Arkansas: Resources for ICE Detainees

This guide is for people detained by ICE in Arkansas and for their families. Arkansas has no dedicated long-term ICE detention facility. People arrested by ICE in Arkansas are held temporarily in county jails - primarily in Northwest Arkansas - then transferred to detention facilities in Louisiana, which is where most Arkansas cases are adjudicated. The ICE New Orleans Field Office covers Arkansas. Northwest Arkansas - Benton County in particular - became one of the highest-volume ICE enforcement areas in the country in 2025, with more than 450 ICE arrests through the Benton County Jail in the first nine and a half months of the year. Act quickly if a family member is detained - transfers out of state happen within days. Last verified: June 2026.

Step 1: Find Your Family Member - Right Now

ICE Online Detainee Locator: locator.ice.gov

You need: the person's full legal name, date of birth, and country of birth - OR their A-Number (Alien Registration Number, found on any immigration paperwork). The locator shows people currently in ICE custody and those released within the last 60 days.

ICE Detention Reporting and Information Line: 1-888-351-4024 (toll-free)

EOIR Immigration Court Case Status: 1-800-898-7180

ICE New Orleans Field Office (covers Arkansas): NewOrleans.Outreach@ice.dhs.gov

Little Rock ICE Sub-Office (central and northeast Arkansas): Coverage area - central and northeast Arkansas. Appointment times: Monday through Thursday, 9 AM-3 PM. Email: NewOrleans.Outreach@ice.dhs.gov

If your family member cannot be found through the online locator, they may be in a local Arkansas county jail under an ICE detainer and not yet in federal ICE custody. Call the county jail where you believe they were booked. The Benton County Detention Center and Washington County Detention Center are the two most common first-stop facilities for ICE detainees in Arkansas - phone numbers are listed below under Step 2.

Step 2: Where ICE Detainees Are Held in Arkansas

The Arkansas Detention Pipeline

Arkansas has no dedicated long-term ICE detention facility. Understanding how detention works in Arkansas means understanding a three-stage pipeline:

Stage 1 - Initial Arrest and County Jail: When ICE or local law enforcement with 287(g) authority arrests someone in Arkansas, they are booked into the local county jail. In Northwest Arkansas, Benton County Jail and Washington County Detention Center are the primary first stops. ICE holds people in county jails typically for 48-72 hours while arranging transfer.

Stage 2 - Washington County Detention Center: Benton County detainees are commonly transferred first to the Washington County Detention Center in Fayetteville before being moved out of state. This is a holding step, not a long-term detention facility.

Stage 3 - Louisiana ICE Detention Facilities: Most people detained by ICE in Arkansas are ultimately transferred to detention facilities in Louisiana, which fall under the ICE New Orleans Field Office. Louisiana has a large network of privately operated ICE detention facilities. Once transferred to Louisiana, in-person family visits become significantly harder for Arkansas families.

Benton County Detention Center - High-Volume First Stop

1000 SE 14th Street, Bentonville, AR 72712

Phone: (479) 271-1000

Benton County became one of the highest-volume ICE enforcement counties in the nation in 2025. More than 450 people were arrested by ICE through the Benton County Jail between January 1 and October 15, 2025 - more than 1.5 arrests per day in a county of about 310,000 people. Benton County Sheriff's Office signed the Jail Enforcement Model (JEM) 287(g) agreement, which allows deputies to access federal immigration databases and hold people on ICE detainers longer than standard, giving ICE more time to take custody.

About half of those arrested through Benton County's program had been convicted of crimes; the other half had charges pending. Traffic stops, including driving without a license, have been a significant pathway to ICE detention in this county. Documented cases include a lawful permanent resident who was held for four days before being released without explanation.

Washington County Detention Center - Intermediate Transfer Point

1155 West Clydesdale Drive, Fayetteville, AR 72701

Phone: (479) 444-5800 (Sheriff's Office)

Washington County Detention Center, located in Fayetteville, serves as the common intermediate step between initial arrest in Northwest Arkansas and transfer to Louisiana ICE facilities. Detainees may be held here for a short period before being transported out of state. Fayetteville and Springdale - which straddles Benton and Washington counties - have significant Latino and immigrant communities, and ICE enforcement has created significant community fear in these cities.

