Florida judge denies TV host's bid for immediate release
A federal magistrate ruled that the broadcaster must wait for a bond hearing, citing specific immigration code violations from her 2021 entry.
By Andrew Kovalenko ·
Inés Gómez Mont remains in federal immigration custody in Florida after a judge rejected her legal team's attempt to secure an immediate release. The ruling, issued on Thursday, November 5, leaves the Mexican television presenter at the Broward Transitional Center in Pompano Beach. Her lawyers had filed a habeas corpus petition to challenge the legality of her October 30 arrest, but the court determined that this specific legal tool was not the correct path to freedom.
Judge Jeffrey T. Kuntz of the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Florida issued the decision. He explained that the proper next step for her defense is to request a hearing to review the conditions of her detention. At that hearing, the court can consider releasing her upon the payment of a bond. This procedural decision does not resolve the underlying immigration claims or the separate legal matters she faces in Mexico.
The detention stems from two specific violations of U.S. immigration law cited in her judicial file. Agents from U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement arrested her in Miami on Friday, October 30. The first charge falls under Section 1182(a)(6)(A)(i), which covers individuals who enter or remain in the country without being admitted or inspected by immigration authorities. The second charge, under Section 1182(a)(7)(A)(i)(I), relates to the failure to possess the required entry documents.
According to the court documents, Gómez Mont entered the United States in July 2021. The filing states she did not undergo a formal immigration inspection at that time. Since then, she has remained in the country. Her lawyers argued for a review of her status through the habeas corpus process, but the judge maintained that a bond hearing is the standard mechanism for challenging detention conditions in these cases.
Gómez Mont has been held at the Broward Transitional Center since her initial arrest in Miami. The facility is located in Pompano Beach, Florida. The judge's order clarifies the procedural route for her case without making a final determination on her long-term immigration status. Her legal team must now prepare for the upcoming hearing where they can present arguments regarding her bond eligibility.
The decision highlights the technical nature of immigration detention cases. While the habeas corpus petition was denied, the judge's guidance provides a clear timeline for the next legal action. Gómez Mont’s case is currently focused on her status in the United States, distinct from the allegations she may face in her home country. The court’s ruling keeps her detention status quo until the defense files for the specific hearing requested by the magistrate.
