GSA - ICE is for US Immigration & Customs Enforcement-ICE offenders have not been sentenced yet and are detained here until their case is heard.
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The phone carrier is Global Tel Link (GTL) - ConnectNetwork, to see their rates and best-calling plans for your inmate to call you.
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
GSA - ICE is an immigration detention facility in McFarland, CA. Detainees are held by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement while their immigration cases are processed, including hearings, deportation proceedings, or asylum claims. To locate a detainee, use the ICE Online Detainee Locator System at locator.ice.gov with the detainee's A-Number or full name and country of birth.
To find an ICE detainee, please use the Detainee Locator System with the A-Number search being the most efficient method. The A-number must be exactly nine digits; if shorter, zeros should be added at the beginning. When searching by name, the first and last names must be entered as an exact match, and the detainee's correct country of birth must be selected. Please note that records of individuals under 18 cannot be searched.
Detainees at this facility are assigned to housing based on their custody level, determined by various factors including sentence length and criminal history. The detention center provides a wide range of educational and vocational training programs. Additionally, the facility is equipped to meet most detainee needs, including dietary, health, fitness, education, religious practices, and entertainment. As a privately operated facility, it undergoes frequent inspections to ensure it remains in top condition, maintaining a clean record to secure ongoing government contracts.
The Golden State Annex in McFarland, California, is a privately operated immigration detention facility managed by GEO Group under contract with the Department of Homeland Security and U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement. Located in Kern County north of Bakersfield, the facility houses ICE detainees awaiting immigration hearings, asylum proceedings, deportation actions, or transfer within the federal detention system. Public ICE and regional detention records identify the facility as operating with an approximate detention capacity of 700 beds, although detainee populations fluctuate depending on federal immigration enforcement activity. The detention center operates under GEO Group management with on-site administrative leadership coordinated alongside ICE Enforcement and Removal Operations personnel, though ICE and GEO have not consistently publicized the facility’s current warden in public-facing materials.
Originally developed as part of Kern County’s growing network of private detention facilities, the Golden State Annex has become one of California’s most heavily scrutinized ICE detention centers. The facility contains secure housing dormitories, intake and booking sections, attorney visitation rooms, medical and mental health clinics, recreation spaces, dining facilities, transportation staging areas, and administrative offices supporting around-the-clock detention operations. ICE detainees held at Golden State Annex are often transferred from enforcement actions throughout California and the western United States. Reports during 2025 showed the detainee population rising significantly as ICE detention operations expanded nationwide, with advocates estimating the facility had approached or reached full operational capacity.
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.
One distinguishing feature of the Golden State Annex is its role within Kern County’s broader concentration of ICE detention infrastructure, including nearby Mesa Verde and other privately operated detention centers. GEO Group officials and local leaders have repeatedly described the facility as an important economic driver for McFarland and surrounding agricultural communities, providing correctional, transportation, healthcare, and administrative jobs in a region heavily dependent on industrial and agricultural employment. The detention center also became part of broader federal expansion efforts as ICE increased detention populations throughout California despite ongoing political opposition from state lawmakers and immigration advocacy groups.
The facility has faced extensive criticism and controversy involving detainee healthcare, labor strikes, hunger strikes, allegations of retaliation, use of solitary confinement, and accusations of staff misconduct. Multiple civil rights complaints filed with the Department of Homeland Security alleged unsafe living conditions, inadequate medical treatment, poor sanitation, low detainee wages, and retaliatory treatment against detainees participating in protests. In 2024 and 2025, advocacy organizations including the Asian Law Caucus and immigrant rights groups filed federal complaints alleging sexual harassment, abuse, and discrimination by GEO Group staff members inside the facility. Additional state oversight reports from the California Department of Justice documented ongoing concerns regarding mental healthcare, suicide prevention procedures, and use-of-force incidents involving detainees at ICE detention centers statewide, including Golden State Annex.
Despite years of lawsuits, protests, federal complaints, and political pressure calling for closure of private immigration detention facilities in California, the Golden State Annex remains an active component of the DHS immigration detention network. The facility continues housing hundreds of ICE detainees annually under long-term federal detention agreements worth hundreds of millions of dollars to private prison operators. As federal immigration detention populations continue increasing nationwide, Golden State Annex has become one of the most visible symbols of California’s ongoing conflict over private immigration detention, detainee rights, and the expansion of federal immigration enforcement operations.
The jail offers a phone program for outbound calls only, with inmates unable to receive incoming calls. Accepting collect calls can be expensive, sometimes exceeding $10 per call. Alternatively, setting up an account through a third-party phone company may entail high fees per minute of usage. Click here for discounts on inmate calls, especially if the communication with your inmate is frequent. It's important to remember that all phone calls are recorded, and discussing sensitive legal matters over these lines is discouraged.
Books and magazines ordered for inmates must come directly from the publisher. This policy ensures that the items are new, untampered, and comply with the facility's regulations. The Jail enforces this rule to prevent the introduction of contraband or prohibited materials. By restricting orders to publishers, the facility can better maintain security and control over the content entering the institution. Any books or magazines not received directly from the publisher will be rejected and not delivered to the inmate. You may, however, send letters and selfies to inmates with this easy-to-use app, packages starting at only $8.00.
Inmate workers are chosen based on conduct and cooperation with staff. Participation in the community service program can sometimes reduce sentences. Commissary is available weekly, with orders submitted via kiosk two days in advance. On holidays, there may be increased spending limits. Upon receiving commissary items, inmates must present their ID, check their order, and sign for it in the presence of the commissary employee. Indigent inmates are provided with all essential basic hygiene items including USPS stamps and writing materials.
