ICE Detention Center: Detainee Search
ICE Detainee Search: Find a Person, Their Facility and What to Do Next
If you believe an adult is in ICE custody, start with the official Online Detainee Locator System. You can search with an A-Number or identifying information, then use the facility result to handle calls, visits, mail, money, court information and possible bond.
Search ICE Detainee LocatorICE Detention Center Search: Start Here
ICE does not use one nationwide physical detention center. People in ICE custody may be held in dedicated ICE facilities, processing centers, contract facilities or certain local detention facilities.
Use ODLS to look for an adult believed to be in ICE custody.
If you know the person’s Alien Registration Number, ICE recommends using it with the country of birth.
Try the person’s identifying information, including name, birth information and country of birth as requested by the locator.
How to Search the ICE Detainee Locator
There are two practical search paths. Use the A-Number method when possible because it is usually more precise than searching by name.
Search by A-Number
Enter the detainee’s A-Number and select the person’s country of birth.
An A-Number is the identifying number used in a person’s immigration record. Keep it available because courts, ICE and legal representatives may also use it.
Search by biographical information
If you do not know the A-Number, use the identifying fields provided by ODLS.
Enter the name carefully and use the requested birth and country information as accurately as possible.
Open the official locator
Go directly to ICE’s Online Detainee Locator System rather than relying on an old third-party custody record.
Choose the strongest search method
Use the A-Number if available. Otherwise, switch to biographical information.
Match the correct person
Review the identifying information carefully before assuming that a similar name belongs to the person you are looking for.
Save the detention location
If ICE provides a facility, record its exact name. Facility-specific rules become important for visits, calls, mail and money.
What Information Should You Have Before Searching?
Gather as much identifying information as you can before opening the locator. Small spelling or identity differences can make a name search harder.
Use the person’s actual immigration-record name when known.
This is the strongest search identifier when available.
ICE requires country-of-birth information with the A-Number search.
Keep the accurate birth date available for biographical matching.
Consider spacing, multiple surnames or a different spelling used in official records.
Knowing where and when the person was taken into custody can help if ODLS gives no result.
What an ICE Locator Result Tells You
The locator’s main job is to help identify whether the person can be located through ICE custody records and, when available, where the person is being held.
| Information | Why it matters |
|---|---|
| A-Number | Save it. It is often needed for immigration court, ICE inquiries and legal representation. |
| Detention facility | Use the facility name to find visitation, phone, money, mail and legal-access rules. |
| Custody result | Treat it as an ICE locator result, not as a complete explanation of the person’s immigration case. |
| Court case | Search EOIR separately. ICE custody information and immigration court information are different systems. |
ICE Detainee Not Found? Follow This Order
“No record found” does not always prove that ICE does not have the person. ICE states that ODLS does not provide location information for everyone in its custody.
1. Try a different search method
If the name search fails and you later obtain the A-Number, run the locator again using the A-Number and country of birth.
2. Check whether custody is recent
A person moving between arrest, processing and ICE detention may not be easy to locate immediately.
3. Check whether ICE actually has custody
A person can be held by a local jail, state agency, federal criminal facility or another agency rather than ICE.
4. Contact ICE for help
ICE’s Detention Reporting and Information Line can help with detention-related questions and concerns.
ICE currently lists trained operators Monday through Friday, excluding holidays, from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. Eastern Time. Language assistance is available.
Call 1-888-351-4024Can You Search for Someone Under 18?
No. ICE’s Online Detainee Locator System states that it cannot search records for people under the age of 18.
The adult ICE detainee search is not the correct locator path for a person under 18. Determine which agency has responsibility for the minor’s custody and use that agency’s official contact process.
How to Find the ICE Detention Center and Its Rules
After you identify the facility, use ICE’s Detention Facility Locator. Facility pages are much more useful than assuming every ICE detention center follows identical visitor, money or mail procedures.
Copy the facility name from the custody result
Keep the exact name. Several detention facilities can have similar geographic names.
Find the facility on ICE.gov
Open ICE’s detention-facility directory and locate the correct facility page.
Check the facility-specific information
ICE facility pages can contain visitation hours, communication options, mailing procedures, money instructions and legal-access information.
Call before traveling
ICE recommends confirming current visitation hours and restrictions because operational conditions can change.
What to Check on the Facility Page
Once the exact ICE detention center is known, the next questions become local rather than national.
Check days, times, identification, visitor rules and whether scheduling is required.
Available systems and providers can differ by facility.
Verify the exact mailing format and whether legal correspondence uses different handling.
Do not assume one nationwide vendor. Use the provider listed for that facility.
Facility pages may explain in-person or remote legal visitation procedures.
Use the facility’s published number when the question concerns local operations.
How to Check an ICE Detainee’s Immigration Court Case
ICE detention and immigration court proceedings are separate systems. Once you have the A-Number, use the Department of Justice Executive Office for Immigration Review case-information system.
ICE
Use ICE resources to locate the detainee and identify the detention facility.
EOIR / Immigration Court
Use EOIR’s Automated Case Information System for available immigration court and appeal information.
Open EOIR Automated Case Information
Use the person’s A-Number to search available immigration-court information.
