Can a Facebook fundraiser really “reunite” immigrant families?

A Facebook fundraiser promising to “reunite” immigrant parents with their children has raised millions of dollars, but one attorney told ABC-7 that immigration cases are extremely complex and not always solved with more money.

Attorney Shane Jennings of Las Cruces told ABC-7 that undocumented immigrants who are apprehended at the border, with or without children, must face federal criminal charges.

“When it comes to criminal cases, they are nearly always, in every case, going to be detained with no bond,” Jennings told ABC-7.

His statement runs contrary to one of the goals of the fundraiser, which is to “directly fund bond to allow parents to reclaim their detained children.”

The attorney told ABC-7 that an undocumented adult facing federal criminal charges will likely not be granted bond, because the court system views them as a flight risk.

The first time an undocumented person is apprehended at the border, Jennings said they will face a misdemeanor charge at the federal level. After that first time, an undocumented person will face felony charges.

Representation for misdemeanor cases can run from $3,000 to $5,000, he said. Representation for felony cases can cost upwards of $20,000.

“If you’re from a modest means, it would be difficult,” Jennings said.

Millions of dollars will go toward RAICES of Texas (Refugee and Immigrant Center for Education and Legal Services. A spokesperson for the organization did not immediately return ABC-7’s request for comment.

According to the Department of Homeland Security, the number of immigration cases without representation has grown significantly in the past two years (data courtesy of TRAC).