Unclear on the Concept of a Bail Bond

I guess I have a basic misunderstanding of how a bail bond works. I always thought that the bondsman put up a percentage of the bail to insure the charging jurisdiction that the offender wouldn't flee, then if the bailee didn't show up at the appointed date, the bondsman forfeited the rest of the money to the state/county or whatever.

Evidently, it doesn't work that way for illegals. It seems that judges routinely dismiss payment from bondsmen if the illegal doesn't show up. According to Keven Krause and Ed Timms, staff writers for The Dallas Morning News, bondsmen frequently have been forgiven the bonds when their clients didn't show up for court. 

For example, Act Quick Bail Bonds avoided forfeiture of a $10,000 bond on Samuel Ojeda when Act Quick told the judge Senor Ojeda was in Mexico. Senor Ojeda was charged with felony indecency with a child, and he remains a fugitive -- probably in the U.S. where he is still a danger to our children. Act Quick also avoided a $15,000 forfeiture by arguing that the defendant, Alessandro Limongi, was in the Philippines, and the judge could extradite him if he wanted to. If I were the judge, I'd make Act Quick pay AND extradite. Act Quick insures the defendant will show up -- not that they'll tell you where he is so you can go get him!

"Illegally in, off hook for debt." The Dallas Morning News; September 2, 2012; p. 1A.