Krome North Service Processing Center

How to Find Someone in the Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) Detainee Locator

When someone that is not a US Citizen gets arrested in the United States, and they are here illegally, depending on what state or city they are arrested in, the person may be turned over to ICE. 

Many states such as New York and California, as well as hundreds of US cities, have declared themselves 'sanctuary cities' and do not turn over foreigners here illegally, even if they are committing crimes in their jurisdiction.

However, when an alien here illegally is turned over to ICE, and sent to one of the over 100 Immigration Detention Centers in the United States, the only way to try and locate where they are being detained is using the Online Detainee Locator System.

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There are two ways to search for an ICE Detainee:

You can look them up using their assigned A-Number.

• An A-Number is a 9-digit number that either looks like this: A-123456789, or like this 123-456-789. This is required if you do not know their name.
  It is also called a Registration Number when on a visa, or a USCIS# when on a Green Card.
  If for whatever reason the A-Number you have does not have 9-digits, you need to add 0s (zeroes) to the front of the number until the number has 9-digits.
  That number might then look like this:  001234567.

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You can also try and look them up by using their name.

• In order for this to be effective, you need to have the exact name that is either on their paperwork, or the the name with the exact spelling that they gave ICE. This is required.
• You also need to know the country of their birth, or the country of their birth that they gave ICE. This is required.
• Knowing their Date of Birth is helpful but not required to find them in the system.

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Important things to know about using the ICE Detainee Locator

• You do not need to set up an account to use the Detainee Locator System.
• A-Number stands for 'Alien Registration Number'.
• The System does not have information on all detainees in custody.
• Juvenile names are NOT in the System.
• The Detainee Locator System is updated every 8 hours, sometimes sooner.
• If the detainee is being moved to a new facility, the new location will not be shown until they have arrived and are processed. 
• No warnings or prior notice are given in advance of a detainee being moved.
• While being transferred to a different facility they may still be shown online as being in the original facility.
• If you are planning a visit, always call before you come to confirm the detainee is still at the facility and has not been moved.
• To visit a detainee you must have some type of government issued photo ID, or other identification when photo identification is unavailable for religious reasons.
• If you are unable to find the detainee using the System, contact the ICE Office of Enforcement and Removal Operations (ERO) in the area where you believe the person's immigration case was initiated or the Detainee Reporting and Information Line (DRIL) at 888-351-4024.

Pamphlets in various languages with Instructions on how to use the Online Detainee Locator System:

• Online Detainee Locator System Brochure (PDF | 732 KB)
• Folleto del Sistema Localizador de Detenidos en Línea (PDF | 720 KB)
• Brochure du Système de recherche en ligne de détenus(es) (PDF | 739 KB)
• Folheto Informativo do Sistema Online Para Localização de Detentos (PDF | 733 KB)
• Брошюра Онлайновая Система Определения Местонахождения Задержанного (PDF | 893 KB)
• Buug yaraha Nidaamka Lagu Ogaado Halka Ay Ku Xiran Yihiin Dadka Xiran ee barta internetka (PDF | 741 KB)
• Tài Liệu về Hệ Thống Tìm Người Bị Giam Trực Tuyến (PDF | 1.3 MB)
• 被拘留者在线查询系统手册 (PDF | 1.4 MB)
• كتيب نظام تحديد مواقع المحتجزين على شبكة الانترنت (PDF | 1.3 MB)

An In-Depth Look at Krome North Service Processing Center

Krome North Service Processing Center (KNSPC) is an important immigration detention facility in Miami, Florida run by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE). With capacity for hundreds of detainees, understanding KNSPC's background, operations, and policies provides insight into ICE detention practices.

History of KNSPC

KNSPC first opened in 1979 as a detention facility owned by ICE but operated by a contracted private company. ICE's Enforcement and Removal Operations (ERO) office in Miami began housing immigration detainees at KNSPC in 1980.

For over 40 years now, KNSPC has continued operating as an ICE contracted detention center. Its current operator is Akima Global Services (AGS) which manages the private facility under ICE's oversight.

Some key facts about KNSPC's operations today:

- Runs under ICE's 2011 Performance-Based National Detention Standards
- Accredited by the National Commission on Correctional Health Care and American Correctional Association  
- A program manager handles daily operations and contracted staff
- ICE Health Service Corps provides medical services
- JAPLOP Enterprises manages commissary services

By meeting national detention and correctional health standards, KNSPC aims to provide adequate services for immigration detainees housed there.

