Northwest ICE Processing Center (NWIPC)

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)

The Northwest ICE Processing Center (NWIPC) is an immigration detention center located in Tacoma, Washington Here is a detailed description of the facility and recent news: Facility Information: The Northwest ICE Processing Center (NWIPC) is operated by the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) It is designed to detain individuals who are awaiting immigration proceedings or deportation

The facility is located in Tacoma, Washington, and is commonly referred to as the Northwest Detention Center Detainee Information: If you need information about a detainee housed at the Northwest ICE Processing Center (NWIPC), you may contact the facility directly for more information.

Recent News:

Northwest ICE Processing Center (NWIPC) has been the subject of controversy and concerns regarding detainee conditions and health issues. In February 2023, obtained documents revealed years of unsanitary conditions at the facility, including concerns about sanitation and hygiene Additionally, in the same month, it was reported that chemical agents were used on immigrant detainees, raising concerns about the health and safety of the detainees However, in July 2023, it was reported that surprise health inspections remain legal at the facility, allowing the state of Washington to conduct unannounced inspections to ensure health and safety standards are met COVID-19 Concerns: The COVID-19 pandemic has raised urgent concerns about the health of immigrants held in detention centers, including the Northwest ICE Processing Center.

An In-Depth Look at the Northwest ICE Processing Center

Over the last 25 years, immigration detention has grown exponentially in the United States. In 1994, the average daily population in immigration detention was less than 7,000. By 2019, that number had ballooned to over 50,000 immigrants detained per day. 

Driving this massive expansion is the Immigration and Customs Enforcement agency, better known as ICE. Established in 2003 as part of the Department of Homeland Security, ICE is tasked with enforcing immigration laws within the United States. This includes identifying, apprehending, and deporting immigrants living in the country without legal status.

To aid in this mission, ICE relies on a sprawling network of immigration detention centers to house detainees as they await immigration court hearings or deportation. One of the largest facilities in ICE's detention system is the Northwest ICE Processing Center, known as the NWIPC, located in Tacoma, Washington.

The NWIPC opened in 2004 and is operated by the GEO Group, one of the largest private prison companies in the US. With a capacity to hold 1,575 detainees, the NWIPC is one of the biggest immigration detention centers in the country. On any given day, the facility houses around 400 immigrants as they navigate complex immigration proceedings.

This article will provide an in-depth look at the NWIPC, including details on visitation policies, detainee rights, facility operations, and legal processes. The goal is to shed light on immigration detention and how the public can support immigrants detained at the NWIPC.

## NWIPC Operations and Demographics

The NWIPC is owned by the GEO Group under contract with ICE to operate the detention center. Located about 40 minutes south of Seattle, the address for the facility is 1623 East J Street, Tacoma, WA, 98421.

The single-building facility contains both cells and open dorms to house detainees. There are 12 multiple occupancy cells, 8 open bay dorms, 9 medical beds, and 39 segregation cells specifically for solitary confinement. The intake unit has a capacity of 193 detainees.

In total, there are 20 housing units in the NWIPC, but only 10 are currently utilized. Three units house female detainees, though only two are actively used. The male units can be staffed by guards of either gender.

In the past 12 months, around 3,911 detainees were booked into the NWIPC. The top three countries of origin for detainees are Mexico, Peru, and India. The average length of stay is 95 days per detainee.

## Visitation Policies and Schedule 

Friends and family members have a few options to find out if their loved one is being detained at the NWIPC:

- Check the ICE Online Detainee Locator System using the detainee's full name and A-number (alien registration number)
- Call the ICE office at (253) 779-6000 ext 14
- Visit the NWIPC in person and inquire at the front desk

The facility allows visitation from immediate family like parents, siblings, spouses, and children. Visits from other relatives, friends, and associates are also approved unless they pose a security risk. Attorneys and clergy can schedule visits with proper identification.

Minors under 18 can visit with an adult guardian. All visitors age 16 and up must present photo ID. The maximum number of visitors per detainee is two adults and two minors.  

Visiting hours are from 8:00am to 11:00am and 1:00pm to 3:30pm Thursday through Monday. The facility is closed to visitors on Tuesdays and Wednesdays.

Each housing unit is assigned specific times slots for visitation twice per week. For example, units A-1 and A-2 have visitation on Mondays and Thursdays. The full schedule is posted at the facility. 