Other County Jails

Any county jail in Arkansas with a 287(g) agreement or that cooperates with ICE detainer requests may hold ICE detainees. Arkansas Act 654 (2025) required all county sheriffs who maintain a detention center to participate in the 287(g) Warrant Service Officer program. Verify the current status of any county's 287(g) agreement at ice.gov or by calling the facility directly.

Louisiana - Where Most Cases Are Resolved

Once transferred out of Arkansas, most detainees are held in Louisiana ICE detention facilities. Louisiana has some of the largest privately operated immigration detention facilities in the country, concentrated in central Louisiana. Long-term detention cases for Arkansas residents often play out at facilities including the LaSalle ICE Processing Center in Jena, Louisiana, the Pine Prairie ICE Processing Center, the South Louisiana ICE Processing Center in Basile, and others. Use the ICE Detainee Locator to find the specific Louisiana facility.

For detainees transferred to Louisiana, access to legal representation becomes more difficult - Arkansas attorneys must either travel to Louisiana or work with Louisiana-based organizations. The Southern Poverty Law Center's Immigrant Justice Project and the Capital Area Immigrants' Rights (CAIR) Coalition network can assist. See Step 3 for legal resources that reach into Louisiana detention.

Step 3: Get Legal Help - Act Immediately

The transfer timeline in Arkansas is short - usually a few days from arrest to out-of-state transfer. An attorney who gets involved on the day of arrest has the best chance of intervening before a transfer that takes the case to Louisiana. Contact legal help the same day.

Legal Help in Arkansas

Arkansas United

arkansasunited.org | 104 W. Colt Square Drive, Suite 3, Fayetteville, AR 72703

Also: 1301 E. Robinson Ave., Suite B6, Springdale, AR 72764

Arkansas's primary statewide immigrant rights organization, founded in 2012. Provides advocacy, services, and connections to legal resources for immigrants across Arkansas, with a strong presence in Northwest Arkansas. Operates Immigrant Resource Centers. Contact them for current legal referrals and emergency resources.

Arkansas Immigrant Defense Center

4024 East Wagon Wheel Road, Springdale, AR 72764

Provides legal services to immigrants and refugees in Northwest Arkansas, as well as community education and support.

Catholic Charities - Immigration Services

Catholic Charities of Arkansas provides low-cost immigration counseling and support to families and individuals eligible for immigration benefits who cannot afford private assistance. Located in Springdale. Contact the Diocese of Little Rock Catholic Charities for current services and availability.

University of Arkansas School of Law Immigration Clinic

Fayetteville, AR - The UA Law Immigration Clinic offers free legal services to people with immigration-related legal issues. Clinic capacity is limited; contact the law school for current intake procedures.

AID Arkansas - Aiding Survivors of Human Trafficking and Child Abuse

aidarkansas.com - Nonprofit law firm serving trafficking survivors and child abuse survivors in Arkansas. If detention intersects with trafficking or abuse, contact AID Arkansas.

Legal Aid of Arkansas

arlegalaid.org - Free civil legal services to low-income Arkansans in 31 of 75 counties, headquartered in Jonesboro. Contact to determine whether your immigration matter qualifies for service.

Southern Poverty Law Center - Immigrant Justice Project

splcenter.org - The SPLC's Immigrant Justice Project has been active in cases involving the ICE New Orleans Field Office, which covers Arkansas. They handle significant systemic litigation but can be a referral point for detained individuals in Louisiana-based facilities.

EOIR Pro Bono List

ICE detention facilities are required to post pro bono legal service lists in housing units. Once transferred to a Louisiana facility, ask your family member to request and review that list and use the free calls available to listed providers.

Immigration Advocates Network

immigrationadvocates.org - National directory. Search by Arkansas or, once transferred, by the Louisiana zip code of the facility where your family member is held.

Step 4: Bond - How to Get Someone Released

Bond allows a detained person to be released from ICE custody while their immigration case continues in court. Not everyone is eligible - people subject to mandatory detention under federal law cannot be bonded out regardless of the amount. An immigration judge sets bond at a bond hearing.

Because Arkansas detainees are typically transferred to Louisiana facilities, bond hearings are usually held in Louisiana immigration courts or by video from the detention center. Having an attorney who can appear in Louisiana, or who can work with a Louisiana-based co-counsel, is important.

