Which document is used to initiate removal proceedings against an alien?

• A. Warrant of Removal/ Deportation
• B. Report of Investigation
• C. Warrant for Arrest of Alien
• D. Order to Detain or Release Alien

Answer: (A)

The key idea here is that the government uses a formal instrument to start the removal process for someone in the country. A Warrant of Removal/Deportation is the document that officially orders the individual’s removal and sets the proceedings in motion. It signals that removal actions are authorized and outlines the next steps the agency will take—moving toward hearings, detention if needed, and actual removal if the person is found removable.

This differs from a Report of Investigation, which is simply a record of findings from an inquiry and does not initiate removal actions. A Warrant for Arrest of Alien would authorize apprehension, but it doesn’t itself initiate the removal proceedings that follow—those proceedings start as the removal process moves forward. An Order to Detain or Release Alien concerns custody decisions during proceedings rather than starting the removal process itself.