Online ICE detainee locator system, ICE phone numbers, 6 Free legal help groups, maps to all detention facilities, and immigration inmate visitation programs in 2022.
This guide explains how to find and visit a loved one in ICE custody, how the ICE detainee locator system works and where to find Free legal help.
Freedom for Immigrants operates visitation programs at 55 immigrant prisons and jails in 23 states staffed with over 1,500 visitor volunteers. This dedicated group seeks to end the isolation and abuse of people in immigration detention.
The US immigration detention system includes more than 200 immigrant prisons and jails operated by a mix of government entities and private companies.
According to Federal government data, the states with the most immigration detentions are: Texas (15,800/day), California (6,500/day), Arizona (3,900/day) and Georgia (3,700/day).
ICE detainee locator: Immigration detainee locator
The U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) Online Detainee Locator System (ODLS) can locate immigration detainees in ICE custody that are 18 years or older.
ICE offers two methods to search the immigration detainee locator database:
1) Search by A-number
You can search by the Alien Registration Number. The A-Number is a unique eight- or nine-digit number assigned to a noncitizen at the time their A-File is created.
An A-Number is the letter “A” followed by eight or nine numbers (such as A012345678). If they are a permanent resident (green card holder), the number will be on their green card.
2) Search by biological information
To search by name, a detainee’s first and last names are required and must be an exact match (e.g., John Doe will not find Jon Doe or John Doe-Smith).
If you cannot find them, try various misspellings, versions, reversed names or adding/removing a hypen “-” if appropriate for their name (i.e. “Jose Ignacio Gonzalez” vs “Jose Ignacio-Gonzalez”). You are required to provide the detainee’s Country of Birth.
ICE hold immigration inmate search
If a foreign national has an “ICE hold,” “immigration hold” or “immigration detainer” on them while in state or federal custody, they generally will not be released until the matter is resolved or bonded in a US immigration court.
Once an inmate has been transferred to federal ICE custody they can be located via the ICE locator. If not yet in ICE custody, you will need to perform an inmate search in the local county jail system they are held in.
Click this button to launch the online Detainee Locator on ICE.gov:
The Online ICE Detainee Locator will return “Not in Custody” if the detainee has been released or deported in the last 60 days.
The detainee locator works for ALL ICE detention facilities nationwide, including those located in Arizona, California, Georgia, Louisiana, Texas and all other states.
ICE brochure explaining the ICE Online Detainee Locator System →
Folleto del Sistema Localizador de Detenidos en Línea (español) →
ICE detention facilities: ice.gov/detention-facilities
ICE main website: ice.gov
ICE detainee locator: locator.ice.gov
Los Angeles Criminal Defense Attorney →
USA.gov Deportation Process Information →
ICE immigration detainee locator phone number
The national ICE detainee locator phone number is (855) 448-6903 and the number for each region is listed below. If you know the region a detainee is held in, use the regional office contact info.
The regional Enforcement & Removal Operations field office numbers are as follows:
ARIZONA | (602) 766-7030
2035 N Central Avenue, Phoenix, AZ 85004
Area of responsibility: Arizona
Email: Phoenix.Outreach@ice.dhs.gov
CALIFORNIA: Los Angeles | (213) 830-7911
300 North Los Angeles St. Room 76314, Los Angeles, CA, 90012
Area of Responsibility: Los Angeles County, Orange County, Riverside County, San Bernardino County, Santa Barbara County, San Luis Obispo County and Ventura County.
Email: LosAngeles.Outreach@ice.dhs.gov
CALIFORNIA: San Diego | (619) 436-0410
880 Front Street #2232, San Diego, CA, 92101
Area of Responsibility: San Diego and Imperial County
Email: SanDiego.Outreach@ice.dhs.gov
CALIFORNIA: San Francisco | (415) 844-5512
630 Sansome Street Rm 590, San Francisco, CA, 94111
Area of Responsibility: Northern California, Hawaii, Guam, Saipan
Email: SanFrancisco.Outreach@ice.dhs.gov
COLORADO | (720) 873-2899
12445 E. Caley Avenue, Centennial, CO, 80111
Area of Responsibility: Colorado, Wyoming
Email: Denver.Outreach@ice.dhs.gov
FLORIDA | (954) 236-4900
865 SW 78th Avenue Suite 101, Plantation, FL, 33324
Area of Responsibility: Florida, Puerto Rico, U.S. Virgin Islands
