Hawaii: Resources for ICE Detainees

This guide is for people detained by ICE in Hawaii and for their families - both families whose loved ones were arrested in Hawaii, and families on the mainland whose loved ones have been transferred to Hawaii. ICE arrests in Hawaii increased by approximately 4x in 2025 compared to 2024. Hawaii has one ICE detention facility: the Federal Detention Center Honolulu (FDC Honolulu), a federal prison operated by the Bureau of Prisons at 351 Elliott Street in Honolulu with 125 beds designated for ICE detainees. ICE has also been transferring mainland detainees to FDC Honolulu - people arrested in Florida, California, and Louisiana who have been transported 4,500+ miles from their communities and attorneys. This practice of isolation-by-transfer has been documented and challenged by Hawaii attorneys and the ACLU. There are approximately 12 nonprofit immigration attorneys in all of Hawaii, and only about 3 who speak Spanish. Habeas corpus petitions - filed in federal court challenging unlawful detention - have become a primary tool in Hawaii, with 15 filed since January 2025. Do not wait to seek legal help. 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). 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 Honolulu Sub-Office: (808) 529-1970 - This is the ICE supervisory deportation officer line for FDC Honolulu. Call to confirm whether someone is detained there and to get detainee information.

FDC Honolulu main number: (808) 838-4200

ICE San Francisco Field Office (covers Hawaii): (415) 844-5512 - Hawaii falls under the ICE San Francisco Field Office's jurisdiction.

Hawaii AILA / UH Law hotline: The Hawaii chapter of the American Immigration Lawyers Association (AILA) and the Refugee and Immigration Law Clinic of the University of Hawaii Richardson School of Law operate a hotline for people in Hawaii who have received notice of deportation or been detained. Contact The Legal Clinic at tlchawaii.org for current hotline information.

If you are a mainland family whose loved one has been transferred to Hawaii: the distance makes everything harder. Contact The Legal Clinic (tlchawaii.org) and the ACLU of Hawaii (acluhi.org) first - they have experience specifically with mainland-to-Hawaii transfer cases and the habeas petition process.

Step 2: Where ICE Detainees Are Held in Hawaii

Federal Detention Center Honolulu (FDC Honolulu) - The Only ICE Detention Facility in Hawaii

351 Elliott Street, Honolulu, HI 96819

Main number: (808) 838-4200

ICE detainee inquiries: (808) 529-1970

Legal visits after hours / weekends: (808) 838-4200 (by arrangement)

Operated by: Federal Bureau of Prisons (BOP) under agreement with ICE

ICE beds: 125 (designated unit; total facility capacity approximately 950)

Electronic messaging: TRULINCS - register at corrlinks.com

FDC Honolulu is a federal prison. ICE detainees are housed in a separate unit but are subject to Bureau of Prisons rules - including all-cavity searches before and after attorney visits, required prison-style uniforms, and housing alongside people charged with federal crimes. The ACLU has described the BOP agreement as 'erasing the line between civil detention and criminal punishment' since civil immigration detainees are being held in criminal prison conditions without criminal convictions.

ICE agreed in February 2025 to designate 125 beds at FDC Honolulu for ICE detainees. The average daily ICE population at FDC Honolulu grew from 15 in January 2025 to 81 by late November 2025. ICE falls under the San Francisco Field Office, which covers Hawaii.

For visiting: check bop.gov for current FDC Honolulu visiting protocols and hours, as BOP rules apply. Detainees must place visitors on their approved list and BOP must clear visitors before they can come. All visitors subject to search.

Phone calls at FDC Honolulu are available only by appointment - detainees must schedule calls in advance with facility staff. This has been specifically identified by attorneys as a barrier: attorney-client calls must be scheduled more than 24 hours ahead and are recorded by officials, creating serious challenges for confidential legal communications.

O'ahu Community Correctional Center (OCCC) and Honolulu Police Department

These are local facilities - not ICE facilities - but they are the initial holding locations where over 40% of Hawaii ICE detainers in 2025 originated. If a family member was recently arrested in Hawaii and has an ICE detainer, they may still be at OCCC or the Honolulu Police Department before transfer to FDC Honolulu.

