More than $2 billion paid to bond people out of immigration detention; highest amount in Eloy

A recent report by Syracuse University found that people who paid the bond for someone in detention in Eloy, posted nearly 23,000 bonds over seven years, totaling nearly $185 million.

Immigration and Customs Enforcement require the bonds as collateral to ensure released migrants will comply with court hearings and requirements. If they do, the bond is returned. A small percentage of the bonds are also returned if the migrant proves they have left the country.

Despite the high collective total, the median bond amount in Eloy was relatively low at $3,000 compared to other locations.

In Florence, Arizona, people paid nearly $84 million in bonds in that same seven year period, which ended in December 2023.