AI Overview
U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) takes immigrants to a wide variety of
detention facilities across the United States, including dedicated ICE centers, state and local jails, private prisons, and short-term holding locations.
Where Detained Immigrants Are Held
ICE utilizes a vast network of facilities to manage the immigrant detention process, which includes initial processing, ongoing detention during legal proceedings, and eventual removal from the country.
Key Locations and Data
As of late 2025, the states with the largest number of people in ICE detention per day include Texas, Louisiana, California, Georgia, and Arizona.
If you need to locate a specific individual in ICE custody, you can use the official Online Detainee Locator System on the ICE website.
After Detention
Following detention, immigrants go through immigration court proceedings, which can lead to various outcomes:
U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) takes immigrants to a wide variety of
detention facilities across the United States, including dedicated ICE centers, state and local jails, private prisons, and short-term holding locations.
Where Detained Immigrants Are Held
ICE utilizes a vast network of facilities to manage the immigrant detention process, which includes initial processing, ongoing detention during legal proceedings, and eventual removal from the country.
- Dedicated ICE Facilities: ICE operates several of its own Service Processing Centers (SPCs), though many facilities in the overall network are run by private corporations or other government entities.
- State and Local Jails: The majority of immigrants in ICE custody are detained in state and local jails that have contracts with ICE, a practice that generates revenue for those local governments.
- Private Detention Centers: A significant number of immigrants are held in facilities run by private prison companies like the GEO Group and CoreCivic, which operate major detention centers across the country, particularly in states like Texas and Louisiana.
- Various Other Locations: The ICE detention network also includes less conventional places such as hotels, hospitals, airports, military bases, and "soft-sided" temporary facilities, especially during periods of high migration.
Key Locations and Data
As of late 2025, the states with the largest number of people in ICE detention per day include Texas, Louisiana, California, Georgia, and Arizona.
If you need to locate a specific individual in ICE custody, you can use the official Online Detainee Locator System on the ICE website.
After Detention
Following detention, immigrants go through immigration court proceedings, which can lead to various outcomes:
- Release: Some individuals may be released on bond or into Alternatives to Detention (ATD) programs while their cases proceed.
- Deportation/Removal: Those with final deportation orders are removed from the U.S. and typically taken to their countries of origin or last transit.