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FCI Berlin Medium and Satellite Camp (ICE)

Federal Bureau of Prisons (BOP)

Last Updated: May 08, 2026
Address
1 Success Loop Rd, Berlin, NH 03570
Beds
850
County
Coos
Phone
603-342-4000
Fax
603-342-4250
Email
ber-execassistant-s@bop.gov
Mailing Address
PO Box 69, Berlin, NH 03570
View Official Website

FCI Berlin is for Federal Bureau of Prisons (BOP) offenders found guilty of a federal crime and sentenced to incarceration in accordance with the Department of Justice Sentencing Guidelines.

All prisons and jails have Security or Custody levels depending on the inmate’s classification, sentence, and criminal history. Please review the rules and regulations for Federal Medium | Minimum facility.

The phone carrier is Trulincs, to see their rates and best-calling plans for your inmate to call you.

If you are seeking to send your inmate money for commissary, one recommended for this facility is MoneyGram There is a fee for sending money, see their rates and limitations.

If you are unsure of your inmate's location, you can search and locate your inmate by typing in their last name, first name or first initial, and/or the offender ID number to get their accurate information immediately Registered Offenders

Looking for an inmate at this facility? Visitation Information, Times and Rules
Satellite View of FCI Berlin Medium and Satellite Camp (ICE)
Search Arrest Records

Official Resources

Nearby Facilities

If your loved one is at FCI Berlin, InmateAid can help you stay connected. Call the facility directly at 603-342-4000 with any immediate questions.

FCI Berlin, located in Berlin, New Hampshire, is a federal correctional institution managed by the Federal Bureau of Prisons. This page provides essential information for those seeking details about inmate services, visitation guidelines, and facility contact information.

FDC Berlin, officially known as the Federal Detention Center Berlin, is a federal detention facility located in Berlin, New Hampshire, near the northern edge of the White Mountains region. Operated by the Federal Bureau of Prisons, the institution primarily functions as an administrative detention center housing pretrial detainees, federal inmates in transit, and ICE detainees held under agreements with the Department of Homeland Security and U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement. Opened in 2010 after originally being developed as a private prison project, the facility later transitioned into federal use as the Bureau of Prisons expanded detention capacity in the Northeast. Public Bureau of Prisons records identify the institution as having an approximate operational capacity of 1,200 inmates and detainees combined. The facility is currently overseen by Warden Jose R. Vazquez, who manages detention operations, inmate services, security procedures, transportation logistics, and institutional administration throughout the prison complex.

Unlike older urban federal detention centers, FDC Berlin was built as a modern correctional institution in a relatively remote rural setting. The facility contains secure housing units, intake and booking sections, medical and mental health clinics, attorney visitation areas, recreation spaces, dining facilities, transportation staging sections, and administrative offices supporting around-the-clock detention operations. Because of its location far from major metropolitan detention centers, the institution frequently houses inmates and ICE detainees transferred from crowded facilities throughout the Northeast. ICE detainees held at the facility are generally awaiting immigration hearings, transfer coordination, or removal proceedings under DHS authority. The prison’s isolated location and large operational footprint make it one of the more unique federal detention centers in New England.

ICE Detainee Information

This facility holds immigration detainees under an active contract with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement in addition to its regular population. ICE detainees are civil immigration detainees, not criminal defendants, and are held while their immigration cases are processed. The rules, rights, and services that apply to ICE detainees differ from those that apply to the general jail population.

To locate an ICE detainee at this facility, use the ICE Online Detainee Locator at locator.ice.gov. You will need the detainee's A-Number, a nine-digit Alien Registration Number that appears on any immigration document they have received. If the A-Number has fewer than nine digits, add zeros at the beginning. If you do not have the A-Number, you can search using the detainee's full legal name, country of birth, and date of birth. Names must be an exact match; try variations if the first search returns no results.

