Find someone detained by ICE

First steps

1. 1

   Stay calm. You help your loved one most by acting step by step.

2. 2

   Do not sign anything without first talking to a lawyer.

3. 3

   Gather the person's full legal name, date of birth, and country of birth.

4. 4

   Find their A-number (Alien number) if your family has it — it appears on immigration paperwork, a green card, or prior notices.

Use the ICE Online Detainee Locator

The ICE Online Detainee Locator System is the official tool to find an adult (18 or older) held by ICE.

1. 1

   Go to the ICE Online Detainee Locator at locator.ice.gov. It is free and you do not need an account.

2. 2

   Search by A-number if you have it — this is the most reliable way. Enter the 8- or 9-digit number with no spaces.

3. 3

   If you do not have the A-number, search by the person's full legal name, country of birth, and date of birth.

4. 4

   Read the result carefully. It shows the facility where the person is held and a phone number for that facility.

If the search returns nothing

This is common and does not mean the person is not in custody. It often happens in the first 24 to 48 hours, before the person has been entered into the system. Keep checking back.

• Try alternate spellings of the name. The name in the system may be spelled differently than you expect — try with and without middle names, double last names, or accents.
• If you have the A-number, search by A-number instead of by name — this avoids spelling problems.
• People under 18 do not appear in the locator. Minors are held by a different agency (the Office of Refugee Resettlement). Contact an attorney right away to help locate a minor.