Vital Statistics on Detainees and Capacity 

As an important ICE facility, KNSPC can accommodate hundreds of immigration detainees at any given time. Some key statistics on its detainee population and bed capacity include:

- 572 bed capacity
- 344 average detainee population
- 363 adult male detainees (as of March 2023)
- 0 adult female detainees (as of March 2023)

With nearly 360 detainees as of March 2023, KNSPC was operating around 60% capacity. The detainee population consists entirely of adult males at this time.

The ratio of detainees to facility capacity can fluctuate year to year, but KNSPC remains a mid-sized ICE center in a strategic southern immigration enforcement area.

Contacting KNSPC About a Detainee

Friends, family, or attorneys looking to get information about a specific immigration detainee housed at KNSPC can contact the facility by phone at (305) 207-2001 between 8am and 4pm Monday through Friday.

When calling, have the detainee's biographical details ready including:

- Full name
- Any aliases used  
- Date of birth
- Country of birth

Note that KNSPC detainees cannot receive incoming phone calls. To leave an urgent message for a detainee, callers must contact (305) 207-2202 and provide: 

- Detainee's full name
- Alien registration number   
- Caller's name and callback number

The detainee will then be given the message.

## Visitation Policies and Schedule

KNSPC allows visitation from friends, family, attorneys, clergy, and consular officials. Visits from family and friends follow a set schedule:

**Monday - Friday:**

- 5:30pm - 6:30pm
- 7pm - 8pm 
- 8:30pm - 9:30pm

**Saturday - Sunday:**

- 8am - 9am
- 9:30am - 10:30am
- 12:30pm - 1:30pm  
- 2:30pm - 3:30pm

**Holidays:**

- 8am - 9am  
- 9:30am - 10:30am
- 12:30pm - 1:30pm
- 2:30pm - 3:30pm

Visits are limited to 1 hour maximum. All visitors must arrive 45 minutes early to clear security screening.  

The facility has specific dress code rules prohibiting certain garments for male and female visitors over age 12. Photo ID is also required for adult visitors.

Attorneys can visit detainees 7am to 10pm daily with prior arrangements. Consular officials may visit at any time with coordination. Clergy visits require scheduling through the Chaplain's Office.

Mail and Package Policies 

Friends or family members wishing to send letters or packages to immigration detainees at KNSPC must follow certain rules:

- Letters must include detainee's A-number and sender's return address
- No cash should be sent in mail 
- Packages must have pre-approval from ICE before sending
- No electronics like cell phones or laptops allowed due to security  

The facility screens all incoming mail for contraband before distribution to detainees. Postage stamps can be purchased by detainees and outgoing letters are sent out daily. 

For approved packages, send to:

```
Attn: Property Officer  
(305) 207-2100
18201 SW 12th Street  
Miami, FL 33194
```

When detainees depart KNSPC, only legal mail will be forwarded. General mail is returned to sender.

Reporting Sexual Abuse or Assault

ICE maintains a zero tolerance policy against sexual abuse and assault within its detention facilities. Detainees, families, and the public have multiple avenues to report any incidents or allegations:
  
- Verbally or in writing to ICE directly 
- Through third party advocacy groups
- Via the DHS Office of Inspector General hotline

Reports can be made confidentially and anonymously.

Per ICE's Prison Rape Elimination Act (PREA) program, KNSPC has the following protocols when a sexual abuse allegation is made:

- Separate the alleged victim and perpetrator
- Preserve any potential crime scene
- ICE to review CCTV footage if available   
- Coordinate investigations with DHS OIG or OPR
- Complete an administrative investigation

Ensuring detainee safety and security is a top priority. ICE investigates all reports no matter when deportation occurs.

Providing Feedback on Facility Services 

ICE welcomes input on the services provided at KNSPC. Send comments to:

```
Field Office Director, Enforcement and Removal Operations
U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement  
865 SW 78th Avenue, Ste 101
Plantation, FL 33324
```

Alternatively, complaints about specific ICE employee misconduct can be filed with the ICE Office of Professional Responsibility or DHS Office of Inspector General.

Visitor Access Information

KNSPC has limited free visitor parking located between the main gate and administration building.

The facility also provides disability accommodations to ensure detainees can fully access programs, services, and activities. KNSPC complies with ADA accessibility standards.

Conclusion

In summary, Krome North Service Processing Center has a long history of ICE operations dating back to 1980. With hundreds of detainees at a time, KNSPC follows national detention guidelines and allows various visitation.

Understanding the facility's vital role in immigration enforcement and its policies for detainees provides transparency into ICE practices. KNSPC will likely continue serving for years as a key detention site in the southern Florida region.

