought answers to their questions in a conversation with one of the most renowned immigration attorneys from our region, Filip \u010ci\u010devaliev, who has years of experience behind him.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
At the start of his interview with Serbian Times, he emphasized that a large number of our people have been detained and that reports of new arrests keep coming in\u2026<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u2013 I advise my clients who drive trucks that even if they have a valid work permit, they should not go on the road. They should stay put and try to find another job until the situation calms down. Conflicting information is coming in that people in pending processes and with valid work permits, and without criminal records, have been arrested and detained. My colleagues who work on detention cases confirm this.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
This is all new, and no one knows the legal grounds for these arrests. The worst part is that nobody knows how long these federal agents\u2019 actions will last. Be cautious even when walking on the street or driving a car, because you can be stopped for a broken light, an accent, or simply because you look different. In any case, I advise you to always carry the phone number of a lawyer who handles detention cases.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u010ci\u010devaliev adds that he advises those who seek his help, as well as his fellow attorneys, to try to get their clients released from detention as soon as possible through bail.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u2013 This is very important if the arrested person is in procedures for a green card or asylum. The Trump administration ordered that courts resolve detention cases within 60 days, and non-detention cases within 365 days. When bail is granted, the court also issues an order that these people cannot be arrested again before the trial.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Otherwise, they will spend an indefinite amount of time in immigration detention, as the number of cases is enormous, while the number of judges has been reduced, which causes regular procedures to be postponed indefinitely. The problem is that, according to my information, authorities are reluctant to grant bail, so most of the arrested remain behind bars.<\/p>\n\n\n\n