OCCC: 2199 Kamehameha Highway, Honolulu, HI 96819 | (808) 832-1420

Contact the facility immediately to confirm whether your family member is there and whether an ICE detainer has been lodged.

Transfer from the Mainland: If Your Family Was Arrested Outside Hawaii

FDC Honolulu has been used as a transfer destination for ICE detainees arrested on the US mainland - primarily from California, Florida, and Louisiana. If your family member was arrested on the mainland and you cannot locate them in the expected state, they may have been transferred to Hawaii. This has been documented in multiple cases: one person arrested in Florida was transferred through two Florida facilities, then Louisiana, then two California facilities, before arriving in Honolulu - a journey of approximately 4,500 miles from their point of arrest.

ICE has broad discretionary authority to transfer detainees to any facility, regardless of where the arrest occurred. This practice is being challenged legally. If your family member has been transferred to Hawaii from the mainland, contact The Legal Clinic and the ACLU of Hawaii immediately - they have specific experience with these transfer situations.

Step 3: Get Legal Help - Extremely Limited but Critical

Hawaii has approximately 12 nonprofit immigration attorneys in the entire state, and only about 3 who speak Spanish. This is the defining practical challenge of immigration detention in Hawaii. Getting legal help - and getting it quickly - is critical. Every hour without an attorney is an hour closer to a removal order or transfer.

Habeas corpus petitions have become the primary legal tool in Hawaii. These are federal court filings that challenge unlawful detention - particularly for people denied bond hearings or held indefinitely. As of mid-2026, 15 habeas petitions had been filed in Hawaii since January 2025, with multiple resulting in releases. If a family member has been held for an extended period without a bond hearing, ask about habeas immediately.

The Legal Clinic (TLC) - Primary Detention Legal Resource

tlchawaii.org | Honolulu

The Legal Clinic is the primary nonprofit immigration legal service organization in Hawaii providing removal defense and detention representation. Senior staff attorney Neribel Chardon has represented mainland-transferred detainees and leads TLC's detention work. TLC is an affiliate of the Immigrant Legal Justice (ILJ) network. With only a handful of attorneys, TLC cannot take every case but is the critical first contact.

TLC also operates Know Your Rights resources in seven languages and a Family Preparedness Plan for ICE encounters.

AILA Hawaii / UH Richardson School of Law Hotline

The Hawaii chapter of the American Immigration Lawyers Association and the Refugee and Immigration Law Clinic of the University of Hawaii Richardson School of Law operate a hotline for people in Hawaii who have received notice of deportation or been detained. Legally trained coordinators screen callers and may refer to pro bono attorneys who can visit detainees at FDC Honolulu. Contact TLC (tlchawaii.org) for current hotline contact information, as the number may change.

ACLU of Hawai'i - Immigrants' Rights Project

acluhi.org | Honolulu

In 2026, the ACLU of Hawaii hired its first-ever Immigrants' Rights Attorney and has been filing habeas corpus petitions in federal court challenging unlawful detention. The ACLU of Hawaii successfully filed a habeas petition for Juan Jose Estrada Lopez - a Hawaii resident arrested at his green card interview - and he was eventually released. The ACLU's work in Hawaii specifically addresses the no-bond-hearing policy and extended detention without hearings. Contact ACLU Hawaii if someone has been denied a bond hearing or detained without a charging document (Notice to Appear).

Hawaii Immigrant Justice Center (HIJC) at Legal Aid Society of Hawaii

legalaidhawaii.org | Honolulu

HIJC provides free legal services to eligible indigent immigrants in Hawaii. Services include cases involving crime survivors (VAWA, T Visa, U Visa), Compact of Free Association (COFA) citizens, family reunification, and naturalization. Contact HIJC to assess whether a detained family member's case falls within their current intake criteria.

Hawai'i Coalition for Immigrant Rights

hcir-hawaii.org | Honolulu - Coalition of organizations supporting immigrant rights in Hawaii. Contact for current resources, rapid response information, and community support. The coalition director, Liza Ryan Gill, has been publicly monitoring and responding to the mainland-to-Hawaii transfer situation.

Volunteer Legal Services of Hawaii

(808) 528-7046 | 545 Queen Street, Suite 100, Honolulu, HI 96813 - Provides volunteer attorney referrals for immigration and other civil legal matters.

