This guide is for people detained by ICE in Kansas and for their families. Kansas has two ICE detention facilities, both in Leavenworth - approximately 25 miles northwest of Kansas City. FCI Leavenworth is a federal prison operated by the Bureau of Prisons that has held ICE detainees since early 2025 under documented crowded and unsanitary conditions, with suicide attempts reported. The Midwest Regional Reception Center (MRRC) is a CoreCivic private prison facility that reopened for ICE detention in March 2026 after nearly a year of legal battles between CoreCivic and the city of Leavenworth over zoning permits. As of mid-May 2026, the MRRC held approximately 249 detainees and is expected to scale to its 1,033-bed capacity. Kansas falls under the ICE Chicago Field Office - the same field office that covers Illinois, Indiana, Wisconsin, Missouri, Kentucky, and Kansas. Kansas also has multiple county sheriff's offices and law enforcement agencies that joined ICE's 287(g) program in 2025, expanding local immigration enforcement across the state. 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). Kansas detainees may be held at FCI Leavenworth, the MRRC, or transferred to facilities in other states. Check the locator daily after an arrest.
ICE Detention Reporting and Information Line: 1-888-351-4024 (toll-free)
EOIR Immigration Court Case Status: 1-800-898-7180
ICE Chicago Field Office (covers Kansas): Chicago.Outreach@ice.dhs.gov
ICE Kansas detained unit: KANDETAINED@ice.dhs.gov
FCI Leavenworth detainee inquiries: (913) 682-8700
FCI Leavenworth ICE scheduling: LVN-ICEscheduling-S@bop.gov
Midwest Regional Reception Center (MRRC) detainee inquiries: (913) 651-0200 (verify current number - facility reopened March 2026)
Step 2: Where ICE Detainees Are Held in Kansas
FCI Leavenworth - Federal Correctional Institution
1300 Metropolitan Avenue, Leavenworth, KS 66048
Mailing address: [Inmate Name + Register Number], FCI Leavenworth, Federal Correctional Institution, P.O. Box 1000, Leavenworth, KS 66048
Detainee inquiries: (913) 682-8700
ICE scheduling / case info: LVN-ICEscheduling-S@bop.gov
ICE deportation officer inquiries: KANDETAINED@ice.dhs.gov
Electronic messaging: TRULINCS - register at corrlinks.com
Operated by: Federal Bureau of Prisons (BOP) under agreement with ICE
FCI Leavenworth is a federal penitentiary that has held ICE immigration detainees since early 2025. In May 2025, the ACLU of Kansas and other civil rights groups raised alarms about 'crowded, unsanitary conditions' at FCI Leavenworth and reported that some detainees had attempted suicide. A June 2025 letter from the facility warden acknowledged some conditions had improved following advocacy - including reduced constant lockdowns, access to outdoor recreation, less overcrowded cells, and free medical care for detainees. However, the warden's response left other concerns unaddressed, including reported mistreatment by guards, lingering issues with phone access, religious services, and commissary. The ACLU also noted that ICE continued to detain people at FCI Leavenworth even after they had won their immigration cases - a serious due process concern.
Visiting: FCI Leavenworth follows Bureau of Prisons visiting rules. Detainees must place visitors on their approved BOP visitor list. Visitors must be cleared by BOP before their first visit. Check bop.gov for FCI Leavenworth's current visiting hours and registration requirements. All visitors subject to pat-down search; no firearms or electronic devices in secure areas.
Midwest Regional Reception Center (MRRC) - CoreCivic
100 Highway 73, Leavenworth, KS 66048 (verify current address at ice.gov)
Detainee inquiries: (913) 651-0200 (verify - reopened March 2026)
Operated by: CoreCivic under contract with ICE
Capacity: 1,033-1,104 beds
The Midwest Regional Reception Center (MRRC) is the former Leavenworth Detention Center - a CoreCivic private prison facility that originally closed in 2021 when the Biden administration reduced private prison contracts. CoreCivic secured a new ICE contract in 2025 to reopen the facility, renaming it the Midwest Regional Reception Center. What followed was nearly a year of legal battles: the city of Leavenworth argued CoreCivic needed a special-use zoning permit; courts issued injunctions blocking the facility from opening; and the Kansas Court of Appeals ultimately agreed the city had jurisdiction. On March 10, 2026, the Leavenworth City Commission voted 4-1 to approve a three-year permit for CoreCivic to operate, with conditions including minimum staffing levels, a ban on housing minors, and a city oversight committee. Detainees began arriving shortly after - 20 were held as of March 19, 2026, and 249 by mid-May 2026. The facility is expected to scale toward its 1,033-bed capacity, generating approximately $60 million per year in revenue for CoreCivic.
