Immigration Detention

Florida ICE Detention Search: Complete Guide

Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) operates a separate detention system from Florida's state prisons, county jails, and federal Bureau of Prisons. When someone is detained by ICE in Florida, they are not searchable through the county sheriff, FDC, or BOP. This page explains how to find someone in ICE custody, which Florida facilities are used, and how ICE detainers work when an immigration hold is placed on someone already in state or county custody.

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Covers all adult ICE detainees nationwide. Updated daily.

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How to Use the ICE Detainee Locator

The Online Detainee Locator System (ODLS) at locator.ice.gov is free. You need one of two search paths:

1

Search by A-Number and Country of Birth

Most reliable method. The A-Number (alien registration number) is a 9-digit number assigned to every immigration record. Format: "A" followed by 9 digits (example: A123-456-789). If you have the A-Number and the person's country of birth, the locator will return their current facility and basic details.

2

Search by Name, Country of Birth, and Date of Birth

If you don't have an A-Number, use the biographical search: first and last name, country of birth, and date of birth (all three required). The system does not do fuzzy matching; names must match the ICE record exactly, which can be an issue if the name was recorded differently than used daily.

3

Review Location and Contact the Facility

Results show the current facility name, address, and phone. For minors (under 18) in HHS Office of Refugee Resettlement custody, ODLS does not show results; contact the ORR Parental Hotline at 1-800-203-7001.

⚠ Minors Are Not in ODLS

The ICE Online Detainee Locator System does not show unaccompanied children in custody of the Department of Health and Human Services, Office of Refugee Resettlement (ORR). For minors, contact the ORR National Call Center at 1-800-203-7001.

Major ICE Detention Facilities in Florida

ICE uses a mix of dedicated detention centers and contracted county jails in Florida.

Krome North Service Processing Center (Miami-Dade)

Located at 18201 SW 12th Street in Miami, Krome is ICE's largest dedicated detention center in Florida. It primarily houses adult males and has been a key processing facility for immigration enforcement operations in South Florida since 1980. Capacity and population vary with enforcement trends.

Broward Transitional Center (Pompano Beach)

Located at 3900 N Powerline Road in Pompano Beach, Broward Transitional Center is a lower-security detention facility operated under contract with ICE. It typically houses detainees in immigration proceedings who have lower flight and custody risk scores.

Glades County Detention Center (Moore Haven)

The Glades County Sheriff's Office operates the Glades County Detention Center, which holds a mix of county pretrial inmates and ICE contract detainees. Located at 1297 E State Road 78 in Moore Haven. It has been one of several Florida county facilities used for federal immigration detention over the years.

Baker County Detention Center (Macclenny)

Located near Jacksonville, Baker County's facility has intermittently held ICE detainees under contract along with county inmates. Contract arrangements change periodically.

Wakulla County Detention Facility (Crawfordville)

Similar to Glades and Baker, Wakulla's facility has held federal ICE detainees under contract at various times alongside local jail populations.

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ICE Detainers: When Someone Is Held on Immigration by the County

Sometimes a person is physically in a Florida county jail but also has an ICE hold (called a "detainer" or "Form I-247"). This is different from ICE physical custody. Key points:

Florida, unlike some states, is broadly cooperative with ICE detainers. Most Florida sheriffs honor detainers under Florida Statute 908.104, which requires "full cooperation with federal immigration enforcement."

What to Do When Someone Is Taken by ICE

If you believe a family member was taken by ICE, the first 24-72 hours are critical. Steps:

  1. Search ODLS immediately. Records usually appear within 8 to 24 hours of intake. Check every 12 hours until you find them.
  2. Hire an immigration attorney. Not a criminal defense attorney. Immigration law is specialized. AILA (American Immigration Lawyers Association) maintains a lawyer search at ailalawyer.org. Many attorneys offer free or low-cost initial consultations for detention cases.
  3. Gather documentation. Identification documents, immigration paperwork (prior applications, approval notices, work permits), criminal history records, and evidence of equities (US citizen family, length of residence, employment, taxes paid, community ties).
  4. Request a bond hearing. Most non-criminal ICE detainees are eligible to request release on immigration bond from an Immigration Judge. Bond amounts start at $1,500 but can be much higher.
  5. Communicate through the facility. ICE facilities have their own phone, visit, and mail procedures. Detainees can call out using contracted phone vendors (Talton, GTL/ViaPath) on prepaid accounts.
Common Questions

Frequently Asked Questions, ICE Detention in Florida

The A-Number (also called USCIS Number or Alien Registration Number) is on most immigration documents: green card, work permit (EAD), Notice to Appear (NTA), prior court documents, or USCIS approval notices. If you can't find it, a name/date-of-birth/country-of-birth search in ODLS can still work, though name matching is strict.
US citizens should not be in ICE custody, but mistaken detentions happen (about 1% to 2% of ICE encounters according to studies). If a US citizen is mistakenly detained, contact the ICE Field Office Director for the Florida field office (Miami has jurisdiction over most of Florida) and an immigration attorney immediately. Documentation of US citizenship (birth certificate, passport, naturalization certificate) usually resolves the issue.
Immigration bond (not criminal bond) can be posted after an Immigration Judge sets an amount, or in some cases ICE sets a bond administratively. Immigration bond is 100% (no 10% surety like state bail). Typical minimum is $1,500; high-flight-risk or criminal-history cases can run $10,000 to $50,000+. Bond money is refundable if the detainee complies with immigration proceedings and appears for all hearings.
Under 8 U.S.C. 1226(c), certain noncitizens with qualifying criminal convictions are subject to mandatory detention without bond. The categories include aggravated felonies, controlled substance offenses, and certain other crimes of moral turpitude. Mandatory detainees generally cannot post bond regardless of equities, unless they win a Joseph hearing showing they are not actually subject to mandatory detention.
Generally no. Immigration law is a specialized federal practice area separate from state criminal defense. A Florida criminal defense attorney can advise on how criminal case choices affect immigration consequences (Padilla v. Kentucky requires this), but the immigration case itself is typically handled by an AILA member with active immigration practice.
Varies by case type. Pre-removal-order detention can last months to years depending on whether the detainee fights removal, applies for relief, and appeals. Post-removal-order detention is generally limited to 6 months unless specific factors justify longer detention (Zadvydas v. Davis). In practice, many detentions resolve within weeks to a few months through bond, removal, or grant of relief.
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Need Help Locating an ICE Detainee?

If you can't find your person in ODLS or need help understanding an immigration hold, call our free 24/7 line. We can help orient you to the right system and connect you with immigration attorney resources.

Call (786) 600-3533 →

Calls may be answered by a licensed bail bond agent, not an immigration attorney.