Start with the official ICE Online Detainee Locator System (ODLS). Search with the person’s exact nine-digit A-Number and country of birth whenever possible. If you do not have an A-Number, use the person’s exact first and last names, country of birth and date of birth. A missing result does not prove that the person has been released: juveniles cannot be searched, records can be delayed or withheld, and some people may be held by another agency.
After you identify a detention facility, use its ICE directory page and call ahead. Facility rules for phones, mail, video visits, in-person visits and legal communication differ and can change.
1. Search the ICE locator first
The ODLS covers people currently in ICE custody and people who have been in U.S. Customs and Border Protection custody for more than 48 hours. It cannot search records for anyone under 18. ICE also says that some records may be absent for safety, security or agency-discretion reasons, and newly detained people may not yet appear.
Open the Online Detainee Locator System and choose the search method that matches the information you have. Search details must match ICE’s record exactly; a plausible variation is not enough.
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Use an A-Number when you have one
- Enter the person’s nine-digit A-Number.
- If the number has fewer than nine digits, add leading zeroes until it has nine digits.
- Select the person’s correct country of birth.
- Submit the search and record the result exactly as displayed, including the facility name and any identifying details.
An A-Number is generally the fastest route because it avoids name variations. Do not add spaces, punctuation or a different country of birth.
Search by biographical information when there is no A-Number
- Enter the exact first name and last name used in immigration records.
- Select the correct country of birth.
- Enter the complete date of birth.
- Submit the search, then try only carefully verified spelling variants if the first attempt fails.
Hyphens, apostrophes, compound surnames, transliteration and diacritics can affect an exact match. Check passports, immigration papers, court documents or family records for the spelling and birth date the person used with authorities. Avoid repeatedly guessing informal nicknames; each incorrect variation can waste time while a new transfer is being processed.
2. What a result tells you
A successful result normally identifies the facility or detention location and provides enough information to begin contacting it. Copy the result before leaving the page. Note the person’s name as displayed, A-Number, facility name, city and state, and any listed transfer or contact information.
- Call the facility using the telephone number on its current ICE facility page.
- Ask whether the person is still housed there; transfers can occur after a locator record is posted.
- Request the facility’s current instructions for telephone calls, mail, visitation, video communication and legal visits.
- Ask what identification, registration, scheduling or security steps apply before making a visit.
ICE’s detention-facility directory warns that visitation hours and restrictions can change. Confirm the rules by telephone before travelling, even when the directory lists a regular schedule.
3. If ODLS shows no result
Treat a blank search as an unresolved location question, not proof of release. ICE identifies several reasons a person may not appear:
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- The person is under 18, and ODLS cannot search juvenile records.
- The detention is recent and the record has not been uploaded.
- The person is excluded for safety, security or agency-discretion reasons.
- The person is in a state, county or federal criminal facility rather than ICE custody.
- The person was transferred, released or entered a different agency’s custody before the record was updated.
In September 2026, the Associated Press reported that ICE removed the names of some detainees with final removal orders from the public locator. AP reported the change on September 21, describing it as affecting families’ and lawyers’ ability to locate people; ICE had not publicly confirmed that report as an explanation for every missing record. Use the escalation channels below rather than assuming a no-result screen settles the matter.
Verify every search detail
- Count the A-Number digits and add leading zeroes when necessary.
- Check the country of birth, not the person’s citizenship or current residence.
- Use the recorded legal spelling, including hyphens and compound names.
- Confirm the date of birth in month-day-year fields as the site requests.
- Search again after a reasonable interval if the arrest was recent, because uploads and transfers can be delayed.
Contact the appropriate ICE ERO field office
U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Enforcement and Removal Operations (ERO) field offices handle local detention and case questions. USAGov’s detainee-location guidance, last updated March 17, 2026, directs people who cannot locate someone through ODLS to contact the appropriate ERO field office. Give the office every verified identifier: full legal name, aliases, date of birth, country of birth, A-Number if known, arrest date and likely location.
Ask the office to check whether the person is in ICE custody, transferred, awaiting data entry or held under another authority. A third party may not receive case information without authorization; ask what privacy release is required instead of repeatedly requesting details that staff cannot disclose.
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Call the ICE Detention Reporting and Information Line
DRIL is 1-888-351-4024. The ICE locator page lists live operators Monday through Friday, excluding holidays, from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. Eastern Time, with language assistance including Spanish. DRIL accepts basic case-information requests and reports of serious or unresolved detention problems.
Before calling, prepare:
- The person’s full name and every known spelling.
- A-Number, if available, including leading zeroes.
- Date and country of birth.
- Where and when immigration officers or another agency last detained the person.
- Your relationship to the person and a callback number.
- Details of any urgent medical, safety, disability, child-care or access concern.
Write down the operator’s name or reference information, the date and time of the call, and any office or facility you are told to contact. If the issue remains unresolved, explain what you already tried and ask for the next escalation point.
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Check other correctional systems
If the person may have been arrested for a criminal matter, search the relevant state department of corrections, county jail and federal inmate systems as well as ODLS. ICE’s parental-interest guidance specifically warns that someone absent from ODLS may be held by another federal, state or local agency. Use the person’s legal name, aliases, birth date and booking information consistently across those systems.
4. Contact the facility after you locate it
Open the facility’s page in ICE’s detention-facility directory. Use the listed telephone, mailing, visitation and remote-contact instructions rather than relying on an old number found elsewhere. A facility may not accept ordinary incoming calls to detainees.
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Telephone calls and urgent messages
Ask the facility which calls are permitted: collect calls, prepaid or funded calls, account-based calls, scheduled video calls or another approved system. Follow the facility’s procedure for adding funds to a detainee phone account; ICE legal-access guidance says facilities provide those procedures. For an urgent family message, ask the operator for the approved message process, what proof of identity is required and how the detainee will be notified.