Email: Miami.Outreach@ice.dhs.gov
GEORGIA | (404) 893-1210
180 Ted Turner Dr. SW Suite 522, Atlanta, GA, 30303
Area of Responsibility: Georgia, North Carolina, South Carolina
Email: Atlanta.Outreach@ice.dhs.gov
ILLINOIS | (312) 347-2400
101 W Ida B Wells Drive Suite 4000, Chicago, IL, 60605
Area of Responsibility: Illinois, Indiana, Wisconsin, Missouri, Kentucky, Kansas
Email: Chicago.Outreach@ice.dhs.gov
LOUISIANA | (504) 599-7800
1250 Poydras Suite 325, New Orleans, LA, 70113
Area of Responsibility: Alabama, Arkansas, Louisiana, Mississippi, Tennessee
Email: NewOrleans.Outreach@ice.dhs.gov
MASSACHUSETTS | (781) 359-7500
1000 District Avenue, Burlington, MA, 01803
Area of Responsibility: Connecticut, Maine, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Rhode Island, Vermont
Email: Boston.Outreach@ice.dhs.gov
MARYLAND | (410) 637-4000
31 Hopkins Plaza 6th Floor, Baltimore, MD, 21201
Area of Responsibility: Maryland
Email: Baltimore.Outreach@ice.dhs.gov
MICHIGAN | (313) 568-6049
333 Mt. Elliott St, Detroit, MI, 48207
Area of Responsibility: Michigan, Ohio
Email: Detroit.Outreach@ice.dhs.gov
MINNESOTA | (612) 843-8600
1 Federal Drive Suite 1601, Fort Snelling, MN, 55111
Area of Responsibility: Iowa, Minnesota, Nebraska, North Dakota, South Dakota
Email: StPaul.Outreach@ice.dhs.gov
NEW JERSEY | (973) 645-3666
970 Broad St. 11th Floor, Newark, NJ, 07102
Area of Responsibility: New Jersey
Email: Newark.Outreach@ice.dhs.gov
NEW YORK: Buffalo | (716) 464-5800
250 Delaware Avenue, Floor 7, Buffalo, NY, 14202
Area of Responsibility: Upstate New York
Email: Buffalo.Outreach@ice.dhs.gov
NEW YORK: New York City | (212) 264-4213
26 Federal Plaza 9th Floor, Suite 9-110, New York, NY, 10278
Area of Responsibility: The five boroughs (counties of NYC) and the following counties: Duchess, Nassau, Putnam, Suffolk, Sullivan, Orange, Rockland, Ulster, and Westchester
Email: NewYork.Outreach@ice.dhs.gov
PENNSYLVANIA | (215) 656-7164
114 North 8th Street, Philadelphia, PA, 19107
Area of Responsibility: Delaware, Pennsylvania, West Virginia
Email: Philadelphia.Outreach@ice.dhs.gov
TEXAS: Dallas | (214) 424-7800
8101 N. Stemmons Frwy, Dallas, TX, 75247
Area of Responsibility: North Texas, Oklahoma
Email: Dallas.Outreach@ice.dhs.gov
TEXAS: El Paso | (915) 225-1901/1941
11541 Montana Ave Suite E, El Paso, TX, 79936
Area of Responsibility: West Texas, New Mexico
Email: ElPaso.Outreach@ice.dhs.gov
TEXAS: Houston | (281) 774-4816
126 Northpoint Drive, Houston, TX, 77060
Area of Responsibility: Southeast Texas
Email: Houston.Outreach@ice.dhs.gov
TEXAS: San Antonio | (210) 283-4750
1777 NE Loop 410 Floor 15, San Antonio, TX, 78217
Area of Responsibility: Central South Texas
Email: SanAntonio.Outreach@ice.dhs.gov
UTAH | (801) 886-7400
2975 Decker Lake Dr Suite 100, West Valley City, UT, 84119-6096
Area of Responsibility: Utah, Idaho, Montana, Nevada
Email: SaltLakeCity.Outreach@ice.dhs.gov
VIRGINIA | (703) 285-6200
2675 Prosperity Avenue 3rd Floor, Fairfax, VA, 20598-5216
Area of Responsibility: District of Columbia and Virginia
Email: Washington.Outreach@ice.dhs.gov
WASHINGTON | (206) 835-0650
12500 Tukwila International Blvd, Seattle, WA, 98168
Area of Responsibility: Alaska, Oregon, Washington
Email: Seattle.Outreach@ice.dhs.gov
Map of all U.S. immigration detention locations
Freedom for Immigrants visits and monitors 55 immigrant prisons and jails throughout the US and runs a national hotline for detained immigrants.
The following comprehensive map shows all US immigration detention facilities and visitation programs on one map including:
- Community led visitation programs
- ICE-operated detention facilities
- Privately operated immigrant prisons
- Federal bureau of prisons facilities with ICE detention
- County and city operated immigrant jails
For information about visitation programs, visit Freedom for Immigrants →
Video about US detention system
Learn about the history, laws and realities of the US immigration detention system in this 5-minute video.
Free legal help organizations for immigrants
1) Immigrant Families Together
Immigrant Families Together (IFT) is a non-profit network of Americans committed to rapid response unification of families separated by the ‘zero tolerance’ policy. IFT has mobilized to help parents currently detained through the following immediate actions:
- Raising of bond funds through coordinated crowdfunding and individual giving in order to post bond for parents separated from their children at the US/Mexico Border. Bonds have recently been averaging $15,000 to $30,000 each, instead of the typical $1,500.