Immigration Advocates Network

immigrationadvocates.org - National searchable directory; search by Hawaii. The directory is limited for Hawaii given the small number of providers, but lists current organizations.

EOIR Pro Bono List

FDC Honolulu is required to post a pro bono legal service provider list in housing units. Ask your family member to request this list and contact providers on it. Legal calls at FDC Honolulu require advance scheduling - have your family member ask facility staff to schedule a call as soon as possible.

Step 4: Bond - How to Get Someone Released

Bond eligibility is a contested and rapidly changing area in Hawaii. A July 2025 ICE memo declared that all noncitizens who entered without inspection are subject to mandatory detention with no bond eligibility. This policy has been challenged in federal courts across the country - multiple judges have declared it unlawful. In Hawaii specifically, federal courts have issued rulings in habeas cases that resulted in releases.

The practical result: bond hearings are difficult to obtain in Hawaii. The ACLU of Hawaii and The Legal Clinic have been pursuing habeas petitions as the primary tool to challenge unlawful detention without bond hearings. If a family member has been denied a bond hearing, contact the ACLU of Hawaii immediately about habeas options.

Where to Post Bond for Hawaii Detainees

Bond cannot be posted at FDC Honolulu. Immigration bond for Hawaii detainees must be posted at the ICE ERO San Francisco Field Office or through a licensed bond agent:

ICE ERO San Francisco: 630 Sansome Street, Suite 590, San Francisco, CA 94111 | (415) 844-5512

For a detainee in Hawaii, traveling to San Francisco is impractical for most families. A licensed immigration bond agent can post bond electronically for a fee of 2%-20%, without any travel required. This is the practical option for Hawaii families.

Payment: Money order, cashier's check, or certified check payable to 'Department of Homeland Security.' For bonds over $10,000, a single cashier's check or certified check is required. Have the detainee's full name, A-Number, and bond order from the immigration judge.

Bond Funds

National Immigrant Bond Fund

immigrantbondfund.org - National fund; requires family contribution.

Hawaii community support

Contact the Hawaii Coalition for Immigrant Rights (hcir-hawaii.org) for information on current Hawaii-specific bond assistance and community fundraising resources.

Step 5: Communication - Unique Challenges at FDC Honolulu

Communication at FDC Honolulu presents unusual challenges, especially for mainland detainees and their families, and for attorneys attempting to maintain attorney-client relationships across time zones and the Pacific Ocean.

Phone Calls

Phone calls at FDC Honolulu are available by appointment only - they must be scheduled in advance with facility staff. This is different from most ICE facilities where detainees can initiate calls at specified hours. The advance-scheduling requirement has been specifically identified as a barrier by Hawaii attorneys. Contact FDC Honolulu at (808) 838-4200 for current call scheduling procedures.

For mainland families: Hawaii is 2-3 hours behind Pacific time, 5-6 hours behind Eastern time. Scheduling calls that work across time zones adds another layer of difficulty.

Visiting in Person

FDC Honolulu visiting rules follow Bureau of Prisons protocols. Detainees must place visitors on their approved list. BOP must clear visitors. All visitors subject to search. Check bop.gov for FDC Honolulu's current visiting hours and policies.

For mainland families: flying to Honolulu from the continental US takes at least 5 hours from the West Coast and 10+ hours from the East Coast. Travel costs are significant. Maintaining regular in-person contact is extremely difficult. Remote attorney visits at FDC Honolulu have also been problematic - attorneys have reported that the facility lacks adequate infrastructure for video conferences despite providing them during the COVID pandemic.

If a mainland family cannot visit, ask The Legal Clinic or the Hawaii Coalition for Immigrant Rights whether community volunteers are available to visit.

Electronic Messaging

TRULINCS electronic messaging: register at corrlinks.com to send and receive electronic messages with ICE detainees at FDC Honolulu. This may be the most accessible ongoing communication option for mainland families.

Mail

Mailing address: [Detainee Full Name + A-Number + BOP Register Number if known], Federal Detention Center Honolulu, 351 Elliott Street, Honolulu, HI 96819

All incoming mail is inspected. Letters and approved publications may be sent. Include both the A-Number and any BOP Register Number on the envelope.

