Otay Mesa Detention Center Inmate Search & Info
Otay Mesa Detention Center Detainee Search, ICE Case & Family Information
Otay Mesa is not a San Diego County jail. If someone is held there by ICE, start with the federal Online Detainee Locator System, then use the person’s A-Number to check immigration court, legal-access and bond information.
Otay Mesa Detention Center Quick Information
ICE lists Otay Mesa under its San Diego Field Office. The physical facility is on Calzada de la Fuente near the Otay Mesa border area.
San Diego, CA 92154
How to Search for Someone at Otay Mesa Detention Center
ICE’s Online Detainee Locator System is the primary public search for people in ICE detention. ICE recommends searching with the person’s A-Number whenever you have it.
Open the ICE Online Detainee Locator
The locator searches people currently in ICE custody and certain people held by CBP for more than 48 hours.
Use the A-Number if possible
Enter the nine-digit A-Number and select the person’s country of birth. Add leading zeros if an older A-Number has fewer than nine digits.
Or search by biographical information
Enter the exact first name, exact last name and correct country of birth. Date of birth can help narrow the search.
Confirm the facility shown
Look for Otay Mesa Detention Center in San Diego before using this facility’s visitation, communication or mailing information.
Save the A-Number
The A-Number is also useful for immigration court case checks, attorney work and many ICE inquiries.
What Information Do You Need for the ICE Search?
The A-Number uniquely identifies the person, so this is generally the most precise search.
ICE requires the first and last name to match the detention record exactly.
| Search method | Required information | Important detail |
|---|---|---|
| A-Number | Nine-digit A-Number + country of birth | Add leading zeroes if the number has fewer than nine digits. |
| Name | Exact first name + exact last name + country of birth | A different spelling may return no result. |
| Birth date | Month, day and year when known | Useful for narrowing common-name results. |
Can’t Find the Person in the ICE Locator?
A failed search does not always mean the person is not detained. Processing delays, exact-name matching, agency custody and privacy restrictions can affect the result.
Recently detained
The person may not appear immediately while ICE or another agency completes processing and uploads custody information.
Under age 18
The ICE public locator does not return records for people under 18.
Another agency has custody
A person may instead be with CBP, the U.S. Marshals Service, a local jail or another federal agency.
You Located the Detainee. What Should You Do Next?
Finding the facility solves only the first problem. Save the A-Number, then check the immigration case, legal representation, bond eligibility and current communication rules.
It is the key identifier for many ICE and EOIR processes.
Use the A-Number to look for immigration court hearings and decisions.
Otay Mesa provides law-library access and legal visitation options.
Immigration bond is different from county criminal bail.
Call the facility before traveling because schedules can change.
Do not rely on old Otay Mesa mailing or payment sheets.
Otay Mesa Is an Immigration Detention Facility, Not a County Jail
This distinction changes almost every next step. ICE Enforcement and Removal Operations oversees immigration detention, while the U.S. Department of Justice’s EOIR operates the immigration court.
| Agency / facility | Main role |
|---|---|
| Otay Mesa Detention Center | Physical detention, visitation, facility services, mail and day-to-day custody operations. |
| ICE ERO | Immigration custody, detention, removal-related case administration and certain bond/parole matters. |
| EOIR Immigration Court | Immigration court proceedings, hearings and Immigration Judge decisions. |
| ICE OPLA | DHS legal office representing the government in immigration proceedings. |
| U.S. Marshals Service | Federal criminal detainees housed at the facility under separate custody arrangements. |
How to Check an Otay Mesa Immigration Court Case
The Otay Mesa Immigration Court is located at the same physical address as the detention center. EOIR’s Automated Case Information System is the practical first check for many immigration proceedings.
Open EOIR Automated Case Information
This is a Department of Justice system, separate from the ICE detainee locator.
Enter the A-Number
The current online system requests the A-Number and nationality.
Review the available case information
Depending on the case, EOIR may show hearing information, court location and case status.
Use the hearing notice as the controlling source
DOJ warns that court notices and official court documents remain the authoritative source for hearing information.
San Diego, CA 92154
Monday through Friday except federal holidays.
