Central Louisiana ICE 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)

Inside Louisiana's Central ICE Processing Center: A Detainee's Guide

The Central Louisiana ICE Processing Center (CLIPC) in Jena, Louisiana plays a crucial role in the US immigration detention system. Operated by private prison company GEO Group for Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), CLIPC houses immigrant detainees going through removal proceedings. For family and friends of those detained, as well as immigrant advocates, understanding CLIPC's operations and policies provides valuable insight. This guide offers key details on contacting detainees, visitation rules, legal resources, and more for those interacting with the Jena ICE facility.

CLIPC Background and Operations

The CLIPC first opened its doors in 2007 as a secure immigration detention center run by GEO Group under an ICE contract. Oversight of the facility falls under ICE's Enforcement and Removal Operations (ERO) field office in New Orleans. CLIPC operates according to ICE's 2011 Performance-Based National Detention Standards, which outline requirements for conditions and treatment of detainees. 

GEO Group provides overall management of CLIPC's daily operations and personnel. However, many services within the facility are provided by other contractors. STG International supplies medical care with doctors and nurses on-site. Keefe Commissary Network operates the detainee commissary including sales of food, hygiene items, postage, and other necessities. Trinity Services Group runs the cafeteria and kitchen providing meals to detainees three times a day.

In January 2018, the American Correctional Association accredited CLIPC, indicating the facility met industry standards for security, operations, and inmate services. That same year, CLIPC received certification from ICE for compliance with the Department of Homeland Security's Prison Rape Elimination Act, which establishes guidelines to prevent sexual abuse in confinement settings.

Locating and Contacting Detainees

For friends or family trying to get in touch with a loved one detained at CLIPC, contacting the facility is the first step. Detainee information can be obtained by calling the facility at (318) 992-1600 between 8am and 5pm daily and having the individual's full name, aliases, date of birth, and country of birth ready to provide. 

While detainees cannot receive incoming calls, the number for leaving *urgent* messages for detainees is (318) 992-7800. Friends or family calling this line must leave the detainee's full name, alien registration number (A-number), callback number, and message. Facility staff will relay the message to the detainee.

Sending mail is another way to contact detained individuals. Address letters to:

[Detainee Full Name and A-Number] 
830 Pinehill Road
Jena, LA 71342

Be sure to include the A-number and sender return address, as all mail is screened for contraband before delivery.

Visitation Rules and Schedules

Visiting detained loved ones is an important way to maintain connections and provide support. CLIPC allows visitation during designated windows based on gender and relationship to the detainee.

**Friends and Family Visitation**

- Monday-Friday: Male detainees 9-11am and 6-8pm. Females 11am-1pm and 8-10pm.
- Weekends: Alternating morning and afternoon slots for males/females. Evening visitation daily.  
- 45 minutes arrival before scheduled visit required for processing
- 60-minute time limit on visits

**Attorney Visitation**

- 7 days a week from 6am - 11pm, including holidays
- Attorneys must schedule confidential meetings at least one day in advance
- Virtual meetings through Teams platform available by request 

**Consular Officials**

- Permitted to visit detainee nationals at any time
- Encouraged to make prior arrangements with ICE deportation officer

**Clergy Visits**

- Allowed at any time with prior coordination with facility religious coordinator

All visitors must provide ID, pass screening, and adhere to appropriate dress and conduct rules. Minors must be accompanied by a guardian.

Legal Resources and Immigration Courts 

Navigating immigration court proceedings while detained can be challenging. However, there are resources to assist detainees, including opportunities for legal representation.

- The Executive Office for Immigration Review (EOIR) runs the immigration court system. Call 1-800-898-7180 for information on a detainee's case status or to provide documents requested by the immigration judge. 

- For information on appeals to the Board of Immigration Appeals (BIA), call (703) 605-1007.

- Pro bono legal aid organizations provide detained immigrants free legal services. A list of such groups is posted in CLIPC housing units.

- Detainees can request access to fax and mail services to send legal documents and correspondence to attorneys and the immigration court.

Posting an Immigration Bond 

Loved ones of detainees may post an immigration delivery bond securing their release while removal proceedings are pending. The person posting the bond must show valid ID and proof of citizenship or legal status and will be responsible for ensuring the detainee reports as required.

Bonds can be posted at ICE ERO bond offices around the country on weekdays 9am-3pm for a fee starting at $25. Acceptable bond payment includes cashier's check, certified check, or money order made out to "U.S. Department of Homeland Security." For bonds $5,000 and up, only a single certified/cashier's check is allowed.

Get the detainee's A-number and call ahead before posting a bond to verify requirements. See the ICE bonds webpage for locations and more details.

Sending Money to Detainees

Funds provided to detainees via their commissary accounts allow them to purchase approved items and services. Friends or family can deposit money through electronic kiosks located in CLIPC's lobby, by calling Keefe Commissary Network or through Western Union. Have the detainee's full name and A-number ready when sending funds. 

Note that while detainees can receive money, cash should never be sent through the mail for security reasons.

Additional Information and Support 

Recourse exists for detainees or their advocates who need to report issues related to treatment, conditions or civil rights concerns. 

- Contact the ICE Office of Professional Responsibility or Office of Inspector General through their hotlines 
- Reach out to the ICE ERO Field Office Director in New Orleans
- Request investigations by DHS oversight bodies into misconduct allegations

Providing feedback, whether positive or negative, also helps improve services. Send written comments to the ICE ERO Field Office Director to recognize employee performance or suggest improvements.

For the latest policies and information related to CLIPC, check the [ICE detention facility webpage](https://www.ice.gov/detention-facility/central-louisiana-ice-processing-center). Staying informed can help make interacting with the detention process easier.

Final Thoughts

Immigration detention centers like the Central Louisiana ICE Processing Center play a major role in the enforcement of US immigration laws. However, they also affect communities and families of detained individuals. Maintaining contacts through visitation, correspondence and funds provides important support. Understanding the operations, restrictions and options for legal resources at facilities such CLIPC allows detainees and their loved ones to navigate the system effectively. With the right information and persistence, detainees can get the assistance they need during this difficult process.

Frequently Asked Questions

**What are the visitation hours to see someone at CLIPC?**

Visitation hours depend on the visitor's relationship to the detainee. Friends/family visitation occurs daily in set morning, afternoon, and evening blocks based on gender. Attorneys can visit detainees 7 days a week from 6am-11pm with prior scheduling. 

**How do I locate someone detained at the facility?** 

Call (318) 992-1600 during business hours with the detainee's full name, any aliases, date of birth and country of birth to get information on their detention status.

**What options exist for legal representation for detainees?**

Pro bono legal aid organizations provide free representation services to immigrant detainees. A list of such groups is posted in CLIPC housing units. Detainees can contact them directly to request assistance.

**How can I send money to a detainee at CLIPC?**

Friends and family have several options to deposit funds in a detainee's commissary account. This includes deposit kiosks at CLIPC, online transfers, calling Keefe Commissary, or using Western Union. Have the detainee's full name and A-number when sending money.

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.