Frequently Asked Questions

What are the visitation hours at KNSPC?

The visitation hours at KNSPC are:

- Monday-Friday: 5:30pm-9:30pm 
- Saturday-Sunday: 8am-3:30pm
- Holidays: 8am-3:30pm

Visits are limited to 1 hour each. 

What identification do I need to visit a detainee? 

Adult visitors need to present a valid government-issued photo ID such as a driver's license, passport, resident alien card or state ID.

How do I send money to a detainee in Krome North Service Processing Center?

You can deposit funds into a detainee's facility account by mailing a money order to:

Detainee Name and A-Number  
18201 SW 12th St.
Miami, FL 33194

Be sure to include the detainee's full name and A-number so the money can be applied properly. Cash should not be sent through the mail.

Can I call a detainee at KNSPC?

No, detainees are not allowed to receive incoming calls. You can call the facility to leave an urgent message that will be relayed.

How do I report sexual abuse at the facility?

You can report sexual abuse or assault of an ICE detainee by:

- Calling the ICE Office of Professional Responsibility hotline 
- Filing a written complaint with the ICE Field Office Director
- Contacting the DHS OIG Hotline

Reports can be made anonymously if preferred.

What is an ICE Detention Center?

Men, women, and children that are in the United States illegally and are apprehended by the US Border Patrol or ICE will most likely be placed in removal proceedings and may be detained in one of the more than 200 jails and detention centers that make up ICE’s detention system.

Many of the illegal immigrants that are detained are held in county and local jails that contract with ICE to detain immigrants. The rest are held in dedicated immigration detention facilities run by ICE or contracted to private prison corporations, including family detention centers that hold mothers and children.

What Determines if an Illegal Immigrant gets Detained?

ICE will typically detain an immigrant because DHS (Homeland Security) believes that an illegal immigrant is either a “flight risk” and may move to another location within the U.S. or that they pose a public safety threat. Detaining the person allows the government to guarantee that the person will show up for their hearing before an Immigration Court.

Some of the reasons that causes an illegal immigrant to get arrested and held in detention prior to their day in court is as follows:

The illegal immigrant has:

• committed a crime, or multiple crimes
• arrived at the border without a visa prior to formally applying for asylum or refugee status
• an outstanding removal (deportation) order on record, either pending or past due, or
• missed prior immigration hearing dates.

 

How do you find someone that is in an ICE Detention Center?

The first step to finding out if an illegal immigrant is in ICE or DHS custody is by using the ICE Detainee Locator.

It’s easier to find the person if you have an Alien Number (A#), if one exists. A green card or work permit will show this number. If you don’t have an A# the person is much more difficult to locate.

The information you will need is as follows:

• the person’s full name as it appears in the ICE System. The exact spelling and the order of how the name is listed is required.
• the person’s date of birth
• the person’s country of birth

If you are having difficulty, try different spellings and the order of how the name is listed.

If the illegal immigrant was only recently detained, the ICE Detainee Locator may not be updated with the latest information. Keep in mind that ICE does not give information (online or over the phone) for people under 18 years of age. In such cases, you can only get information on them from the ICE Enforcement and Removal Operations field office nearest you.

If the person you are looking for is not in an ICE Detention Center, they may have been taken to a local jail that contracts with ICE, so contact their local City and County Jail, all which can be found here.

Another option, short of the expense of hiring an Immigration Lawyer, is to go to this website and use their online form to get their help.

Once an illegal immigrant is located and you find out the facility where they are being held you need to find out the Deportation Officer that has been assigned to their case. The Officer can tell you how to call or visit the detainee, or pay for the detainee to be able to call you, or how you can send any needed items such as clothing, prescriptions, etc.

The last option, and the most expensive, is to hire an experienced immigration attorney to assist you in tracking down the Deportation Officer. If the person being detained requires specific medical care, an attorney can ensure that they receive that care.

If the detained illegal immigrant has been deported from America previously or has an outstanding removal order - in which case they have no right to see an immigration judge - they can be removed within a few days, or even hours, of the initial arrest.

Even if the government does not immediately remove the person, it is possible that they can be moved around to different Detention Centers. There is never a warning that a person is being moved around and during the transfer there is a complete blackout of any information.

How long are people held in ICE Immigration Detention Centers?

The time that an illegal immigrant is held in an ICE Detention Center can vary. It all depends on several factors such as the individual’s personal situation, criminal record, the severity of the crime they are being charged with, previous deportations and the current caseload that the Detention Center is dealing with.