Do not assume that calling the public switchboard will connect you directly. Staff may only accept a message, may require an account or may limit calls to approved numbers and designated hours.
Request the exact mailing format, including the detainee’s full name, A-Number, housing or booking information if required, and the facility’s official mailing address. Ask about restrictions on photographs, paper, envelopes, books and packages before sending anything. A letter can be delayed or rejected if it omits required identifiers or contains a prohibited item.
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Video and remote visits
Some facilities offer video communication, but availability, scheduling, fees, identification and device requirements differ. Ask whether registration must be completed online or at the facility, how far in advance visits are booked, whether minors may participate and what happens if a connection fails. Save the confirmation number and arrive or connect early enough to complete security checks.
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ICE guidance allows families to contact the facility or ERO field office to arrange in-person or remote visitation. Ask about visitor age limits, identification, advance approval, dress rules, number of visitors, interpretation and cancellation procedures. Some facilities restrict physical contact or use non-contact booths.
For a parent-child visit, ask specifically whether children must be listed in advance and whether a guardian must accompany them. Obtain approval before bringing books, toys, clothing, food or other items; facility authorization may be required, and unapproved items can be refused at the entrance.
5. Legal contact is different from family contact
Lawyers, accredited representatives and family members do not use identical channels. Ask the facility for legal-visitation hours and its document-exchange procedure before sending papers or arriving at the gate.
When a privacy waiver is needed
ERO may refuse to disclose case information to a third party under ICE privacy rules. The detained person can usually authorize disclosure with a signed privacy waiver. Ask the ERO office or facility which current form and submission method it accepts, because an incomplete release may not be processed.
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When a representative uses Form G-28
A legal representative should submit Form G-28 to establish representation and then follow the facility’s legal-visit and document-delivery rules. A G-28 does not replace facility security procedures: counsel may still need an appointment, identification, bar or accreditation information and an approved method for exchanging confidential documents.
Tell the facility when a legal matter is time-sensitive, such as a filing deadline, removal order, bond hearing or medical concern. Ask for the correct secure channel; ordinary family mail or an unapproved electronic account may not protect privileged communication.
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| Channel | Best use | Information required | Hours or limits | What it can accomplish |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| ODLS A-Number search | First check when an A-Number is known | Exact nine-digit A-Number and country of birth | Online; juvenile records cannot be searched | May show the current ICE facility or covered CBP custody record |
| ODLS biographical search | When no A-Number is available | Exact first and last names, country of birth and date of birth | Online; exact matching required | May identify the facility when spelling and birth data match |
| DRIL | No result, urgent detention problem or unresolved issue | Name, identifiers, detention details and your callback information | 1-888-351-4024; live operators Monday–Friday, excluding holidays, 8 a.m.–8 p.m. Eastern | Basic case information, language assistance and escalation of serious or unresolved problems |
| ERO field office | Local follow-up, transfer questions or privacy-authorized requests | Verified identity details, location and relationship or representation | Office-specific; third-party disclosure may require a signed waiver or Form G-28 | Can investigate local custody questions and explain authorization requirements |
| Facility telephone | Confirm housing, visits and communication after a facility is identified | Detainee name, A-Number and facility-specific details | Facility-specific hours and restrictions; call ahead | Explains approved calls, mail, visits, video and legal-access procedures |
7. Prepare for a call or visit
- Make a single-page information sheet with the detainee’s full name, aliases, A-Number, birth date, country of birth and your relationship.
- Keep the ODLS result, ERO or DRIL notes and facility phone number together.
- Ask the facility to confirm the person is still there before travelling or sending money.
- Verify visitor identification, appointment, dress, age and item rules.
- Ask how to fund phone calls and how to send legal or personal mail.
- Record names, dates, instructions and reference numbers after every call.
If an appointment is cancelled or a transfer occurs, ask where the new request must be made. Do not assume a visit reservation transfers automatically to another facility.
8. Common problems and practical fixes
The A-Number search returns nothing
Recount the digits, add leading zeroes, verify the country of birth and search again. If the arrest was recent, contact DRIL and the appropriate ERO field office rather than concluding that the person is free.
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Use the spelling on an immigration document, include or remove a hyphen only when records support that variation, and confirm the date of birth. Ask relatives, counsel or the arresting agency whether the person used another legal surname. Then escalate to ERO or DRIL.
The locator shows a facility but the facility cannot find the person
Ask whether the person is in transit, newly transferred or listed under a different booking identifier. Give the staff the exact ODLS information and request the current contact procedure. If the discrepancy persists, report it to DRIL and the local ERO office.
A facility will not disclose information to you
Ask whether a signed privacy waiver from the detainee is required. If you are counsel or an accredited representative, submit Form G-28 and follow the legal-access process. Staff may still limit details that privacy rules or security policies protect.
You need to reach a child or address a serious welfare concern
ODLS cannot search anyone under 18. Contact the agency believed to hold the child, the relevant ERO field office or DRIL, and clearly describe the urgent safety, medical or family-separation issue. If the child is in state, county or another federal custody system, use that agency’s locator and emergency procedures.
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9. A concise action plan
- Search ODLS with the nine-digit A-Number and country of birth.
- If there is no A-Number, run an exact name, country-of-birth and date-of-birth search.
- Save the result and call the listed facility to verify custody and current rules.
- If there is no result, check spelling and identifiers, then contact DRIL at 1-888-351-4024 during its listed live-operator hours.
- Contact the appropriate ERO field office and ask about privacy authorization if you are a third party.
- Search state, county and federal criminal-custody systems when another agency may be involved.
- Once located, arrange family or legal communication through the facility’s current procedures and confirm every visit or call in advance.
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