Roberto 2.

Roberto 2.

Roberto is in a county jail.  An immigration judge has set his bond at $3500.  His family set out immediately to raise that money; Roberto does not want to go back to Mexico.  He also needed extra money to exist in the county jail.  He called his cousin and gave her the address.  Jails vary in the way inmates receive money;  this one wanted postal money orders.  In this state inmates need money.  The greatest need is for underwear.  The person enters jail with only one pair and is not given another one.  They need to buy additional sets if clothes are ever to be washed.  This week the family has raised the needed bond money.  I called the Chicago immigration office for them.  I kept pushing buttons until I was talking to a real officer who could help me.  This is the first time I wasn’t talking to a machine and the officer was even polite.  He gave me a direct number – give that man a raise.  We were to call 24 hours before we wanted Roberto and the agency would transfer him to Chicago.  The family has to arrive early with money and identification indicating that someone is a citizen.  It takes two hours to type the necessary forms to let someone out on bond.  I hope that this doesn’t backfire for the family.