This guide is for people detained by ICE in Louisiana and for their families. Louisiana is the third-largest immigration detention state in the country, with nine ICE detention facilities holding a combined average of approximately 6,900 people per day as of early 2025 - a number that has grown significantly since then. Facilities are clustered in rural central and southwest Louisiana - hours from New Orleans, the nearest major city. All of the major facilities are privately operated by GEO Group or LaSalle Corrections. Gov. Jeff Landry signed executive orders directing Louisiana law enforcement to cooperate fully with ICE through 'Operation GEAUX.' Bond is extremely difficult to obtain: in February 2026, the Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals - which covers Louisiana, Mississippi, and Texas - ruled that the Trump administration can hold immigrants who entered without inspection indefinitely without bond hearings. This decision applies to the majority of Louisiana ICE detainees. Habeas corpus petitions in federal court are a primary tool, but the legal landscape is volatile and this case is expected to reach the Supreme Court. ISLA (Immigration Services and Legal Advocacy) in New Orleans is the primary free legal organization serving Louisiana detention facilities. Two ICE-ERO bond posting offices: New Orleans and Oakdale. 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). Louisiana has nine facilities across a large rural area; detainees are regularly transferred between them. Check the locator daily and call facilities directly if nothing appears within 48 hours.
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: NewOrleans.Outreach@ice.dhs.gov | (504) 599-7800
ICE New Orleans Field Office address: 1250 Poydras Street, Suite 325, New Orleans, LA 70113
ICE Oakdale Sub-Office: 1010 East Whatley Road, Oakdale, LA 71463 | (318) 335-7500
Important: Louisiana's facilities are in remote rural areas. People arrested in other states - Texas, Arkansas, Illinois, and others - are regularly transferred to Louisiana facilities. If a family member was arrested elsewhere and then disappeared from the ICE locator, check Louisiana.
Step 2: Where ICE Detainees Are Held in Louisiana
Louisiana has nine ICE detention facilities. All are in rural areas. Combined average daily population was approximately 6,900 in early 2025 - and has grown since. All facilities listed are in the ICE New Orleans Field Office jurisdiction.
Winn Correctional Center - Winnfield (Largest in Louisiana)
560 Gum Springs Road, Winnfield, LA 71483
Phone: (318) 628-6151
ICE case information: NewOrleans.Outreach@ice.dhs.gov
Operated by: LaSalle Corrections
Average daily population: approximately 1,474-1,491 (largest facility in Louisiana)
Winn Correctional Center is a former state prison in Winn Parish that is the largest ICE detention facility in Louisiana. It held an average of 1,491 immigrants per day as of early 2025.
Central Louisiana ICE Processing Center - Jena
830 Pine Hill Road, Jena, LA 71342
Phone: (318) 992-7800
ICE case information: NewOrleans.Outreach@ice.dhs.gov
Operated by: GEO Group
Mailroom packages inquiries: (318) 992-7800 or mail request to GEO CLIPC Facility Administrator, 830 Pinehill Road, Jena, LA 71342
Money: Access Corrections - 1-866-345-1884 | accesscorrections.com - or money order to facility mailing address with detainee name noted
Legal VTC: Schedule through ERO eFile (ice.gov/ERO-eFile); Microsoft Teams link and passcode required
Average daily population: approximately 1,176-1,180 (8th-largest ICE facility in the US)
The Central Louisiana ICE Processing Center in Jena gained national attention in March 2025 when Columbia University graduate student Mahmoud Khalil - a Syrian-born legal permanent resident who had led pro-Palestinian protests - was transferred here from New York. University of Alabama student Alireza Doroudi, an Iranian national, was also transferred here from Alabama. The Jena facility attracted criticism for its extreme distance from major cities and immigration attorneys. The facility previously operated as a state juvenile detention facility from 1998 to 2001. The ICE Office of Professional Responsibility gave it an 'overall superior' rating in its most recent review; immigrant rights advocates have disputed that this reflects detainees' lived experience, citing reports of sexual and physical abuse, denial of hygiene products and medication, and cockroach-infested food.