Immigration Bond at Otay Mesa
Immigration bond is not ordinary county-jail bail. Bond availability depends on immigration law, custody authority and the person’s case, so first determine whether ICE or an Immigration Judge can set or review bond.
It secures the person’s appearance and compliance after release from immigration custody.
Do not assume every ICE detainee is eligible for a bond hearing or release on bond.
ICE currently lists bond acceptance Monday–Friday except federal holidays.
Confirm that a bond has actually been authorized
Ask the legal representative, court or ICE case contact rather than assuming a bond from a third-party website.
Confirm the amount and bond type
The person posting the bond becomes the obligor and accepts responsibilities under the immigration bond agreement.
Use an ICE-authorized bond process
ICE provides bond acceptance through its official channels and ERO bond offices.
Keep every bond document
The obligor may need bond paperwork later for cancellation, refund or compliance issues.
San Diego, CA 92101 · 619-436-0410
Attorney Visits, Legal Calls and Law Library Access
Otay Mesa has dedicated legal-access resources for people in ICE custody. ICE’s published facility legal guide describes both in-person and virtual attorney visitation.
ICE’s legal resource guide lists in-person attorney access Monday–Sunday.
Verify before the visit because facility schedules can change.
Law library access
ICE’s Otay Mesa legal-resource guide describes computers in the main law library and housing units, access to legal forms and case law, and librarian support during the workweek.
Legal Orientation Program
The same ICE resource identifies the Immigration Justice Project of San Diego as the Legal Orientation Program provider and lists facility speed dial 9045# for program access.
Family and Friend Visitation
Otay Mesa has historically offered both video and contact visitation, but published schedules have changed over time. Confirm the current schedule directly with the facility before traveling.
Bring appropriate identification and follow current security instructions.
Confirm current minor-visitor documentation and supervision rules before arrival.
Before leaving home
- Confirm the person is still at Otay Mesa
- Ask whether the visit requires advance scheduling
- Confirm acceptable photo identification
- Ask how early visitors must arrive
- Check rules for minors
- Confirm what can enter the visiting area
- Ask whether contact or video visitation applies
- Check for temporary facility restrictions
Parents in ICE Custody and Visits With Minor Children
ICE publishes separate guidance for detained parents and legal guardians. It states that contact visits with minor children may be facilitated at ICE detention facilities subject to facility arrangements.
Locate the parent first
Use the ICE locator to confirm Otay Mesa is the current facility.
Contact the facility or San Diego ERO
Ask what type of parent-child visit can currently be arranged.
Get approval before bringing items
ICE advises families to obtain advance approval before bringing items such as books or toys for a visit.
Phone Calls and Emergency Messages
Detainees receive telephone access under ICE detention standards. Routine phone services and account vendors can change, so use the current facility instructions before adding funds.
Explain the emergency and provide a return number for verification.
Older Otay Mesa instructions state that verified emergency messages can be passed to a detainee so the person can return the call when security and facility operations permit.
How to Send Money to Someone at Otay Mesa
The current CoreCivic facility page provides separate money-transfer instructions for Western Union, ViaPath and lockbox deposits. Check the current facility page before sending funds because provider methods can change.
Use only the current instructions linked by the facility.
Verify the detainee identifier before completing payment.
Follow the current lockbox instructions exactly; do not improvise the address.
Sending Mail to an Otay Mesa Detainee
The facility’s current general mailing address is a San Diego post-office box, but older Otay Mesa detainee-mail instructions used a different box. Confirm the current detainee-mail routing before mailing personal correspondence.
P.O. Box 438150
San Diego, CA 92143-8150
7488 Calzada de la Fuente
San Diego, CA 92154
Information to have ready
- Detainee’s full legal name
- A-Number or federal register number
- Current facility name
- Correct current mail address
- Your full return address
- Current prohibited-item rules
Legal mail has additional protections under ICE detention standards. Attorneys should follow current Otay Mesa legal-mail and document-exchange instructions rather than routine social-mail procedures.
When to Contact ICE San Diego Instead of the Facility
The detention center handles day-to-day custody operations. ICE Enforcement and Removal Operations is the better route for immigration custody questions that facility staff cannot resolve.
ICE lists the San Diego Field Office as the ERO office responsible for this region.