Review the next hearing
When available, check hearing information, court location and case-status details.
Use court documents as the controlling notice
EOIR warns that documents issued by the immigration court or Board are the official determinations in the case.
ICE Detention Bond: What Families Should Understand
An immigration bond is not the same as ordinary county-jail bail. DHS may initially set a bond, and in eligible cases an Immigration Judge may review the amount through a separate bond proceeding.
Eligibility can depend on the legal basis for detention and the person’s circumstances. Do not assume that every ICE detainee can simply pay a listed amount and leave.
Requesting a bond hearing
DOJ’s current Immigration Court Practice Manual says a bond-hearing request generally identifies the detainee’s full name, A-Number, DHS bond amount and detention location.
EOIR also states that there is no filing fee merely to request a bond hearing.
A bond decision determines detention or release issues. It does not decide whether the person ultimately wins or loses the immigration case.
Paying an approved immigration bond
ICE currently provides Cash Electronic Bonds Online, known as CeBONDS, for verifying bond information and posting qualifying cash immigration bonds.
Open Official ICE CeBONDS Read ICE Bond InstructionsDo not pay an unsolicited caller or unofficial website claiming it can guarantee an ICE release. Verify the detainee, bond eligibility and payment process through ICE or the handling immigration court.
You Found the Detainee. What Should You Do Next?
Finding the person is only the first task. Save the custody information and work through the items that affect communication, court and possible release.
Keep it with the person’s exact name and facility information.
Use EOIR to identify available hearing and court information.
Confirm the facility’s direct phone number and local policies.
Determine whether bond exists or legal review may be needed.
Check calls, messaging, tablets and visitation before paying a provider.
Immigration detention and removal proceedings can involve deadlines and complex eligibility questions.
Visiting or Calling Someone in ICE Detention
There is no trustworthy national visitation schedule for every ICE detention center. Use the exact facility page because local hours, identification rules and communication services vary.
Before visiting
- Confirm that the detainee is still housed there.
- Check the current visitation schedule.
- Review identification requirements.
- Check whether advance scheduling is needed.
- Ask about current operational restrictions.
Before setting up calls
- Confirm the correct facility.
- Identify its current communication provider.
- Review rates and account requirements.
- Use the official provider linked by ICE.
- Keep the detainee’s A-Number available.
Sending Money or Mail to an ICE Detainee
Do not send money or mail until you confirm the exact detention center. Deposit vendors and mailing instructions can differ substantially by facility.
Use the facility’s listed deposit method
ICE facility pages can identify the approved way to place funds into a detainee account.
Some facilities use online vendors, phone deposits, kiosks or other procedures. Never assume a provider used by another ICE center is valid here.
Copy the exact mailing format
Use the detainee’s identifying information exactly as the facility instructs.
Regular correspondence and legal mail can have different rules or addresses, so check the facility page first.
A detainee can be transferred. Recheck the ICE locator before mailing important documents or sending a substantial deposit if some time has passed since your last search.
Why an ICE Detainee May Move to Another Facility
ICE manages a detention population that can move between facilities. A person’s location today may not remain the same throughout the immigration case.
Re-run ODLS
If a previous facility says the person is no longer there, search the official locator again.
Check the immigration court
A transfer can also affect which detention location or court information you need to follow.
Do not send mail to the old facility
Confirm current custody before sending time-sensitive legal documents or personal mail.
ICE Detainer vs. ICE Custody: They Are Not the Same Thing
An immigration detainer can involve ICE asking another law-enforcement agency to take specified immigration-enforcement action concerning a person already in that agency’s custody.
That does not automatically mean the person is physically inside an ICE detention center at the moment you search.
The person may still be housed in a county, state or other detention facility.
ODLS is the primary public locator once the adult can be located through ICE custody records.
How to Find Immigration Legal Help for a Detainee
Immigration detention can involve removal proceedings, bond jurisdiction, filing deadlines and eligibility questions. A detainee may choose legal representation, but the government generally does not provide an attorney at government expense in immigration court.
The Department of Justice maintains a list of organizations, referral services and attorneys that have committed to providing qualifying pro bono immigration legal services.
Find Pro Bono Immigration Legal HelpWhen to Contact the ICE Detention Reporting and Information Line
Use DRIL when an online search or facility page does not resolve a detention-related question or concern.
ICE currently lists live trained operators Monday through Friday, excluding holidays, from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. Eastern Time.
Language assistance, including Spanish-language support, is available.
Call ICE DRIL ICE ERO Contact FormBefore Calling ICE or a Detention Facility
Have the identifying information in front of you. A focused question is easier to resolve than a broad request without a name or number.
Give the person’s exact legal name and spelling.
Provide it whenever available.
Keep both ready for identity verification.
Mention where the person was last known to be held.
This can help explain a recent missing locator result.
Ask about location, transfer, contact rules or the correct office for the problem.
ICE Detainee Handbook and Detention Rules
ICE publishes a National Detainee Handbook that explains general responsibilities, rights, programs and detention procedures.
ICE also maintains national detention standards, while an individual facility may have its own handbook describing local procedures and rules.
