How to Confirm Where Someone Is Being Held
People often use the words “arrest” and “detention” interchangeably.
In immigration cases:
• Arrest may happen first (by local police, ICE, or CBP).
• Detention means the person is being held in custody.
Your goal is to confirm who currently has custody and where.
Official resources:
ICE Online Detainee Locator System
https://locator.ice.gov/odls/#/search
ICE Field Offices
https://www.ice.gov/contact/field-offices
ICE Detention Facility Directory
https://www.ice.gov/detention-facilities
CBP (U.S. Customs and Border Protection)
https://www.cbp.gov/
EOIR (Executive Office for Immigration Review) case line
1-800-898-7180
Online case system: https://acis.eoir.justice.gov/en/
Step 1 — Identify where the encounter occurred
Choose the closest match:
• Worksite enforcement action
• Home visit
• Traffic stop
• Street encounter
• Criminal court appearance
• ICE check-in appointment
• Probation/parole office
• Border crossing
• Airport entry
• After release from state prison
• After release from county jail
Regardless of the location, continue to Step 2.
Step 2 — Check ICE custody directly
Use the ICE locator: https://locator.ice.gov/odls/#/search
You will need either:
• A-number (Alien Registration Number), OR
• Full legal name + date of birth + country of birth
If located:
Record:
• Facility name
• Address
• Phone number
• A-number
Then continue to: → First 24 Hours Checklist
Step 3 — If not found in ICE locator
If detention happened today: • Wait 6–12 hours and try again (system updates may lag)
If detention happened yesterday or earlier, check the following in order:
A) Local jail or county detention center
Call the jail where the arrest may have occurred. Ask: • Is the person in custody? • Was an ICE detainer issued? • Was the person transferred? If so, where and when?
B) State prison (if recent criminal sentence ended)
If the person was finishing a sentence, contact the state Department of Corrections and ask whether ICE picked them up upon release.
C) U.S. Marshals custody (if federal charges involved)
If federal criminal court was involved, contact the U.S. Marshals Service for that district.
D) CBP (border or airport cases)
If detention occurred at a port of entry, border crossing, or airport: CBP may hold first before transfer to ICE.
CBP official site: https://www.cbp.gov/
Recheck ICE locator every 6–12 hours.
E) ICE Field Office
If you still cannot locate the person: Contact the ICE field office responsible for your region: https://www.ice.gov/contact/field-offices
Have ready:
• Full name
• Date of birth
• Country of birth
• Approximate time and location of encounter
Ask directly: “Can you confirm whether this individual is currently in ICE custody?”
Step 4 — Confirm whether immigration court is involved
Even if you cannot yet confirm facility location, check whether a case has been filed with EOIR (Executive Office for Immigration Review).
Call: 1-800-898-7180
Or check online: https://acis.eoir.justice.gov/en/
If a case appears, record:
• Court location
• Hearing date
• Case status
Then review: → First 48 Hours Overview
Step 5 — If no record appears anywhere
If after checking:
• ICE locator
• Local jail
• State corrections
• CBP
• ICE field office
• EOIR case system
—and no record appears—
Confirm spelling variations of the name and confirm correct date of birth.
If detention involved multiple agencies (for example, local police plus federal officers), continue calling in sequence until transfer location is confirmed.
Keep a written log of:
• Who you called
• Date/time
• What you were told
The goal in the first 24–48 hours is clarity about custody.
Once confirmed, move to:
→ First 24 Hours Checklist
→ First 48 Hours Overview
This page is informational only and does not replace advice from a licensed immigration attorney.