Sending Money

Contact FDC Honolulu at (808) 838-4200 for current accepted methods for depositing money into a detainee's commissary account. BOP facilities typically use the BOP's TRUFACS electronic deposit system or money orders sent by mail.

Step 6: The Mainland Transfer Problem - Know Your Rights

The transfer of mainland detainees to Hawaii is being challenged legally and has drawn attention from Hawaii's congressional delegation. If your family member was arrested on the mainland and transferred to Hawaii:

They have the right to legal representation. Their mainland attorney has the right to continue representing them, though the logistics are extremely difficult.

Contact the mainland attorney immediately and alert them to the transfer. They may be able to file emergency motions to prevent further transfers or to move the case back to a closer immigration court.

Contact The Legal Clinic (tlchawaii.org) and ACLU Hawaii (acluhi.org) for Hawaii-based support.

Habeas corpus is available as a challenge to unlawful detention, regardless of where the arrest originally occurred.

The transfer itself can be challenged if it denies access to legal representation and constitutes a due process violation. Hawaii attorneys have been building this argument in litigation.

ICE is required to serve a Notice to Appear (NTA) to initiate removal proceedings. Multiple Hawaii cases have involved people held in Hawaii for weeks without receiving their NTA - which is a basis for challenging the detention.

Do not sign anything without an attorney:

ICE may pressure detained people to sign Voluntary Departure agreements or other documents. Signing can permanently waive legal rights and affect the ability to return to the United States. Say: 'I will not sign anything without speaking with a lawyer first.'

Key rights every detainee has:

The right to speak with an attorney - including free calls to pro bono providers on the posted list.

The right to challenge detention through habeas corpus in federal court.

The right to a bond hearing before an immigration judge (subject to current legal disputes about mandatory detention policy).

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

The right to access medical and mental health care.

The right to communicate with your home country's consulate (free calls required).

The right to receive your Notice to Appear before removal proceedings begin.

To report abuse or file a complaint:

DHS Inspector General: oig.dhs.gov | 1-800-323-8603

ACLU of Hawaii: acluhi.org

Hawaii Coalition for Immigrant Rights: hcir-hawaii.org

Quick Reference - Hawaii 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 Honolulu Sub-Office: (808) 529-1970

FDC Honolulu main: (808) 838-4200

ICE San Francisco Field Office (covers Hawaii): (415) 844-5512

The only ICE detention facility in Hawaii:

FDC Honolulu - 351 Elliott Street, Honolulu, HI 96819 - (808) 838-4200

Local pre-transfer facilities:

Oahu Community Correctional Center (OCCC): 2199 Kamehameha Highway, Honolulu - (808) 832-1420

Legal help (extremely limited):

The Legal Clinic: tlchawaii.org

ACLU of Hawaii (habeas petitions): acluhi.org

Hawaii Immigrant Justice Center: legalaidhawaii.org

Hawaii Coalition for Immigrant Rights: hcir-hawaii.org

AILA Hawaii / UH Law hotline: contact TLC for current number

Post bond (no in-state option):

ICE ERO San Francisco: 630 Sansome Street, Suite 590, San Francisco, CA 94111 | (415) 844-5512

Or use a licensed bond agent to post electronically

Communication at FDC Honolulu:

Electronic messages: TRULINCS - corrlinks.com

Phone: by appointment only - call (808) 838-4200 to schedule

Visiting: follow bop.gov protocols; detainee must add you to approved list

Sources and verification: Honolulu Civil Beat, 'Hawaii ICE Arrests and Detentions in 2025 Spiked from Year Before,' February 24, 2026 (194 arrests January 8-October 15, 2025 vs. 52 all of 2024; quadrupled; Oahu Community Correctional Facility and Honolulu Police Department over 40% of 2025 detainers; average daily ICE detainees at FDC Honolulu 15 in January 2025, 81 by end of November 2025; 125 beds designated; mandatory detention ICE July 2025 memo; attorney Chardon quote on bond difficulty; February 2025 BOP agreement; Mexico 25% of detainees, then China, then Federated States of Micronesia; Kauai arrests November 2025 six properties Kapahi Kalaheo Hawaii Care and Cleaning Inc.); Honolulu Civil Beat, 'ICE Moving Immigrants Arrested on the Mainland to Honolulu,' July 15, 2025 (FDC Honolulu one of nine BOP facilities; 125 beds in separate unit; phone calls by appointment only more than 24 hours advance; recorded; Chardon 15 clients five from mainland; five from Florida 4,500 miles; Juan client Florida two facilities Louisiana Arizona two California then Honolulu; NTA not served until court date; Chardon quote 'almost impossible to meet clients remotely'; Tokuda visited 77 ICE detainees; ICE officers only couple days per week; mainland-to-Hawaii denial of effective counsel argument); ILJ Network, 'ICE Moves Immigrant Detainees from the US Mainland to Hawaii,' September 8, 2025 (TLC attorney Neribel Chardon; five weeks in Hawaii no NTA; Juan bounced Florida Louisiana California twice then Hawaii; video meetings no adequate infrastructure despite pandemic use; only 5 nonprofit organizations and fewer than 10 nonprofit attorneys; 3 of those attorneys from TLC; 90% TLC immigration clients Hispanic; 3 Spanish-speaking nonprofit attorneys); Hawaii Public Radio, 'ICE Has Been Sending Immigrants from the Continental US to Hawaii and No One Knows Why,' December 24, 2025 (23-year-old Florida Louisiana California back then Honolulu 5,000-mile journey; Rico placed in general population with federal crime defendants including murder; Rico estimated 100 immigration-related detainees 10-15 like him from mainland; Rico released on bond in Honolulu with dead phone in unfamiliar place with no support system; 12 nonprofit immigration attorneys in state only 6 represent clients regularly; ACLU Hawaii Leilani Stacy; Liza Ryan Gill Hawaii Coalition for Immigrant Rights quote on 'farthest-flung place'); ACLU Hawaii, 'ACLU Hawaii Files Lawsuit to Free Hawaii Island Resident from Unlawful Immigration Detention,' January 30, 2026 (Juan Jose Estrada Lopez arrested at green card interview August 13, 2025; held FDC Honolulu without hearing; July 2025 mandatory detention policy; thousands denied bond hearings; December 2025 California class action ruling policy unlawful; first-ever ACLU Hawaii Immigrants' Rights Attorney hired; habeas filed January 13, 2026; ACLU staff attorney Leilani Stacy); ACLU Hawaii, 'Locked Up Too Long: Legal Tactic Challenges Hawaii ICE Detentions,' April 20, 2026 (15 habeas petitions filed in Hawaii since January 2025; Estrada Lopez released after winning green card; Joaquin Rico-Tapia six weeks detained; Quang Duy Vu eight months detained restaurateur Vietnamese refugee 1990; Judge Micah Smith ruling on Vu; Judge Leslie Kobayashi order on Estrada Lopez; ICE did not appeal; roofers construction company owners housekeepers waiters from Ecuador Israel China; 10 of 15 Hawaii residents); ICE FDC Honolulu page (ice.gov; (808) 529-1970 ICE sub-office and supervisory deportation officer; (808) 838-4200 main; bop.gov for visiting protocol; legal visits after hours by arrangement with (808) 838-4200; San Francisco Field Office 630 Sansome Street Suite 590 (415) 844-5512); Global Detention Project (351 Elliott Street Honolulu HI 96819; (808) 838-4200; TRULINCS corrlinks.com); TLC Hawaii Know Your Rights page (tlchawaii.org/kyr; AILA Hawaii and UH Richardson School of Law hotline; pro bono attorneys may visit FDC Honolulu; seven-language KYR video; Family Preparedness Plan); Hawaii Immigrant Justice Center (legalaidhawaii.org; free legal services eligible indigent immigrants; VAWA T Visa U Visa COFA citizens family reunification naturalization); OCCC (2199 Kamehameha Highway Honolulu (808) 832-1420). Volatile items: Verify current AILA Hawaii / UH Law hotline contact (confirm at tlchawaii.org); verify current FDC Honolulu ICE bed count and daily population (grew through late 2025; verify current level); verify bond posting location and hours for Hawaii (San Francisco Field Office as regional office; confirm this is correct bond posting location); verify current visiting hours at FDC Honolulu (BOP rules apply; check bop.gov before visiting); verify habeas corpus legal landscape (15 filings as of April 2026; this area of law was changing rapidly). Last verified: June 2026.