Mail: [Detainee Full Name + A-Number], Central Louisiana ICE Processing Center, 830 Pine Hill Road, Jena, LA 71342
Jackson Parish Correctional Center - Jonesboro
211 Courthouse Circle, Jonesboro, LA 71251
Phone: (318) 259-2183
ICE case information: NewOrleans.Outreach@ice.dhs.gov
Operated by: LaSalle Corrections
Average daily population: approximately 984 (12th-largest ICE facility in the US)
Mail: [Detainee Full Name + A-Number], Jackson Parish Correctional Center, 211 Courthouse Circle, Jonesboro, LA 71251
South Louisiana ICE Processing Center - Basile
3843 Stagg Avenue, Basile, LA 70515
Phone: (337) 668-5900
ICE case information: NewOrleans.Outreach@ice.dhs.gov | slipcnotify@geogroup.com (legal VTC scheduling)
Operated by: GEO Group
Capacity: approximately 1,000
Average daily population: approximately 800-801 (19th-largest ICE facility in the US)
Legal VTC: Email slipcnotify@geogroup.com - must request 24+ hours in advance; Monday-Friday 8 AM-7 PM Central. Legal VTC scheduled in 30-minute increments; more time can be requested. ICE Field Office complaints address: 1250 Poydras Suite 325, New Orleans, LA 70113
South Louisiana ICE Processing Center in Basile (Evangeline Parish, southwest Louisiana) is operated by GEO Group and is one of ICE's primary facilities for women detainees in Louisiana. It has received sustained scrutiny over medical care, sanitation, hygiene, staff misconduct, and prolonged detention. Advocacy groups including the RFK Human Rights Center, ACLU, and ISLA filed reports in 2024 documenting widespread abuse.
Mail: [Detainee Full Name + A-Number], South Louisiana ICE Processing Center, 3843 Stagg Avenue, Basile, LA 70515
Richwood Correctional Center - Monroe
180 Pine Bayou Circle, Monroe, LA 71203
Phone: (318) 343-9535
ICE case information: NewOrleans.Outreach@ice.dhs.gov
Operated by: LaSalle Corrections
Average daily population: approximately 763 (20th-largest ICE facility in the US)
Mail: [Detainee Full Name + A-Number], Richwood Correctional Center, 180 Pine Bayou Circle, Monroe, LA 71203
River Correctional Center - Ferriday
26362 Highway 15, Ferriday, LA 71334
Phone: (318) 757-3550
ICE case information: NewOrleans.Outreach@ice.dhs.gov
Operated by: LaSalle Corrections
Mail: [Detainee Full Name + A-Number], River Correctional Center, 26362 Highway 15, Ferriday, LA 71334
Allen Parish Public Safety Complex - Oberlin
602 Court Street, Oberlin, LA 70655
Phone: (337) 639-2641 (Allen Parish Sheriff)
ICE case information: NewOrleans.Outreach@ice.dhs.gov
Operated by: Allen Parish Sheriff's Office
Louisiana ICE Processing Center - Angola (LSP Angola)
Louisiana State Penitentiary, Angola, LA 70712
Phone: (225) 655-4411
ICE legal correspondence: vav1camp57@lasallecorrections.com through vav10camp57@lasallecorrections.com (numbered camps) | Fax: (225) 655-9117
ICE case information: NewOrleans.Outreach@ice.dhs.gov
Operated by: LaSalle Corrections at Louisiana State Penitentiary (Angola)
Louisiana State Penitentiary (Angola) - the largest maximum-security state prison in the US, known historically as 'the Farm' - began housing ICE detainees in September 2025 following an announcement by Governor Landry and federal officials. This is a civil immigration detention facility operating within a maximum-security criminal prison environment. Legal VTC and legal mail: use the numbered camp email addresses (vav1 through vav10 @lasallecorrections.com) depending on which camp the detainee is assigned to; fax to (225) 655-9117. Confirm detainee's specific camp assignment by calling (225) 655-4411.