This image portrays the most recent data available on the time a detained illegal immigrant remains in custody before their release and/or deportation.

Can you visit someone in ICE Detention Centers?

The short answer is yes. The person visiting an illegal immigrant in an ICE Detention Center must be lawfully present in the United States. In other words the visitor must have some form of currently valid immigration status at the time of the visit. A detention center or jail will not allow the visit unless visitor can show valid I.D. and offer proof that they are lawfully in the United States.

If you want to become a volunteer that visits illegal immigrants in order to offer emotional support, it may be possible. You can join one of these visitation networks by going here and contacting the network in your area.

What crimes can cause an illegal immigrant to be deported?

(The following information comes from Nolo.com, a trusted legal resource)

• Conviction of a crime involving moral turpitude (see list). This includes any attempt or conspiracy to commit such a crime. It does not include crimes that were committed that the illegal immigrant committed when they were under the age of 18 years, however the person must have been released from jail more than five years before applying for a visa or other immigration benefit. It also does not include crimes for which the maximum penalty did not exceed one year in prison and the person was not, in fact, sentenced to more than six months in prison.
• Conviction or admission of a controlled substance violation, whether under U.S. or foreign law. This includes any conspiracy to commit such a crime.
• Convictions for two or more crimes (other than purely political ones) for which the prison sentences totaled at least five years. This multiple-offense ground of inadmissibility applies whether or not the convictions came from a single trial and whether or not the offenses arose from a single scheme of misconduct or involved moral turpitude.
• Conviction of or participation in (according to the reasonable belief of the U.S. government) controlled substance trafficking. This includes anyone who knowingly aided, abetted, assisted, conspired, or colluded in illicit drug trafficking. It also includes the spouse, son, or daughter of the inadmissible applicant if that person has, within the last five years, received any financial or other benefit from the illicit activities, and knew or reasonably should have known where the money or benefit came from.
• Having the purpose of engaging in prostitution or commercialized vice upon coming to the United States, or a history, within the previous ten years, of having engaged in prostitution.
• Procurement or attempted procurement or importation of prostitutes, directly or indirectly, or receipt of proceeds of prostitution, any of which occurred within the previous ten years.
• Assertion of immunity from prosecution after committing a serious criminal offense in the U.S., if the person was thus able to depart the U.S. and has not since submitted fully to the jurisdiction of the relevant U.S. Court.
• Commission of particularly severe violations of religious freedom while serving as a foreign government official.
• Commission of or conspiracy to commit human trafficking offenses, within or outside the U.S., or being a knowing aider, abettor, assister, conspirator, or colluder with such a trafficker according to the knowledge or reasonable belief of the U.S. government. Also inadmissible are the spouse, son, or daughter the applicant if they, within the previous five years (but when older than children), received financial or other benefits from the illicit activity and knew or reasonably should have known that the money or other benefit came from the illicit activity.
• Conviction of an aggravated felony, if the person was removed from the U.S. and seeks to return (this ground of inadmissibility lasts for 20 years)
• Seeking to enter the U.S. to engage in money laundering, or a history of having laundered money, or having been (according to the knowledge of the U.S. government) a knowing aider, abettor, assister, conspirator, or colluder with money launderers.

These are the straightforward crimes that are mentioned in the immigration law. The statute also lists a number of security violations, such as involvement in espionage, sabotage, terrorism, Nazi persecution, totalitarian parties, and so forth.

Once an illegal immigrant is deported, how long before they can come back to the United States?

If an illegal immigrant has a deportation or removal order in their immigration file, it's possible that they won’t be allowed to enter the U.S. for five, ten, or even 20 years.

The applicable law comes from Section 212 of the Immigration and Nationality Act (I.N.A.).

Five-Year Ban: If they were summarily removed or deported upon arrival at a U.S. port of entry because they were found inadmissible, or if they came to the U.S. but were immediately put into removal proceedings and then removed or deported, they may be ineligible to return to the U.S. for five years. The five-year ban also applies if they failed to show up for their removal hearing in the United States.

Ten-Year Ban: If a ‘removal order’ was issued at the conclusion of their removal hearing in Immigration Court, they may not be able to return for ten years after their removal or departure.

Twenty-Year Ban: If they were convicted of an aggravated felony or have received more than one order of removal, they are barred from returning to the U.S. for 20 years. And if they entered without permission after having been removed, or illegally reentered the U.S. after having previously been in the U.S. unlawfully for more than one year, they may be barred from entering the United States for 20 years or permanently.