Immigration bond works differently from criminal bail. Not all detainees are eligible for bond; those with certain criminal convictions or prior deportation orders may be subject to mandatory detention. For those who are eligible, bond is set by an immigration judge and typically ranges from $1,500 to over $10,000. Bond must be paid in full before release. An immigration attorney can request a bond hearing and argue for a lower amount based on the detainee's circumstances.

Unlike criminal defendants, ICE detainees do not have the right to a government-appointed attorney. They must hire a private immigration attorney or find free legal help through a nonprofit organization. RAICES provides legal services and bond assistance at raicestexas.org. The National Immigrant Justice Center offers free legal representation at immigrantjustice.org. Many immigration courts also maintain a list of free and low-cost legal service providers available to detainees upon request.

ICE transfers detainees between facilities frequently and with little advance notice, sometimes to locations far from family and legal counsel. If you cannot locate your family member through this page, search the ICE Online Detainee Locator again at locator.ice.gov with their A-Number. If they have an attorney, notify the attorney immediately as transfers affect court appearances and case timelines.

FDC Berlin has not housed the same volume of notorious long-term inmates as older federal prisons because of its primary role as a detention and transit facility, but it has held a variety of high-profile federal defendants awaiting trial or transfer through the federal system. Inmates housed there have included organized crime defendants, narcotics traffickers, immigration detainees, firearms offenders, and federal white-collar crime defendants moving through New England federal courts. Because the institution primarily serves short-term detention and administrative custody purposes, inmate populations frequently change as detainees are transferred to long-term Bureau of Prisons facilities following sentencing or immigration proceedings.

Although FDC Berlin offers educational services, work assignments, healthcare access, legal resources, religious programming, and limited reentry-focused opportunities, the institution does not offer the Bureau of Prisons’ Residential Drug Abuse Program, commonly known as RDAP. Inmates requiring RDAP treatment are generally transferred to designated long-term federal prisons that operate the full residential program after sentencing. The institution instead focuses more heavily on intake processing, secure detention, transportation coordination, and temporary federal housing operations. Daily prison operations involve extensive inmate movement scheduling because many detainees remain at the facility only temporarily while awaiting court appearances, designation decisions, or transfer orders.

Since opening, FDC Berlin has faced periodic operational scrutiny involving staffing shortages, inmate healthcare complaints, contraband concerns, and questions about maintaining a large federal detention institution in a remote northern New Hampshire location. Local officials, however, have often viewed the prison as an important economic anchor for the Berlin region, providing hundreds of correctional and administrative jobs in an area historically affected by paper mill closures and industrial decline. Despite ongoing challenges tied to federal detention populations and operational demands, FDC Berlin continues serving as one of the Bureau of Prisons’ primary detention centers in the Northeast and remains an active component of both the federal criminal justice system and DHS immigration detention operations.

Table of Contents for FCI Berlin

Inmate Locator

FCI Berlin Medium and Satellite Camp (ICE) is a Federal Bureau of Prisons facility. To search for an inmate, enter their full legal name or their eight-digit BOP Register Number (xxxxx-xxx) at bop.gov. The Register Number appears on court documents and returns faster, more precise results than a name search.

If the BOP locator does not return results, use the InmateAid Inmate Search tool. This database covers inmates across federal, state, and county facilities nationwide and does not require an account or sign-up.. This free inmate locator.

For the fastest and most comprehensive inmate search, use the Arrest Record Search tool. Records are updated frequently and include booking data, charges, and current custody status across thousands of facilities nationwide.

Visitation Information

Visitation Information - FCI Berlin

Facility Contacts

ICE Supervisory Deportation Officer: 603-342-4305 or BER-ICECorrespondence@bop.gov Legal visit, call, and clergy scheduling email: BER-ICECorrespondence@bop.gov General BOP visiting information: bop.gov/inmates/visiting.jsp

Visiting Hours

Friend and family visits run:

Saturday and Sunday: 8 a.m. to 9:30 a.m. Federal holidays: 8 a.m. to 9:30 a.m.