ICE Staging Facility - Alexandria (Short-Term Only)
Alexandria, LA (GEO Group) - This is a 72-hour transfer and staging facility, not a long-term detention center. People are held here briefly before transfer to another Louisiana facility or deportation. Contact ICE New Orleans Field Office at (504) 599-7800 or NewOrleans.Outreach@ice.dhs.gov for current information.
Step 3: Get Legal Help - Scarce But Critical
Louisiana has the third-most ICE detainees in the country but very limited free immigration legal services. The vast majority of Louisiana ICE detainees are unrepresented. Having a lawyer is the single most important factor affecting case outcomes. Contact ISLA immediately.
ISLA - Immigration Services and Legal Advocacy (Primary Free Resource)
islaimmigration.org | (504) 265-0416 | admin@islaimmigration.org
New Orleans-based nonprofit
ISLA was founded specifically to address the scarcity of legal services for immigrants detained in Louisiana. ISLA attorneys visit ICE detention centers across Louisiana and Mississippi and provide free legal representation under a universal representation model. ISLA attorneys visit Pine Prairie ICE Processing Center on a weekly basis. They have been a co-signatory on major reports documenting abuse at Louisiana facilities. ISLA is the primary free legal resource for Louisiana ICE detainees.
Rozas Law / Louisiana immigration attorneys visiting facilities
rozaslaw.com | Baton Rouge and throughout Louisiana
Private immigration firm with six attorneys who service all Louisiana ICE facilities in person. Not free, but for families who can afford legal representation, Rozas Law has documented in-person relationships with Louisiana facilities. For families who cannot afford private counsel, they may offer consultations.
Southeast Louisiana Legal Services
slls.org | (504) 529-1000 | 1340 Poydras Street, Suite 600, New Orleans, LA 70112
Free civil legal aid for low-income individuals in southeast Louisiana. Contact for immigration referrals and to assess eligibility for detained cases.
Puentes New Orleans / Casa Haitian
puentesneworleans.org | (504) 457-3462 | New Orleans - Immigration legal services, unaccompanied minors, domestic violence. For immigration legal services: (504) 310-6873 (leave message with full name, phone number, and/or email). For unaccompanied children: (504) 457-3462, press 3.
Louisiana Fair Housing Action Center - immigration resources
lfhac.org | (504) 596-2100 | New Orleans - Can provide immigration referrals.
ACLU of Louisiana
laaclu.org | New Orleans - The ACLU of Louisiana has been an active voice on Louisiana ICE detention conditions, co-authoring the 2024 report on widespread abuse at Louisiana facilities with RFK Human Rights and ISLA. Contact for systemic conditions concerns and civil rights documentation; they may not take individual removal cases but are an important advocacy resource.
National Immigrant Justice Center (NIJC)
immigrantjustice.org - NIJC provides legal services nationally; contact for referrals and representation screening in Louisiana cases.
EOIR Pro Bono List
Each Louisiana ICE facility is required to post a pro bono legal service list in housing units. Ask your family member to request this list immediately and use facility phones or tablets to contact providers.
Immigration Advocates Network
immigrationadvocates.org - National searchable directory; search by Louisiana for additional providers.
Step 4: Bond - The Most Difficult State in the Country
Louisiana is one of the most difficult states in the country in which to obtain immigration bond. In February 2026, the Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals - which covers Louisiana, Mississippi, and Texas - ruled in Buenrostro-Mendez v. Bondi that the Trump administration has the authority to hold immigrants who entered the US without inspection indefinitely without bond hearings. This ruling applies to the majority of Louisiana ICE detainees.
Immigration attorneys in Louisiana have stated plainly that 'for all intents and purposes, Louisiana courts have put into place the belief that you do not have a right to bond.' This case is expected to reach the Supreme Court - the legal landscape is in flux. Even so, for now, bond hearings are largely unavailable for most Louisiana detainees.