Where to Post Bond for Arkansas Detainees

Bond cannot be posted at county jails in Arkansas. For detainees transferred to Louisiana, immigration bond is posted at the ICE ERO New Orleans Field Office or at approved ICE ERO facilities in Louisiana near the detention center.

ICE ERO New Orleans Field Office: 1250 Poydras Street, Suite 325, New Orleans, LA 70113 | (504) 599-0394

Bond amounts in immigration cases range from $1,500 to $25,000 or more. Payment must be made in full. A licensed immigration bond agent can post the bond electronically for a fee of 2%-20% of the total amount, avoiding the need to travel to New Orleans.

Payment: Cash, cashier's check, or money order payable to 'Department of Homeland Security.' Bring the detainee's full name, A-Number, and the bond order.

Act fast: The window between arrest in Arkansas and transfer to Louisiana - where bond hearings become more logistically complex - may be only a few days.

Bond Funds

National Immigrant Bond Fund

immigrantbondfund.org - National fund that posts bond for detained immigrants in certain circumstances; requires family contribution.

Vera Institute - SAFE Network

vera.org - Check for availability in Louisiana facilities where Arkansas detainees are held.

Community fundraising

Arkansas United and local faith communities in Northwest Arkansas have organized community support for specific detained families. Contact Arkansas United for information on available emergency funds and mutual aid resources.

Step 5: Communication - Staying Connected

While Still in Arkansas (County Jails)

Phone: County jails in Arkansas use various phone service providers. Call the specific jail to identify the phone system and set up a prepaid account. Detainees can make outgoing calls; family cannot call in directly. Calls are monitored and recorded.

Visits: County jail visitation policies vary by facility. Contact the specific jail directly for visiting hours, registration requirements, and visitor rules. Bring a valid government-issued photo ID.

Mail: Address mail to the detainee's full name and inmate ID number, facility name, and address. All mail is inspected.

After Transfer to Louisiana

Once your family member is in a Louisiana facility, communication becomes more important and also more costly for Arkansas families. Most Louisiana ICE facilities use GTL/ViaPath (gettingout.com) or Securus Technologies for phone and video communication.

Phone: Set up a prepaid account through the facility's phone provider before the first call. Calls are monitored except for legal calls.

Video visitation: Most Louisiana ICE facilities offer video visitation through the GTL/ViaPath platform. This may be the most practical way for Arkansas families to maintain regular contact given the distance.

Mail: Address mail to the detainee's full name and A-Number, the facility name, and the Louisiana facility address. Confirm the exact mailing address through the ICE Detainee Locator or by calling the facility.

Free calls: ICE standards require detainees to have access to free calls to consular officials and legal service providers on the posted pro bono list. Ask your family member to request the list from facility staff.

Sending Money

Money for commissary accounts is typically deposited through the GTL/ViaPath platform or the facility's designated deposit service. Contact the specific Louisiana facility where your family member is held for current accepted deposit methods.

Step 6: Your Rights Inside Detention

ICE detention is civil, not criminal. Being held by ICE does not mean you have been convicted of a crime. All ICE detention facilities - including Louisiana facilities holding Arkansas detainees - are required to meet federal Performance-Based National Detention Standards (PBNDS).

Key rights every detainee has:

The right to speak with an attorney. In civil immigration proceedings, there is no right to a government-appointed attorney, but you have the right to retain one and to make confidential calls to attorneys.

The right to a bond hearing before an immigration judge (unless subject to mandatory detention).

The right to be free from physical, sexual, and verbal abuse.

The right to access medical and mental health care.

The right to practice your religion.

The right to access a law library and legal materials.

The right to free calls to consular officials and legal service providers on the posted list.

The right to file a grievance if your rights are violated.

The right to communicate with your home country's consulate.

To file a grievance:

Ask facility staff for a grievance form. Contact the DHS Office of Inspector General: oig.dhs.gov | 1-800-323-8603. Contact the Southern Poverty Law Center or a local legal aid organization if the grievance is not resolved.

Consular access:

Under the Vienna Convention, you have the right to contact your country's consulate. ICE must inform you of this right. Ask a staff member for the consular contact list for your country. Calls to consulates are free under ICE standards.