For the most up-to-date visiting protocol and any schedule changes, check the BOP website.

Who Can Visit

You can only visit a detainee at FCI Berlin if the detainee has placed you on their visitor list and BOP has cleared you in advance. BOP has its own rules on who can visit, what to wear, how long visits last, conduct expectations, and physical contact. Review the BOP guide "How to visit a federal inmate" at bop.gov/inmates/visiting.jsp before planning a visit.

Visiting Rules

All friend and family visits are non-contact.

No firearms or weapons of any kind. No electronic devices (cell phones, pagers, radios) in secure areas. Visitors cannot pass anything to detainees or carry items into the visitation area.

Every visitor is subject to a pat-down, bag inspection, and metal scan. Refusing a search means you will not be admitted. If you appear intoxicated, you will be turned away.

Attorney Visits

In-person attorney visits run Monday through Friday by appointment only. Email BER-ICECorrespondence@bop.gov to schedule.

A list of pro bono legal organizations is posted in every housing unit and updated quarterly. Detainees are responsible for contacting these organizations to schedule appointments.

Legal Calls

To request legal calls, contact FCI Berlin at 603-342-4305 or email BER-ICECorrespondence@bop.gov.

Electronic Legal Documents

BOP has specific rules for when an inmate can receive electronic legal materials from an attorney. Review the acceptable format guidelines at bop.gov/inmates/custody_and_care/docs/ediscovery-formats.pdf.

Consular Visits

Consular officials can meet with their nationals at any time. Make arrangements with the ICE Supervisory Deportation Officer at 603-342-4305 or BER-ICECorrespondence@bop.gov when possible, and bring credentials.

Clergy Visits

Clergy can visit at any time but must arrange the visit ahead of time through the Chaplain's Office. Email BER-ICECorrespondence@bop.gov to schedule.

Frequently Asked Questions About FCI Berlin Medium and Satellite Camp (ICE)

  1. What is a federal prison?
      A federal prison is a correctional facility operated by the Federal Bureau of Prisons (BOP) to house individuals convicted of federal crimes. These offenses include drug trafficking across state lines, white-collar crimes, terrorism, bank robbery, and other federal violations. Unlike state prisons, federal prisons operate under standardized regulations and typically have more structured programming.

  2. How do federal prisons differ from state prisons?
      Federal prisons are managed by the BOP and house inmates convicted of violating federal laws, while state prisons house those convicted of state crimes. Federal facilities tend to have more uniform security classifications and rehabilitation programs, while state prisons vary by jurisdiction. Additionally, federal inmates often serve longer sentences with less opportunity for parole, as federal sentencing guidelines are stricter.

  3. What are the security levels in federal prisons?
      The BOP classifies federal prisons into five security levels:

    • Minimum (Federal Prison Camps - FPCs): Low-risk inmates with non-violent offenses, dormitory-style housing, and little supervision.
    • Low (FCIs - Low): More security than camps, with fences, dorm-style housing, and work programs.
    • Medium (FCIs - Medium): Higher security, cell housing, increased staff monitoring, and more restricted movement.
    • High (United States Penitentiaries - USPs): Maximum security, with high walls, armed guards, and strict inmate movement restrictions.
    • Administrative Facilities (ADX, MCC, MDC, FMCs): Used for medical care, high-risk inmates, or those requiring extreme isolation (e.g., ADX Florence Supermax).

  4. What is ADX Florence, and why is it considered the most secure prison?
      ADX Florence, also known as the “Alcatraz of the Rockies,” is a supermax facility in Colorado that houses the most dangerous federal inmates, including terrorists and high-profile criminals. It has 23-hour solitary confinement, soundproof cells, and minimal human interaction to prevent escapes or inmate violence.