Historical context: When the facility operated as the Leavenworth Detention Center for pretrial federal detainees before 2021, it was the subject of serious documented conditions problems. The ACLU and federal public defenders documented stabbings, suicides, and one homicide, along with weapons and drugs, severe understaffing, and profiteering. The city of Leavenworth's lawsuit against CoreCivic described detainees locked in showers as punishment and CoreCivic impeding city police investigations of sexual assaults. Families should monitor conditions at the reopened facility closely.
Permit conditions: The three-year permit approved by the city requires minimum staffing levels, no housing of minors, and a city community review board or task force for oversight. CoreCivic is required to pay a one-time $1.5 million fee and $400,000 annually to the city.
For current visiting hours, phone, tablet/messaging, and mail procedures at the MRRC, check ice.gov (search 'Midwest Regional Reception Center') or call the detainee inquiry line. The facility reopened in March 2026 and procedures may still be developing.
Step 3: Get Legal Help
Kansas has limited free immigration legal resources. The ACLU of Kansas does not handle individual ICE detainer or detention cases. Catholic Charities Wichita is the primary DOJ-accredited immigration legal service in the state. Kansas Legal Services provides some immigration assistance. For Kansas City-area detention cases, Missouri-based providers may also be accessible.
Catholic Charities of the Diocese of Wichita - Immigration Services
catholiccharitieswichita.org | Wichita
DOJ-accredited immigration legal services for low-income individuals and families in Kansas. Services include legal case management by accredited representatives. Contact Catholic Charities Wichita for current intake information and to determine eligibility for detained cases.
Kansas Legal Services
kansaslegalservices.org | 1-800-723-6953 (statewide) | Wichita, Topeka, Kansas City, Garden City
Nonprofit law firm providing free civil legal services to low-income Kansans. Handles some immigration matters. Contact for intake screening.
Advocates for Immigrants Rights and Reconciliation
Wichita-area immigration advocacy organization that has been active in opposing the Leavenworth MRRC reopening and supporting immigrant communities in Kansas. Contact for community resources and referrals.
Kansas Coalition Against Sexual and Domestic Violence - Immigrant Resources
kcsdv.org - For immigrants who are survivors of domestic violence, trafficking, or other crimes; provides advocacy and legal referrals.
Legal Aid of Western Missouri - Kansas City
lawmo.org | Kansas City - Provides immigration legal services to low-income immigrants in the Kansas City metropolitan area, which includes the Kansas side. For Leavenworth-area detainees and Kansas City-area residents.
National Immigrant Justice Center (NIJC)
immigrantjustice.org | The ICE Chicago Field Office covers Kansas. NIJC, headquartered in Chicago, provides legal services for detained immigrants in the Chicago Field Office region, including Kansas. Contact NIJC for potential representation or referrals.
ACLU of Kansas
aclukansas.org - The ACLU of Kansas does not handle individual ICE detention cases, but has been active in monitoring conditions at FCI Leavenworth and opposing the MRRC reopening. Contact for systemic conditions concerns or civil rights violations; they will not take individual removal cases but can document abuse and advocate.
EOIR Pro Bono List
Both FCI Leavenworth and the MRRC are required to post pro bono legal service lists in housing units. Ask your family member to request the list and use the facility phone or TRULINCS messaging to contact providers.
Immigration Advocates Network
immigrationadvocates.org - National searchable directory; search by Kansas.
Step 4: Bond - How to Get Someone Released
Bond allows a detained person to be released from ICE custody while their immigration case proceeds. An immigration judge sets bond. Not everyone is eligible - mandatory detention applies in some cases. Kansas cases are handled at the immigration court for the Chicago Field Office region.
Note on FCI Leavenworth cases: The ACLU of Kansas documented that some people detained at FCI Leavenworth were held even after winning their immigration cases. If a family member has received a favorable ruling but remains detained, contact a lawyer or the ACLU of Kansas immediately.
Bond posting for Kansas detainees
Bond for Kansas detainees is posted at the ICE ERO Chicago Field Office:
ICE ERO Chicago: 101 W. Ida B. Wells Drive, Suite 4000, Chicago, IL 60605
Email: CHI-ERO-Detained@ice.dhs.gov or Chicago.Outreach@ice.dhs.gov
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.