Habeas corpus petitions in federal court remain a tool to challenge detention, particularly for people who have been held for extended periods, who won their immigration cases, or whose circumstances raise specific constitutional concerns. Contact ISLA or a private immigration attorney about habeas options.
Bond posting locations - TWO ICE-ERO offices in Louisiana accept bond:
ICE ERO New Orleans: 1250 Poydras Street, Suite 325, New Orleans, LA 70113 | (504) 599-7800
ICE ERO Oakdale: 1010 East Whatley Road, Oakdale, LA 71463 | (318) 335-7500
Payment: Money order, cashier's check, or certified check payable to 'Department of Homeland Security.' Bring the detainee's full name, A-Number, and bond order from the immigration judge.
A licensed immigration bond agent can post bond electronically. Louisiana agents are available statewide.
Bond Funds
National Immigrant Bond Fund
immigrantbondfund.org - National fund; requires family contribution.
Louisiana community resources
Contact ISLA at (504) 265-0416 for current information on Louisiana-specific bond assistance.
Step 5: Communication - Across Rural Louisiana
Louisiana's detention facilities are in remote rural areas - most are 2-4 hours from New Orleans and 1-3 hours from the nearest city. Visiting requires significant planning. All facilities are in areas where lodging is limited.
Central Louisiana IPC - Jena
Phone: (318) 992-7800 for visiting information. Money: accesscorrections.com | 1-866-345-1884, or money order to facility with detainee name.
Mail: [Name + A-Number], Central Louisiana IPC, 830 Pine Hill Road, Jena, LA 71342
Legal VTC: Through ERO eFile (ice.gov)
South Louisiana IPC - Basile
Phone: (337) 668-5900. Legal VTC: slipcnotify@geogroup.com - 24 hours advance; Mon-Fri 8 AM-7 PM CT
Mail: [Name + A-Number], South Louisiana IPC, 3843 Stagg Avenue, Basile, LA 70515
Louisiana IPC at Angola
Phone: (225) 655-4411. Legal mail/VTC: vav[camp#]camp57@lasallecorrections.com (confirm detainee's camp # first) | Fax: (225) 655-9117
Jackson Parish - Jonesboro
Phone: (318) 259-2183. Mail: [Name + A-Number], Jackson Parish Correctional Center, 211 Courthouse Circle, Jonesboro, LA 71251
Richwood - Monroe
Phone: (318) 343-9535. Mail: [Name + A-Number], Richwood Correctional Center, 180 Pine Bayou Circle, Monroe, LA 71203
Winn - Winnfield
Phone: (318) 628-6151. Contact facility for mail procedures.
River Correctional - Ferriday
Phone: (318) 757-3550. Mail: [Name + A-Number], River Correctional Center, 26362 Highway 15, Ferriday, LA 71334
Step 6: Louisiana's Enforcement Context and Your Rights
Fifth Circuit bond ruling - the most critical context:
The Fifth Circuit's February 2026 ruling in Buenrostro-Mendez v. Bondi means that for immigrants in Louisiana who entered the US without inspection, the government can deny bond hearings entirely. This is the opposite of the Sixth Circuit's ruling (which led to more bond hearings in states like Kentucky). Immigration attorneys expect the Supreme Court to take this issue. Until then, habeas corpus and compelling individual circumstances remain the primary routes to release. Contact ISLA or a private attorney for individual assessment.
Remote locations as a detention strategy:
ACLU Louisiana Legal Director Nora Ahmed told The Wall Street Journal in 2025 that the conditions at Louisiana immigration facilities are 'designed to persuade migrants to give up their efforts to stay in the country' - specifically citing the lack of access to counsel, family, and communication funds. This is the systemic environment Louisiana detainees face. Getting a lawyer is the single most important action.
