Frequently Asked Questions
Contacting ProBAR
The best way to reach us is by telephone. Please call our office if you, or someone you know, needs information or assistance in the Rio Grande Valley at 956-365-3775 or in the Houston area at 713-936–5873.
We can be reached on our main phone line 956-365-3775. People detained at the Port Isabel Detention Center, El Valle Detention Facility, or the East Hidalgo Detention Center may also follow these steps to call ProBAR for free:
- Dial 2 for Spanish
- Enter your pin
- Choose option 6
- Dial 5708#.
Questions about Immigration Court
Dial phone number 1-800-898-7180, and then press “2” for instructions in Spanish. The automated system will ask for your “A number”. Your “A number” is on your Notice to Appear, begins with the letter “A”, and is followed by nine numbers. It is possible that your court date has not been set when you call, so calling several times a week is recommended.
Complete the “Alien Change of Address Form” (Form EOIR-33/IC), and send a copy to the Court and the Department of Homeland Security. You may find the version of the form that corresponds to the court where your hearing is scheduled on this website.
If you need help requesting that your case be moved to another court, you may call our office at 956-365-3775. The process to request a change of court venue can vary depending on the specific requirements of each court and depending on whether the request is for an adult or a child. Therefore, we are better able to assist with additional information about “Changes of Venue” over the phone. For more information and to search for forms, visit https://www.justice.gov/eoir/self-help-materials.
Yes, you can represent yourself in immigration court. However, it is advisable to seek an attorney for advice and assistance. Many studies have found that immigrants represented by attorneys are far more likely to win relief from deportation.
Detention
For adults: You can use this website to locate someone who is currently in ICE custody: https://locator.ice.gov/odls/
For children: ORR operates a hotline seven days per week from 9am to 9pm Eastern Time, for parents seeking to locate their child in ORR care. The Parent Hotline number is 1-800-203-7001. If your child is 18 or over, they will be detained in ICE detention and you can locate them through this website: https://locator.ice.gov/odls/
Bonds for those detained by ICE may be posted at ICE ERO bond acceptance offices nationwide. For a list of ICE ERO bond acceptance offices, click here. The person who pays the bond must show proof of identity and lawful immigration status. For more information about the steps involved in paying bond for an adult detained by ICE, please call our office at 956-365-3775.
For adults:
- Complete grievance form(s) available at the center
- Make a free call to the Detainee Hotline operated by the American Bar Association from any detention center by dialing 2150#. The American Bar Association is an organization that works independently of ICE or the Immigration Court.
- Toll free ICE hotline: 855-448-6903
- To report mistreatment at PIDC, you may also call the Assistant Field Office Director: 956-547-1700
For children:
- Talk to a trusted shelter staff person
- Call the hotlines provided at the center
- Call ProBAR
- Call Texas Child Protective Services (CPS) to report abuse, neglect, or exploitation at 1-800-252-5400. If you are not reporting urgent or emergency situations, you may also report online using the Texas Abuse Hotline website.
Rights During Removal Proceedings
Yes, children have the right to receive an education in the United States, regardless of their immigration status, both while they are detained and while living in the community. Remember that each state requires that children study up to a particular age. You can find additional information about children’s rights to an education here.
Yes, you have the right to seek an immigration attorney to help you to fight against deportation; however, the government will not appoint nor pay the attorney. Remember that immigration attorneys and Department of Justice accredited representatives are the only people who can give you advice about your case and your eligibility for relief from deportation.