Calling hours, visitation, property, mail and other operational procedures can differ by facility even when national detention standards apply.
Which Official System Should You Use?
| What you need | Use |
|---|---|
| Find an adult ICE detainee | ICE Online Detainee Locator System. |
| Find detention-center rules | ICE Detention Facility Locator and the individual facility page. |
| Check immigration court status | DOJ EOIR Automated Case Information System. |
| Ask about a bond hearing | The immigration court with jurisdiction over the relevant proceeding. |
| Post an eligible cash immigration bond | ICE CeBONDS / current ICE bond instructions. |
| Find free immigration legal services | DOJ EOIR List of Pro Bono Legal Service Providers. |
| Unresolved detention question | ICE Detention Reporting and Information Line: 1-888-351-4024. |
Official ICE and Immigration Court Resources
These links are for live searches, current facility rules or official actions. The guide above explains what each system does before you leave this page.
Search for an adult who may currently be in ICE custody.
Find facility-specific contact, visitation, mail, communication and other detention information.
Check available immigration court and Board of Immigration Appeals case information.
Explains ACIS, Respondent Access and court-record resources.
Current ICE information for qualifying immigration bonds and CeBONDS.
Official DOJ list of qualifying free immigration legal-service providers and referral services.
ICE Detention Center Detainee Search FAQs
How do I find someone detained by ICE?
Use ICE’s official Online Detainee Locator System. Search with the person’s A-Number and country of birth when available, or use the biographical search fields provided by ICE.
What is the official ICE detainee search website?
The official service is the ICE Online Detainee Locator System at locator.ice.gov. Use it for live detainee-location searches rather than relying on copied third-party records.
What is an A-Number?
An A-Number, or Alien Registration Number, is an identifying number used in immigration records. It is useful for ICE detainee searches, immigration court searches and many immigration-related inquiries.
Can I search for an ICE detainee without an A-Number?
Yes. ODLS provides a biographical-information search when the A-Number is unknown. Enter the requested name, birth and country information as accurately as possible.
Why can’t I find someone in the ICE detainee locator?
Check spelling, try the A-Number search and consider whether custody is very recent or belongs to another agency. ICE also states that ODLS does not provide location information for every person in ICE custody.
Does ICE detainee search work for children?
No. ICE states that the Online Detainee Locator System cannot search records for people under 18 years old.
Can I find someone who was already released from ICE custody?
ICE says ODLS may contain information for detainees who are currently in ICE custody or who were released from ICE custody within the previous 60 days.
How do I find the ICE detention center where someone is held?
First search ODLS. If a facility is identified, use ICE’s Detention Facility Locator to open that facility’s current contact and operating information.
How do I find ICE detention center visitation hours?
Open the individual facility page in ICE’s Detention Facility Locator. ICE recommends contacting the facility before visiting because hours and operational restrictions can change.
Can I call someone in an ICE detention center?
Communication systems differ by detention facility. Find the person’s exact facility and review its ICE page for current telephone, messaging or tablet information.
How do I send money to an ICE detainee?
Use the deposit method listed on the detainee’s specific ICE facility page. Vendors and procedures are facility-specific, so do not assume that a service used at another center is valid.
How do I send mail to someone in ICE detention?
Find the person’s current detention facility and copy its published mailing format. Check separately for legal-mail instructions because legal correspondence may use different procedures.
How do I check an ICE detainee’s immigration court date?
Use DOJ EOIR’s Automated Case Information System with the person’s A-Number. Available information can include hearing and court details, but official court documents remain controlling.
Does EOIR case search show immigration bond hearings?
Not necessarily. EOIR specifically advises users to contact the local immigration court when bond-hearing information is needed.
Can every ICE detainee get an immigration bond?
No. Bond eligibility depends on the legal basis for detention and other case-specific factors. DHS may initially set a bond, and an Immigration Judge has bond jurisdiction only in qualifying circumstances.
How do I pay an ICE immigration bond?
ICE provides CeBONDS for eligible cash immigration bonds. Confirm bond eligibility and current payment instructions through ICE before transferring funds.
What is the ICE Detention Reporting and Information Line?
DRIL is ICE’s detention-related information and concern line at 1-888-351-4024. ICE currently lists live operators Monday through Friday, excluding holidays, from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. Eastern Time.
How can an ICE detainee find free immigration legal help?
The Department of Justice EOIR maintains an official List of Pro Bono Legal Service Providers. ICE also provides detained people access to certain free legal-service calls.
Is an ICE detention record the same as an immigration court record?
No. ICE manages detention and enforcement information, while EOIR manages immigration court proceedings. Search both systems when you need custody and court information.
Can an ICE detainee be transferred after I locate them?
Yes. Detention locations can change. Recheck ODLS before sending important mail, traveling a long distance or relying on an older facility address.
This guide was checked against current U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement resources and Department of Justice Executive Office for Immigration Review information.
Detention locations, visitation rules, communication providers, bond status and court schedules can change. Recheck the official live system before making a time-sensitive decision.
CountyDetentionCenter.org is an independent informational website. It is not operated by ICE, DHS, DOJ, an immigration court or any federal detention facility. This page provides general public information and is not individual legal advice.