Note on Arkansas Act 654 and local enforcement:

Arkansas Act 654 (2025) requires county sheriffs with detention centers to participate in 287(g). This means the initial encounter with local law enforcement - including traffic stops - can lead directly to ICE detention. People with any pending local charges, warrants, or prior immigration orders should be aware that county jail booking in Arkansas is increasingly a pathway to federal ICE detention and transfer to Louisiana.

Quick Reference - Arkansas ICE Detainee Resources

Find a detainee:

ICE Detainee Locator: locator.ice.gov

ICE Detention Reporting Line: 1-888-351-4024

EOIR Case Status: 1-800-898-7180

ICE New Orleans Field Office (covers Arkansas): NewOrleans.Outreach@ice.dhs.gov

Arkansas holding facilities (temporary - before Louisiana transfer):

Benton County Detention Center: 1000 SE 14th Street, Bentonville, AR 72712 | (479) 271-1000

Washington County Detention Center: 1155 W. Clydesdale Drive, Fayetteville, AR 72701 | (479) 444-5800

Legal help in Arkansas:

Arkansas United: arkansasunited.org | Fayetteville: 104 W. Colt Square Dr., Suite 3

Arkansas Immigrant Defense Center: 4024 E. Wagon Wheel Rd., Springdale

UA Law Immigration Clinic: Fayetteville

Legal Aid of Arkansas: arlegalaid.org

Post bond (for Louisiana facilities):

ICE ERO New Orleans: 1250 Poydras Street, Suite 325, New Orleans, LA 70113 | (504) 599-0394

Bond funds:

National Immigrant Bond Fund: immigrantbondfund.org

Arkansas United emergency resources: arkansasunited.org

Communication (Louisiana facilities):

Phone and video: GTL/ViaPath - gettingout.com (confirm with specific facility)

Mail: Include full name + A-Number + facility name + Louisiana address

Sources and verification: AP / KATV, 'How One Arkansas County Helps ICE Make Hundreds of Arrests,' December 5-7, 2025 (450+ ICE arrests Benton County Jail January 1-October 15, 2025; 1.5+ arrests per day; Jail Enforcement Model 287(g); federal database access; longer holds; transfer to Washington County then Louisiana; about half no criminal conviction; traffic stops including driving without license as pathway; Springdale community fear; Cristina Osornio case - lawful permanent resident held 4 days; husband Edwin Sanchez-Mendoza deported); Arkansas Times, 'Benton County Jail Has Handed Over Hundreds of Detainees to ICE,' December 9, 2025 (4% of 7,000 nationwide 287(g) arrests; Arkansas United Director Mireya Reith quote; community members may not be reporting detentions; Benton County chose JEM - stricter than state law required); NWA Homepage, 'These Arkansas Agencies Are Approved to Conduct Immigration Enforcement,' September 9, 2025 (Act 654 requirements; Faulkner County Warrant Service Officer; multiple agencies approved); ICE Little Rock sub-office page (ice.gov; central and northeast Arkansas coverage; Monday-Thursday 9 AM-3 PM; NewOrleans.Outreach@ice.dhs.gov); Louisiana Illuminator, 'Under Trump, ICE in New Orleans Granted Few Releases,' March 2024 (New Orleans ICE field office covers Louisiana, Mississippi, Alabama, Arkansas, Tennessee); Fayetteville City immigration resources page (fayetteville-ar.gov; Arkansas United address 1301 E Robinson Ave Ste B6 Springdale; Arkansas Immigrant Defense Center 4024 E Wagon Wheel Rd Springdale; UA Law Immigration Clinic; Catholic Charities Springdale); Arkansas United website (arkansasunited.org; 104 W Colt Square Dr Suite 3 Fayetteville; founded 2012; first immigrant rights organization in Arkansas); Legal Aid of Arkansas website (arlegalaid.org; Jonesboro headquarters; 31 of 75 counties). Volatile items: Verify current county jail 287(g) participation status (Act 654 requires all sheriff-operated detention centers to participate; verify specific county status at ice.gov or with county); verify transfer timeline (typically days but can vary; confirm with Arkansas United or the holding facility); verify Louisiana facility where family member is transferred (use ICE Detainee Locator); verify bond posting location (New Orleans or the regional ICE ERO facility nearest the Louisiana detention center). Last verified: June 2026.