Facility conditions:
A 2024 report co-authored by RFK Human Rights, ACLU, ACLU of Louisiana, ISLA, and the National Immigration Project documented widespread abuse at Louisiana facilities - inhumane conditions, cockroach-infested food, denial of hygiene products and medication, and sexual abuse. Families should monitor their detained family member's reported conditions and report any concerns to ISLA and the DHS Inspector General.
Angola context:
Louisiana State Penitentiary at Angola is the largest maximum-security state prison in the US - historically one of the most brutal in American penal history. ICE civil immigration detainees are being held there as of September 2025. These are people who have not been convicted of any crime, held in a maximum-security criminal environment. Conditions concerns at this facility should be treated with the highest urgency.
Do not sign anything without an attorney:
ICE may pressure detained people to sign Voluntary Departure or stipulated removal documents. Louisiana attorneys report this as a consistent concern. Signing can permanently waive legal rights. 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 challenge detention through habeas corpus in federal court.
The right to be free from physical, sexual, and verbal abuse.
The right to access medical care and hygiene products.
The right to adequate food free of contamination.
The right to communicate with your home country's consulate (free calls required).
To report abuse or file a complaint:
ISLA: islaimmigration.org | (504) 265-0416
ACLU of Louisiana: laaclu.org
DHS Inspector General: oig.dhs.gov | 1-800-323-8603
ICE ERO New Orleans: 1250 Poydras Suite 325, New Orleans, LA 70113
Quick Reference - Louisiana 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: NewOrleans.Outreach@ice.dhs.gov | (504) 599-7800
Louisiana ICE detention facilities:
Winn Correctional (Winnfield): 560 Gum Springs Road - (318) 628-6151
Central Louisiana IPC (Jena): 830 Pine Hill Road - (318) 992-7800
Jackson Parish (Jonesboro): 211 Courthouse Circle - (318) 259-2183
South Louisiana IPC (Basile): 3843 Stagg Avenue - (337) 668-5900
Richwood (Monroe): 180 Pine Bayou Circle - (318) 343-9535
River Correctional (Ferriday): 26362 Highway 15 - (318) 757-3550
Allen Parish (Oberlin): 602 Court Street - (337) 639-2641
Louisiana IPC at Angola: Louisiana State Penitentiary - (225) 655-4411
Free legal help:
ISLA: islaimmigration.org | (504) 265-0416 | admin@islaimmigration.org
Southeast Louisiana Legal Services: slls.org | (504) 529-1000
Puentes New Orleans: puentesneworleans.org | (504) 310-6873
Post bond (only if eligible):
ICE ERO New Orleans: 1250 Poydras Street, Suite 325, New Orleans, LA 70113 | (504) 599-7800
ICE ERO Oakdale: 1010 East Whatley Road, Oakdale, LA 71463 | (318) 335-7500
Sources and verification: The Advocate / NOLA.com, 'What to Know About Louisiana's Immigrant Detention Centers,' March 2025 (nine facilities; combined 6,900 average daily early 2025; Winn 1,491 daily largest; Jena 8th largest US 1,176; Jackson 12th 984; South Louisiana 19th 801; Richwood 20th 763; Louisiana third most detention facilities US; third most ICE detainees after Texas; RFK Human Rights ACLU ISLA National Immigration Project 2024 report widespread abuse inhumane conditions cockroach-infested food denied hygiene products medication sexual abuse; ACLU Louisiana Legal Director Nora Ahmed WSJ quote on conditions designed to persuade migrants to give up); The Advocate, 'College Students Detained by ICE Are Held at This Louisiana Facility,' April 2, 2025 (Mahmoud Khalil Columbia LPR Syrian; Jena Central Louisiana IPC; Alireza Doroudi University of Alabama Iranian 32 mechanical engineering 350 miles to Jena; 4,155 population LaSalle Parish; Alexandria 38 miles staging