- Paying bonds and providing pro bono legal representation to fulfill all legal responsibilities while awaiting trial so that they may be with their children.
- Arranging safe transportation from state of detention to the city where children are currently in foster care.
- When needed, finding longterm housing in the destination city while they await trial.
- Connecting parents in cities with resources in order to sustain them during the process of being unified with their children.
- Working with local organizations and government to expedite the process of achieving full custody of their children while they await trial.
IFT is also creating a toolkit to allow other concerned citizens to replicate their model in order to help bring parents back to their children across the country as quickly as possible.
2) Florence Immigrant and Refugee Rights Project
The Florence Immigrant and Refugee Rights Project is a non-profit providing free legal services to men, women and unaccompanied minors in immigration custody in Arizona. According to the organization, an estimated 86 percent of those detained in Arizona would have no legal representation without their assistance.
3) Lutheran Immigration and Refugee Service
The Lutheran Immigration and Refugee Service (LIRS) has helped over 500,000 migrants and refugees build their lives in America. The organization has made a profound difference in the lives of hundreds of thousands of people who have sought safety and hope in America’s communities.
American Lutherans have deep immigrant roots and a passionate commitment to welcoming newcomers, especially those most vulnerable and in need. LIRS’s faith based organization partners with community-based legal and social service providers nationwide, to help people caught in conflict and facing persecution.
4) RAICES
The Refugee and Immigrant Center for Education and Legal Services (RAICES) is a Texas-based non-profit committed to reuniting immigrant families and helping children feel safe. The agency provides free and low-cost legal services to immigrant families to ensure fair treatment under US law.
RAICES aims to “directly fund the bond necessary to get parents out of detention and reunited with their children while awaiting court proceedings” and “ensure legal representation for EVERY child in Texas’ immigration courts.” In 2017, RAICES staff closed 51,000 immigration cases at no cost to their clients.
5) Miles 4 Migrants
The innovative non-profit Miles 4 Migrants provides airfare to reunite separated immigrant families and relatives. They have collected more than 5.8 million airline frequent flier miles which are used to purchase airline tickets.
6) KIND
Microsoft and Angelina Jolie have partnered to create Kids in Need of Defense (KIND), a non-profit focused on protecting unaccompanied children who enter the US immigration system alone to ensure that no child appears in court without an attorney. They strive for fundamental fairness through high-quality legal representation and by advancing the child’s best interests, safety, and well-being.
US immigration & customs
US CITIZENSHIP & IMMIGRATION SERVICES
USCIS Los Angeles
300 N Los Angeles St, Los Angeles, CA 90012
800-375-5283
USCIS has California offices in Fresno, Imperial, Los Angeles, Sacramento, San Bernardino, San Diego, Chatsworth, San Francisco, Santa Clara and Santa Ana
Customer Service: 800-375-5283
Main website: uscis.gov
USCIS office locator
US CUSTOMS & BORDER PROTECTION
CBP Headquarters Washington DC
1300 Pennsylvania Ave NW, Washington DC, 20229
Info Center: 877-227-5511, 202-325-8000
Main website: cbp.gov
Office locator: cbp.gov/contact//ports
CBP detainee locator →
Court locations
US IMMIGRATION COURTS
Department of Justice, Executive Office for Immigration Review
Main court website: justice.gov/eoir
Court information: justice.gov/eoir/about/-office
Court locations: justice.gov/eoir/eoir-immigration-court-listing
US FEDERAL COURTS
Main court website: uscourts.gov
Court information: uscourts.gov/about/-federal-courts/court-role-and-structure/comparing-federal-state-courts
Court locator: uscourts.gov/court-locator
CALIFORNIA STATE COURTS
Main court website: courts.ca.gov
Court information: courts.ca.gov/2113.htm
Court locator: courts.ca.gov/find-my-court.htm
Long Beach criminal attorney
LOS ANGELES COUNTY SUPERIOR COURTS
Main court website: lacourt.org
Court self help information: lacourt.org/selfhelp/selfhelp.aspx
Court locator: lacourt.org/courthouse
Los Angeles mugshots
ORANGE COUNTY SUPERIOR COURTS
Main court website: occourts.org
Court self help information: occourts.org/self-help/SelfHelpMain.html
Court locator: occourts.org/locations/
ARIZONA STATE COURTS
Main court website: azcourts.gov
Court information: azcourts.gov/AZ-Courts
Court locator: azcourts.gov/AZ-Courts/AZ-Courts-Locator
ADC inmate search: corrections.az.gov/public-resources/inmate-datasearch
FLORIDA STATE COURTS
Main court website: flcourts.org
Court information: flcourts.org/florida-courts/
Court locations: flcourts.org/florida-courts/locations/court-locations.stml
TEXAS STATE COURTS
Main court website: txcourts.gov
Court information: txcourts.gov/about/-texas-courts
Court locator: maps.txcourts.gov
Texas detention center: ice.gov/detention-facility/south-texas-detention-complex