Use ERO for issues such as:
- Unresolved detainee-location questions
- Obtaining the deportation officer contact
- Certain parole or bond-request questions
- Travel-document status
- Serious unresolved detention concerns
- Parent or dependent separation concerns
ICE Legal Office at Otay Mesa
ICE’s Office of the Principal Legal Advisor has an Otay Mesa location at the facility. This is the DHS legal office involved in immigration proceedings; it is not a legal-aid service for detainees or families.
PREA, Abuse Reports and Serious Detention Concerns
Otay Mesa publishes Prison Rape Elimination Act reporting information. ICE also operates a national detention reporting line for serious or unresolved concerns.
CoreCivic lists the facility number as a third-party PREA reporting route.
ICE’s national line can also take reports involving physical or sexual abuse, serious unresolved medical or mental-health issues, trafficking concerns and certain parental-interest problems.
Otay Mesa PREA InformationWho Owns and Operates Otay Mesa in 2026?
This changed recently. CoreCivic announced that the Otay Mesa facility property was sold to the United States, acting through the Department of Homeland Security, on July 2, 2026.
CoreCivic later said it expected to continue managing Otay Mesa under its existing ICE management arrangement, although contractual terms could be modified after the ownership change.
Otay Mesa Detention Center Location
The facility and Otay Mesa Immigration Court use the physical address 7488 Calzada de la Fuente, San Diego, CA 92154. Confirm the purpose of your visit before traveling because court, attorney and family-visit procedures are different.
Important Otay Mesa ICE Contacts
| Office | Contact | Best used for |
|---|---|---|
| Otay Mesa Detention Center | 619-671-8750 | Facility, visit, mail and day-to-day detention questions. |
| ICE San Diego ERO | 619-436-0410 | ICE custody, case routing and deportation-officer questions. |
| ICE DRIL | 1-888-351-4024 | Detention information, unresolved concerns and basic ICE assistance. |
| EOIR Case Hotline | 800-898-7180 | Automated immigration court case information. |
| Otay Mesa OPLA | 619-661-3940 | DHS legal office connected with immigration proceedings. |
| Virtual Attorney Visits | 619-671-8724 | Published ICE contact for virtual legal visitation. |
Official Resources for Otay Mesa Detainees and Families
Use these sources when you need live custody data, immigration case information or to complete an action. They also help avoid confusing ICE detention with a county jail.
Locate a person in ICE custody using A-Number or exact biographical information.
Official ICE facility listing for Otay Mesa and other immigration detention sites.
Current facility phone, money-transfer downloads, visitation resources and PREA information.
Check available immigration court case information using the A-Number.
Current court location, public hours and immigration court information.
ERO and OPLA contact information for the San Diego area.
Legal access, locating clients, document exchange and attorney visitation guidance.
Facility-specific legal-visit procedures and contact information.
Law-library, Legal Orientation Program and legal-access information for Otay Mesa.
Otay Mesa Detention Center FAQs
How do I find someone at Otay Mesa Detention Center?
Use ICE’s Online Detainee Locator System. The most precise method is the person’s nine-digit A-Number plus country of birth.
Is Otay Mesa Detention Center a San Diego County jail?
No. Otay Mesa is used for federal detention, including ICE immigration detention and U.S. Marshals custody. It is not part of the San Diego County jail system.
What is the Otay Mesa Detention Center phone number?
The current facility page lists 619-671-8750.
What is the physical address of Otay Mesa Detention Center?
ICE lists the facility at 7488 Calzada de la Fuente, San Diego, California 92154.
What information do I need for the ICE detainee search?
Search by A-Number and country of birth, or use the person’s exact first name, exact last name and country of birth. Birth date can help narrow results.
What if the A-Number has only eight digits?
ICE instructs users to add a zero at the beginning so the A-Number contains nine digits.
Why can’t I find someone in the ICE locator?
Check exact spelling and country of birth, try the A-Number if available and remember that newly detained people may not appear immediately. The public locator also does not show people under 18.
Who do I call if the ICE locator does not find the person?
Call the ICE Detention Reporting and Information Line at 1-888-351-4024 or contact the San Diego ERO Field Office at 619-436-0410.
