U.S. immigration authorities can release a noncitizen from custody with a Notice to Appear requiring the person to appear before an immigration judge rather than detaining them.
November 17, 2025
high
procedural
A Notice to Appear (NTA) is a charging document that initiates removal proceedings before an immigration judge and can be used in lieu of detention.
Withholding of removal is an immigration protection that bars the Department of Homeland Security from removing an individual to a country where the individual is likely to face persecution.
high
legal
Definition of the immigration status 'withholding of removal' and its effect on removal to a home country.
An immigration judge can order the removal (deportation) of a noncitizen from the United States, but a removal order does not always result in immediate departure if enforcement actions are not taken.
medium
legal
General observation about the difference between an ordering of removal by an immigration judge and the practical enforcement of that order.
Withholding of removal is a U.S. immigration protection that prevents deportation when an immigration judge determines an individual would face persecution or torture in the country of removal.
high
procedural
Describes the legal purpose and effect of withholding of removal in U.S. immigration proceedings.