How can family members quickly locate and contact a loved one detained by ICE?

1. Use the official online locator first — what it is and what to enter

ICE’s Online Detainee Locator System (ODLS) is the public, web‑based tool built so family members, attorneys and consulates can find people held by ICE or CBP; ODLS accepts either the person’s A‑Number (entered as 8– or 9‑digit, pad with zeros if needed) plus country of birth, or full biographical details (name and date of birth) ^{[2] [1] [7]}. The State Department and U.S. government pages explicitly encourage foreign missions and families to use the locator as the first step ^{[8] [4]}.

2. What the locator returns — speed, limits and common gaps

ICE says ODLS is available 24/7 and is meant to be updated promptly; some guidance and media reporting note a policy expectation that systems are updated within about eight hours of releases/transfers, though delays and temporary omissions still occur ^{[2] [3]}. Advocacy groups and legal guides caution that juveniles, certain CBP short‑term custody cases, or transfers to non‑ICE facilities (county jails, some BOP prisons, or special sites) may not appear or may be delayed, so a blank or “not found” result does not prove a person isn’t detained ^{[9] [10] [11]}.

3. When the online search fails: call the field office or facility

If ODLS doesn’t locate someone, the standard next step is to call the ICE ERO field office that covers the place of apprehension or the detention facility named in facility lists; ICE’s guidance and multiple legal‑aid resources say field offices and facilities are the route to get a Deportation Officer’s contact info or confirm custody ^{[4] [12] [6]}. Note: advocates warn that field offices may not answer and families often need to call repeatedly; if you do reach staff, ask for the officer’s name and contact details and request procedures to allow information sharing ^{[5] [13]}.

4. Phone, visitation and sending funds — practical next steps after locating

Once you confirm the facility, contact it directly to learn about visitation rules, how to set up a phone account, and methods to send money; each facility has its own systems and many require prearranged phone/deposit accounts for detainees to call out ^{[9] [14]}. Legal guides urge families to verify the detainee’s presence by phone before traveling to a facility because transfers can happen quickly ^[3].

5. Use consulates, legal aid and advocacy groups — alternative routes and protections

Foreign consulates are encouraged to use the ODLS and are statutorily entitled to be notified of nationals in custody, so contacting the detainee’s consulate can help locate and arrange consular access ^{[8] [15]}. If phone and ODLS searches fail or you worry about disappearance or imminent removal, organizations like Freedom for Immigrants, NILC, and local immigrant legal services offer hotlines and intake forms to assist with searches and emergency outreach ^{[11] [5] [12]}.

6. Privacy rules and documentation families should gather

ICE privacy policies mean staff will not freely discuss case details with third parties unless provided a signed privacy waiver or the attorney files Form G‑28; family members should gather the detainee’s A‑Number (from prior immigration papers if possible), full legal name, date and country of birth, and any arrest location details before calling ^{[6] [4] [7]}. If you lack an A‑Number, ODLS accepts biographical info but having the A‑Number speeds and narrows searches ^{[4] [7]}.

7. Multiple viewpoints and caveats — reliability, delays and hidden friction

ICE and DHS present ODLS as a public, reliable tool updated regularly, but legal aid groups, local reporters and advocacy organizations document frequent delays, gaps for minors or transfers, and difficulties reaching field offices — so families should treat ODLS as the fastest first move but not the only avenue, and should prepare to call facilities, consulates, and legal helpers if information is incomplete ^{[2] [5] [15]}.

If you want, I can draft a one‑page checklist with the exact phone numbers and form names to call for a specific state or field office listed in ICE facility profiles — tell me the state or city where the person was last seen and I’ll pull the recommended contacts from ICE and advocacy resources ^{[6] [12]}.