How do I check an Otay Mesa detainee’s immigration court case?
Use EOIR’s Automated Case Information System with the person’s A-Number and nationality. The EOIR case hotline is 800-898-7180.
Where is the Otay Mesa Immigration Court?
The court is at 7488 Calzada de la Fuente, San Diego, CA 92154, the same physical address used for the detention facility.
Does the EOIR case-status system show immigration bond hearings?
No. EOIR specifically states that automated case information does not provide bond-hearing information. Contact the immigration court or legal representative for bond details.
Can an Otay Mesa detainee get an immigration bond?
Bond eligibility depends on the person’s immigration circumstances and legal authority governing detention. Some people may seek bond from ICE or an Immigration Judge, while others may not be eligible.
When can an authorized immigration bond be posted?
ICE currently states that ERO bond acceptance offices accept bonds Monday through Friday, except federal holidays, from 9 AM to 3 PM local time.
How do I visit someone at Otay Mesa?
Confirm current visitation procedures with the facility at 619-671-8750 before traveling. Publicly available Otay Mesa visitation documents include older schedules, so a current facility confirmation is important.
Can attorneys visit Otay Mesa detainees?
Yes. ICE provides in-person and virtual legal-access procedures. Its facility legal guide lists legal visitation seven days a week, but attorneys should verify current availability before the visit.
How do attorneys schedule a virtual legal visit?
ICE publishes OMDCLegalVisit@corecivic.com and 619-671-8724 for Otay Mesa virtual attorney visitation.
Does Otay Mesa have a law library?
Yes. ICE’s facility legal-resource guide describes a main law library plus legal-resource computers in housing areas, legal forms, case-law access and librarian support.
How do I send money to someone at Otay Mesa?
Use the current money-transfer instructions linked from the facility page. CoreCivic currently provides Western Union, ViaPath and lockbox instruction downloads.
What mailing address should I use for an Otay Mesa detainee?
Confirm the current detainee-mail address before mailing. The facility currently lists P.O. Box 438150, San Diego, CA 92143-8150 as its mailing address, while older detainee-mail sheets used a different box.
Can I call an Otay Mesa detainee directly?
Detainees generally use facility telephone services to place calls. Call 619-671-8750 for the current phone-provider and account procedure.
How do I send an emergency message to a detainee?
Contact the facility and explain the emergency. Be prepared to give your name, contact number and information staff can use to verify the situation.
What is the ICE Detention Reporting and Information Line?
The number is 1-888-351-4024. ICE uses it for detention questions, unresolved concerns, serious medical or mental-health issues, abuse reports, parental-interest concerns and basic case information.
How do I report sexual abuse or a PREA concern at Otay Mesa?
CoreCivic lists 619-671-8750 for third-party facility reporting. ICE detainee concerns can also be reported through the ICE Detention Reporting and Information Line at 1-888-351-4024.
Who owns Otay Mesa Detention Center now?
CoreCivic announced that the Otay Mesa property was sold to the United States through the Department of Homeland Security on July 2, 2026. CoreCivic subsequently stated that it expected to continue managing the facility under its ICE arrangement.
Does Otay Mesa also hold U.S. Marshals prisoners?
Yes. Federal contract and facility information show that Otay Mesa also has capacity assigned for U.S. Marshals detainees, so not everyone there is necessarily in ICE immigration custody.
Does being detained by ICE mean the person has been convicted of a crime?
No. Immigration detention is civil custody and does not by itself establish a criminal conviction. A person may have separate criminal proceedings, but those are distinct from the immigration detention process.
This guide was checked against ICE, the U.S. Department of Justice Executive Office for Immigration Review, ICE legal-access documents, current CoreCivic facility resources and 2026 facility ownership disclosures.
Immigration custody, legal procedures, visitation, communication vendors, mailing instructions and bond processes can change. Recheck the linked government or facility source before completing a transaction or making a time-sensitive decision.
Current government and facility sources reviewedCountyDetentionCenter.org is an independent informational resource. It is not operated by ICE, DHS, CoreCivic, EOIR, the Department of Justice, the U.S. Marshals Service or San Diego County.
This page provides general detention information, not individualized immigration or legal advice.