A licensed immigration bond agent can post bond electronically for a fee without travel to Chicago.
Bond Funds
National Immigrant Bond Fund
immigrantbondfund.org - National fund; requires family contribution.
Kansas community mutual aid
Contact Catholic Charities Wichita and Advocates for Immigrants Rights and Reconciliation for current Kansas-specific bond assistance resources.
Step 5: Communication at Kansas Facilities
FCI Leavenworth
Electronic messaging: TRULINCS - register at corrlinks.com. This is the primary non-visit communication method for FCI Leavenworth ICE detainees.
Visiting: BOP rules apply. Detainee must add visitors to their BOP approved list. Check bop.gov for FCI Leavenworth current visiting hours and dress code. No electronic devices permitted inside secure areas.
Phone: Contact (913) 682-8700 for current phone service information.
Mail: [Inmate Name + Register Number], FCI Leavenworth, Federal Correctional Institution, P.O. Box 1000, Leavenworth, KS 66048. Legal mail is forwarded when detainees transfer; general correspondence is returned to sender.
ICE case information email: LVN-ICEscheduling-S@bop.gov | Deportation officer: KANDETAINED@ice.dhs.gov
Midwest Regional Reception Center (MRRC)
The MRRC reopened in March 2026. Check ice.gov for current visiting hours, phone service, messaging, and mail procedures, as these may still be developing. The facility's ICE page can be found by searching 'Midwest Regional Reception Center' or 'MRRC Leavenworth' at ice.gov.
Detainee inquiries: (913) 651-0200 (verify current number)
ICE case information: KANDETAINED@ice.dhs.gov | Chicago.Outreach@ice.dhs.gov
Step 6: Kansas Enforcement Context and Your Rights
Leavenworth as a regional detention hub:
Leavenworth has become a significant Midwest immigration detention hub, with two facilities now operating within a short distance of each other. Both facilities serve detainees from across the Chicago ICE Field Office region - meaning people arrested in Illinois, Indiana, Wisconsin, Missouri, Kentucky, and Kansas may all be held in Leavenworth, far from their home communities.
287(g) in Kansas:
Multiple Kansas county sheriff's offices, police departments, and the Kansas Bureau of Investigation joined ICE's 287(g) program in 2025. This means a broader range of routine encounters with Kansas law enforcement - including at traffic stops and following any arrest for any offense - can now lead to immigration detention. Check the ICE website for current 287(g) agreements in Kansas.
MRRC historical concerns - monitor conditions:
The MRRC's predecessor (the Leavenworth Detention Center) was closed in 2021 amid documented violence, understaffing, and conditions abuses. The permit conditions approved by the Leavenworth City Commission (minimum staffing, no minors, oversight committee) are intended to address these past failures, but families should closely monitor the reopened facility's conditions and report any concerns immediately to ACLU of Kansas and ICE OIG.
FCI Leavenworth continued detention after winning cases:
The ACLU of Kansas documented in 2025 that ICE was continuing to detain people at FCI Leavenworth even after they had prevailed in their immigration cases. If your family member has won their case but is still detained, this is a serious rights violation. Contact a lawyer immediately and contact the ACLU of Kansas.
Do not sign anything without an attorney:
ICE may pressure detained people to sign Voluntary Departure 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. Free calls to pro bono providers on the posted list are required.
The right to a bond hearing before an immigration judge (unless subject to mandatory detention).
The right to be released if you have won your immigration case.
The right to be free from physical, sexual, and verbal abuse.
The right to access medical care.
The right to communicate with your home country's consulate (free calls required).