All visitors must adhere to a dress code and pass security screening procedures, including metal detection and pat downs. Certain clothing like hooded sweatshirts is not allowed. Lockers are provided to store personal belongings not permitted inside.

## Communication with Detainees

**Phone Calls**

Detainees can make phone calls from the facility by using a personal PIN number. Calls cost 10 cents per minute for local calls and 15 cents per minute for long distance. Collect calls are also allowed. 

Family and friends cannot call into the facility directly to speak to a detainee. For emergencies, they can leave a message by calling (253) 396-1611. Messages are limited to 3 minutes and delivered once per day.

**Mail**

Detainees can send and receive letters in the mail. Envelopes must specify the detainee's full name and A-number. There are no restrictions on how much mail detainees can send at their own expense. Indigent detainees are provided limited postage at government cost.

Incoming mail is inspected but not read. Only legal mail will be forwarded to detainees who are transferred or deported. All other mail is returned to sender. Detainees should not have cash sent in the mail.

Packages are heavily restricted and require pre-approval from ICE before being accepted. Family and friends must contact the ICE office at (253) 779-6000 to request package approval.

**Communication Monitoring** 

ICE reserves the right to monitor phone calls and mail communications at the NWIPC, except for detainee-attorney privilege. Detainees are notified that all phone calls and mail exchanges are subject to surveillance.

## Money and Property

Family and friends can deposit money into a detainee's account using cash, money order, or credit card by:

- Dropping off payments at the facility between 7:30am-3:00pm
- Mailing U.S. Postal money orders 
- Utilizing online or phone credit card payments

ICE has strict procedures around sending property to detainees who are scheduled for removal from the United States:

**Step 1:** The detainee requests approved property through a written form.

**Step 2:** ICE reviews the request and notifies the detainee if approved.

**Step 3:** The detainee's family brings the property during approved hours.

**Step 4:** Staff inspect the property before giving it to the detainee.

The type of property allowed is restricted to one suitcase less than 40 pounds, containing only clothing. ICE will not return state-issued IDs, only foreign passports and papers. Released detainees can retrieve state IDs.

## Legal Processes and Immigration Court

**Bonds**  

A bond is money paid to the government to ensure a detainee's release and attendance at immigration hearings. ICE initially sets bond amounts for detainees after arrest. 

Detainees can request bond hearings before an immigration judge to ask for a bond to be set, lowered, or eliminated. Detainees should present documents and testimony from family and friends at their bond hearing.

If granted a bond, the detainee cannot be released until the full bond amount is paid. 

**Checking Case Status**

Friends and family can check a detainee's immigration case status by calling the immigration court's automated system at 1-800-898-7180. They will need the A-number to access details on upcoming hearings, past decisions, and court dates.

**Court Hearings**

Immigration court inside the NWIPC has two main types of hearings:

**Master Calendar Hearing:** This is the initial appearance before a judge. The government charges are read. Detainees can ask for bond and plead their case.

**Individual Hearing:** This is a trial where both sides present evidence and call witnesses. The judge will decide if the detainee qualifies for relief from removal. 

**Appeals:** Detainees can appeal judge's decisions to the Board of Immigration Appeals and federal circuit courts. There are strict deadlines for submitting appeals.

## Supporting Detainees

Friends or family who are undocumented should consult an attorney before attempting to visit detainees at the NWIPC, as detention facilities can be high-risk situations.  

Supporters should avoid sending original documents like passports that may not be returned. Copies are preferable for attorney case files.

Donations to non-profits like the Northwest Immigrants Right Project provide legal aid: https://www.nwirp.org/ 

## Frequently Asked Questions

**Q: Can I visit any day of the week?**

A: No, visiting hours are Thursday through Monday from 8am-3:30pm. The facility is closed on Tuesdays and Wednesdays.

**Q: Is there parking available at the detention center?**

A: Yes, street parking is available on J Street in front of the facility.

**Q: What items am I prohibited from bringing to visitor check-in?**

A: You cannot bring in electronic devices, weapons, cash, or any other contraband. Lockers are provided to store personal items.

**Q: How old does a child need to be to visit the detention facility?** 

A: Minor children under 18 must be accompanied by an adult guardian, with required paperwork specifying the relationship.

**Q: If I can't make my scheduled visitation time slot, can I come at a different time?**

A: Unfortunately, visitation schedules are restrictive. If you miss your allotted time slot, you will have to wait until the detainee's next scheduled visitation period that week.

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.