facility 400 capacity GEO 72-hour; 1998-2001 juvenile detention; ICE OPR 'superior' rating; advocates say doesn't capture lived experience; sexual physical abuse hygiene medication); Louisiana Illuminator, '5th Circuit Limits Options for Immigrants to Seek Release,' March 8-9, 2026 (Buenrostro-Mendez v. Bondi 5th Circuit February 2026 split decision; INA authority to hold without inspection without bond; majority of judges nationally ruling against mandatory detention but 5th Circuit upheld; attorneys expect Supreme Court; 'still in flux'; 'no right to bond' in 5th Circuit states Texas Louisiana Mississippi; Victor Buenrostro-Mendez 2009 Texas Jose Padron Covarrubias 2001 Texas; July 2025 ICE memo mandatory detention; district courts ordered bond hearings; DOJ DHS appealed; Lafayette sheriff growing partnership with ICE detention active enforcement June 6, 2026); Rozas Law (rozaslaw.com; eight Louisiana detention facilities listed: Central Louisiana/Jena; Pine Prairie IPC; South Louisiana/Basile; Allen Parish Oberlin; Catahoula Harrisonburg; Jackson Parish Jonesboro; Richwood Monroe; River Ferriday; Winn Winnfield; six experienced immigration attorneys service all facilities in person); Louisiana Advocates for Immigrants (laaid.org; list including ICE Staging Alexandria GEO 72-hour; Allen Parish Oberlin sheriff; Central Louisiana Jena GEO; Pine Prairie GEO; River Ferriday LaSalle; Jackson Parish Jonesboro LaSalle; South Louisiana Basile GEO; Richwood LaSalle; Winn LaSalle; Angola LaSalle; Adams County Natchez MS CoreCivic); nortelaw.com Louisiana (bond at 1250 Poydras Street New Orleans 70113 (504) 599-7800 and 1010 East Whatley Road Oakdale 71463 (318) 335-7500); ICE Central Louisiana IPC page (ice.gov; 830 Pine Hill Road Jena LA 71342; (318) 992-7800; GEO CLIPC Facility Administrator mailing address; Access Corrections 1-866-345-1884 accesscorrections.com; money order to facility reference detainee name; packages contact mailroom (318) 992-7800 before sending; legal VTC through ERO eFile Microsoft Teams); ICE South Louisiana IPC page (ice.gov; 3843 Stagg Avenue Basile LA 70515; (337) 668-5900; slipcnotify@geogroup.com 24 hours advance Mon-Fri 8 AM-7 PM Central; 30-minute increments; 1250 Poydras Suite 325 New Orleans complaints); ICE Louisiana IPC Angola page (ice.gov; vav1-vav10camp57@lasallecorrections.com; fax (225) 655-9117; Governor Landry September 3 2025 announcement); ISLA (islaimmigration.org; (504) 265-0416; admin@islaimmigration.org; founded address scarcity legal services Louisiana detention; universal representation model; visit Pine Prairie weekly; co-signatory 2024 abuse reports; New Orleans based); Puentes New Orleans (puentesneworleans.org; (504) 457-3462; immigration legal (504) 310-6873 leave message; unaccompanied children press 3; Project Ishmael pro bono children); Southeast Louisiana Legal Services (slls.org; (504) 529-1000; 1340 Poydras Suite 600 New Orleans 70112; free civil legal aid low-income). Volatile items: Verify all facility phone numbers before calling (LaSalle and GEO facilities in Louisiana have changed management and phone numbers previously); verify Louisiana IPC at Angola current capacity and operational status (opened September 2025; verify current ICE population and conditions); verify Fifth Circuit bond ruling current status (Buenrostro-Mendez v. Bondi February 2026; expected Supreme Court review; may have changed by June 2026); verify Pine Prairie ICE Processing Center current operational status (listed in some older sources; verify if still active at ice.gov); verify ICE ERO New Orleans and Oakdale current hours for bond posting; verify Catahoula Correctional Center / Harrisonburg current operational status (listed in some sources; verify at ice.gov). Last verified: June 2026.