To report abuse or file a complaint:
ACLU of Kansas: aclukansas.org (conditions concerns, systemic advocacy)
DHS Inspector General: oig.dhs.gov | 1-800-323-8603
ICE Chicago Field Office: Chicago.Outreach@ice.dhs.gov
Quick Reference - Kansas 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 Chicago Field Office: Chicago.Outreach@ice.dhs.gov
ICE Kansas detained unit: KANDETAINED@ice.dhs.gov
Kansas ICE detention facilities:
FCI Leavenworth: 1300 Metropolitan Avenue, Leavenworth - (913) 682-8700 | LVN-ICEscheduling-S@bop.gov
Midwest Regional Reception Center (MRRC): 100 Highway 73, Leavenworth - (913) 651-0200 (verify)
Legal help:
Catholic Charities Wichita: catholiccharitieswichita.org
Kansas Legal Services: kansaslegalservices.org | 1-800-723-6953
NIJC (Chicago, covers Kansas): immigrantjustice.org
Legal Aid of Western Missouri (KC area): lawmo.org
Post bond:
ICE ERO Chicago: 101 W. Ida B. Wells Drive, Suite 4000, Chicago, IL 60605
Email: CHI-ERO-Detained@ice.dhs.gov
FCI Leavenworth communication:
TRULINCS/messaging: corrlinks.com | Mail: P.O. Box 1000, Leavenworth, KS 66048
Sources and verification: KCUR / Kansas News Service, 'ICE Detention Center in Kansas Can Open After Leavenworth Granted a Private Prison Company's Permit,' March 10-11, 2026 (4-1 vote; 1,000-bed facility; three-year permit; 1,104 rated capacity; CoreCivic described as 1,033 beds; city oversight committee; permit conditions; $60 million/year revenue estimate; $1 million one-time payment plus hundreds of thousands annually to city; MRRC formerly Leavenworth Detention Center; pretrial federal inmates before 2021; protests at city hall; Holly Pittman commissioner; Meg Porteous librarian Topeka quote; Alida Kress community member quote; Charles Johnson CoreCivic employee quote; 10 miles west Kansas City International Airport); Axios Kansas City, 'Leavenworth Approves Permit for ICE Detention Center Reopening,' March 11, 2026 (permit three-year initial term cap 1,104 detainees; CoreCivic 1,033 beds; ICE not city decides when detainees transferred; Kansas Immigration Coalition statement; city amended permit conditions); Wikipedia, 'Leavenworth Detention Center' (reopened March 2026 as Midwest Regional Reception Center; 1,033 detained immigrants; staff of 300; March 19 2026 20 detainees; 249 by mid-May; permit approved March 10 2026 despite protests; CoreCivic pays $1.5 million immediate plus $400,000 annually policing administrative; Biden 2021 closure; ACLU federal defenders stabbings suicides homicide weapons drugs understaffing 2021; city lawsuit detainees locked in showers punishment CoreCivic impeded police investigations sexual assaults); KSHB, 'CoreCivic Renews Contract with ICE for Midwest Regional Reception Center in Leavenworth,' (September 29 new 24-month contract commenced September 7; six-month letter contract March 7 'activation efforts'; legal challenges delayed intake; company expects $60 million annual; hired staff trained despite no detainees; MRRC name change from Leavenworth Detention Center); KCUR August 2025 hiring article (FCI Leavenworth BOP facility; ICE agreement for detainees; ACLU 'crowded unsanitary conditions' May 2025; suicide attempts; legal limbo for CoreCivic MRRC; Kansas Court of Appeals ruled permit required); ACLU of Kansas FCI Leavenworth letter page (May 2025 concerns raised; June 2025 warden response; improvements: less constant lockdowns outdoor rec less crowded cells better language access free medical care doctor prescription; remaining concerns: guard mistreatment group retaliation phone calls religious services commissary; ICE continuing detention of people who won immigration cases); ICE FCI Leavenworth page (ice.gov; 1300 Metropolitan Avenue Leavenworth KS 66048; (913) 682-8700; LVN-ICEscheduling-S@bop.gov; KANDETAINED@ice.dhs.gov; TRULINCS corrlinks.com; P.O. Box 1000 Leavenworth KS 66048; BOP visiting rules); KWCH, 'Kansas Law Enforcement Steps Into Immigration Enforcement Role,' November 17, 2025 (multiple Kansas sheriff's offices police departments KBI joined 287(g) 2025; Jail Enforcement Task Force Warrant Service models); immigration-bail-bonds.com (field office for Kansas: Chicago 101 West Congress Parkway Suite 4000 Chicago IL 60605). Volatile items: Verify MRRC current operational status and detainee population (249 as of mid-May 2026; scaling toward 1,033-bed capacity; verify at ice.gov and monitor news); verify MRRC current visiting hours, phone system, and mail procedures (reopened March 2026; procedures may still developing); verify FCI Leavenworth current ICE detainee count and conditions (suicide attempts and conditions concerns May 2025; ACLU monitoring; check with ACLU Kansas for latest); verify ICE ERO Chicago bond posting address and hours (CHI-ERO-Detained@ice.dhs.gov for confirmation); verify any additional county jail ICE detention agreements in Kansas (287(g) expansion means more county facilities may now hold ICE detainees; check ice.gov detention facilities list). Last verified: June 2026.