Raul Raagas, 62, a longtime Jersey City resident who has been detained by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) since July 24 was granted bond on September 30, 2026.
This was according to a statement issued by Jersey City Councilman-at-Large Rolando Lavarro Jr. and New York State Assemblymember Steven Raga.
The two officials released the following joint statement after Immigration Judge Larry Downend of the LaSalle Immigration Court granted the bond to Raagas.
“We welcome today’s decision to grant Raul Raagas bond. After nearly 10 weeks in ICE detention, Raul is finally one step closer to being reunited with his wife, Janet, and their children.
“We thank Immigration Judge Larry Downend for granting Raul bond and acknowledging the significant community support behind him. The judge cited Raul’s 30 years in the community, U.S. citizen children, lawful permanent resident spouse, decades of work in the same industry, and more than 30 years of paying taxes as factors weighing in Raul’s favor. The outpouring of support from family, neighbors, advocates, and elected officials speaks to the life Raul has built and the deep roots he has established in Jersey City.
“We are especially grateful to Raul’s counsel of record, Joelle Lingat, staff attorney with the American Friends Service Committee, for her tireless work on his behalf; Tanggol Migrante Northeast and the many community advocates who stood alongside Raul and his family throughout this ordeal and Envision Freedom Fund for facilitating his bond.
“We also thank the congressional, state, county and city offices in New Jersey and New York that responded to our urgent appeal for assistance on behalf of Raul and his family, especially those of Senators Andy Kim, Cory Booker, Chuck Schumer, and Kirsten Gillibrand, and Representatives Rob Menendez, LaMonica McIver, Grace Meng, Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, Nydia Velázquez, Hakeem Jeffries and Dan Goldman.
“Closer to home, we are grateful to Mayor James Solomon, Assemblywoman Katie Brennan, Hudson County Commissioner Bill O’Dea, and Jersey City Councilmembers Eleana Little, Jake Ephros and Joel Brooks for their support of Raul and his family.
“Today’s decision marks an important step, but Raul’s immigration proceedings are not over. We will continue to stand with him and his family as he pursues his case while remaining with his loved ones in Jersey City.
“Despite this administration’s claims that its immigration crackdown targets threats to public safety, Raul’s case reflects the reality of ICE detention: the majority of those detained have no criminal convictions. They are being held in horrific conditions, with reports of overcrowding, medical neglect, and more than 50 deaths in ICE custody since January 2025. These are our neighbors, our coworkers, and members of our communities whose families are being torn apart. We will continue to fight for immigrant justice, due process, and an end to the cruel separation of families like Raul’s.”
Raagas was stopped for a minor traffic infraction July 24, 2026, while driving to work in Kearny, New Jersey. He was taken to an ICE processing center and then transferred to the CoreCivic Elizabeth Detention Center in Elizabeth, N.J., where he remained in custody until August 21, 2026. He was later transferred to the County Detention Center in Mississippi.