  5. Can federal inmates earn early release?
      Federal inmates can reduce their sentences through good conduct time (GCT), participation in rehabilitation programs, and the First Step Act. However, unlike state prisons, parole was eliminated from the federal system in 1987, meaning inmates must serve at least 85% of their sentence before being released on supervised release.

  6. How do phone calls work in federal prisons?
      Federal inmates can make outgoing calls only to approved numbers using the Corrlincs system, managed by providers such as GTL (ViaPath) and Securus or the BOP itself. Calls are limited to 15 minutes per call and 300 minutes per month, with costs varying between $0.06 to $0.21 per minute depending on the location. Using a LOCAL number gets the six-cents-per-minute rate. Get a local number from InmateAId for only $5.00. All calls are monitored and recorded, except for attorney-client calls.

  7. Can federal inmates send and receive mail?
      Yes, inmates can send and receive mail, but all non-legal mail is screened for contraband. Books, magazines, and newspapers must be shipped directly from an approved vendor like Amazon or InmateAid. Legal mail is not read but may be inspected in the presence of the inmate.

  8. What are the visitation rules for federal prisons?
      Visitation is allowed, but visitors must be pre-approved and follow strict guidelines, including dress codes, behavioral rules, and security screenings. Some institutions offer non-contact visits (separated by glass), while others allow contact visits with limited physical interaction. Visits can be terminated if rules are violated.

  9. How do family members send money to federal inmates?
      Funds can be deposited into an inmate’s account using Western Union, MoneyGram, or the BOP’s online deposit system called Trulincs. Family members can also send postal money orders to the Federal Bureau of Prisons centralized processing facility in Des Moines, Iowa.

  10. Do federal prisons provide healthcare?
      Yes, federal prisons provide basic medical, dental, and mental health care, with certain facilities designated for serious medical conditions (FMCs – Federal Medical Centers). Emergency treatment may require transfer to an outside hospital, and some medications are restricted based on security concerns.

  11. Do federal inmates have access to education and work programs?
      Yes, federal prisons offer GED programs, college correspondence courses, and vocational training. Inmates can work through UNICOR (Federal Prison Industries), earning $0.12 to $1.15 per hour for jobs in textiles, manufacturing, or recycling. Participation in these programs can also help reduce sentence time under the First Step Act.

  12. What happens if an inmate breaks the rules in a federal prison?
      Disciplinary actions range from loss of privileges (phone, commissary, visitation) to solitary confinement (SHU - Special Housing Unit). More serious infractions can lead to criminal charges or additional prison time.

  13. Can federal inmates transfer to a different facility?
      Transfers can happen for security reasons, medical needs, overcrowding, or disciplinary actions. Inmates may also request a transfer closer to family, but approval depends on the BOP’s evaluation.

  14. What kind of food do federal inmates receive?
      Federal prisons follow National Menu guidelines, providing three meals per day, including vegetarian and religious dietary options. Some facilities allow inmates to purchase snacks and specialty foods from the commissary.

  15. Can federal inmates own personal property?
      Inmates are allowed limited personal items such as eyeglasses, religious materials, and authorized hygiene products. Commissary purchases may include headphones, radios, and writing supplies.

  16. Do federal inmates have internet access?
      No, federal inmates do not have direct internet access. However, they can use Trulincs, a secure email system, to communicate with approved contacts. Emails are monitored and cost approximately $0.05 per minute of usage time.

  17. Are federal prisons overcrowded?
      Many federal prisons operate above capacity, leading to shared cells, increased inmate tensions, and limited access to rehabilitation programs. Overcrowding is a major concern, prompting calls for criminal justice reform and alternative sentencing.

  18. What happens when a federal inmate is released?
      Inmates are usually transferred to a halfway house or placed on supervised release to help reintegrate into society. They may receive job placement assistance, housing referrals, and continued mental health treatment if needed.

  19. Can federal inmates vote?
      No, federal inmates cannot vote while incarcerated. However, voting rights may be restored after release, depending on the state’s policies regarding felon disenfranchisement.

Ask The Inmate

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