It explains how to file a legal procedure known as habeas corpus in court, which requires the government to justify why it has imprisoned a person. Record number of petitions for releaseHabeas corpus has become one of migrants’ main legal tools during Trump’s second term in office. There are lawyers charging up to $6,000 to handle a habeas corpus case. The guide available on the Immigrant Defenders Law Center’s website begins by explaining what habeas corpus is and who can benefit from it. “If migrants do not file a habeas corpus, it is highly unlikely a judge will order a hearing to evaluate their release on bond, unless truly exceptional circumstances exist.