Mississippi: Resources for ICE Detainees

This guide is for people detained by ICE in Mississippi and for their families. Mississippi has one ICE detention facility: the Adams County Correctional Center in Natchez, one of the largest ICE detention centers in the United States. Despite Mississippi having one of the smallest immigrant populations of any state, the facility averaged more than 2,100 detainees per day in early 2026 - at times ranking as the second-largest ICE detention facility in the country. Ninety-one percent of detainees have no criminal conviction and are held for civil immigration infractions. The facility is operated by CoreCivic, a publicly traded private prison company, under a contract with ICE and Adams County. One documented in-custody death occurred in December 2025 (Delvin Francisco Rodriguez, a Nicaraguan national). Bond is essentially unavailable: the Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals - which covers Mississippi, Louisiana, and Texas - upheld the Trump administration's mandatory detention policy in February 2026, meaning most Mississippi ICE detainees cannot get a bond hearing. More than 290 habeas corpus petitions were filed by Adams County detainees seeking release from June 2025 through early 2026 - none had been decided by the sole Western District judge as of April 2026. Immigration legal resources in Mississippi are extremely scarce. Mississippi falls under the ICE New Orleans Field Office. 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 Adams County facility is the only ICE detention facility in Mississippi. Check the locator, then call the facility directly at (601) 304-3003 if needed.

ICE Detention Reporting and Information Line: 1-888-351-4024 (toll-free)

EOIR Immigration Court Case Status: 1-800-898-7180

Adams County Correctional Center (24 hours): (601) 304-3003 - Provide full name, date of birth, country of birth, or A-Number.

ICE New Orleans Field Office (covers Mississippi): NewOrleans.Outreach@ice.dhs.gov | (504) 599-7800 | 1250 Poydras Street, Suite 325, New Orleans, LA 70113

If a family member arrested elsewhere was transferred to Mississippi: Mississippi, as the second-largest ICE detention facility in the country by population, receives detainees from across the region. If a family member arrested in Arkansas, Louisiana, or another southern state does not appear at the expected facility, check the ICE Detainee Locator for Natchez, Mississippi.

Step 2: The Adams County Correctional Center - The Only ICE Facility in Mississippi

20 Hobo Forks Road, Natchez, MS 39120

Phone (24 hours): (601) 304-3003

Alternate phone: (601) 304-2500

ICE case information: NewOrleans.Outreach@ice.dhs.gov

Operated by: CoreCivic, Inc. under contract with ICE and Adams County

Capacity: 2,260 beds

Average daily ICE population: approximately 2,100-2,154 (early 2026) - making it at times the second-largest ICE detention facility in the United States

Tablets: Available - messaging through gettingout.com

ICE complaints address: ICE New Orleans Field Office, 1250 Poydras Street, New Orleans, LA 70113

The Adams County Correctional Center is located on a 14-acre site in rural southwestern Mississippi near Natchez - a historic city of approximately 14,000 people. Adams County itself has a population of about 30,000. The facility sits in what Mississippi Today has characterized as isolation: it is far from immigration courts, far from most legal service providers, and in a state with one of the smallest immigrant communities in the country. CoreCivic is Adams County's single largest taxpayer. The 2019 IGSA contract paid a $3.9 million monthly flat rate, escalating annually; contract modifications since then were not publicly accessible.

The facility holds primarily adult men, including some transgender women (per Trump's 2025 executive order requiring incarceration based on gender assigned at birth, regardless of legal status). Only 9% of detainees have any criminal conviction; all are held for civil immigration infractions. Average stay was approximately 60 days as of early 2025 and was getting longer.

Conditions: Each unit holds approximately 140 people sharing 8 toilets and 15 showers. Outdoor access is restricted - one detainee reported access to a secure outdoor area once every four or five days. Detainees can work in the facility (cleaning, kitchen, laundry) for approximately $3.50 per day. The facility has tablets for communication through gettingout.com, but communication fees apply. The video call app blurs the background and obscures video if the camera is not pointed at the detainee's face. DHS Inspector General found violations at the facility in 2021 (OIG-21-46) including failures to respond to grievances, inadequate COVID protocols, and failure to assist vulnerable detainees.

In-custody death: Delvin Francisco Rodriguez, a 39-year-old Nicaraguan national, was found unresponsive in his living area on December 4, 2025 and was transported to Merit Health Natchez, where he failed a brain death test 10 days later and died on December 14, 2025. ICE told family he was found 'hanging in a cell' with a sheet; however, family reported that Rodriguez had been housed in an open unit with more than 100 people, and nurses reportedly described injuries inconsistent with that account. Rodriguez's death was one of seven ICE custody deaths in December 2025 alone; 2025 was the deadliest year for ICE detention since the agency's founding, with 33 total in-custody deaths.

Visiting Adams County Correctional Center

Visiting is subject to CoreCivic and ICE policies. Check ice.gov (search 'Adams County Correctional Center') or call (601) 304-3003 before traveling for current visiting hours, schedule, and registration requirements. The facility is located off US Route 61/84 in Natchez - the nearest airport with direct service is Baton Rouge Metropolitan Airport, approximately 90 miles south.

Maximum visitors: Three adults and two minor children (age 17 and under) at a time. Minor children must remain under direct supervision. Valid government-issued photo ID required. All visitors subject to search.

Directions from Baton Rouge Airport are on the ICE facility page - a 90+ minute drive north on US-61.

Step 3: Get Legal Help - Extremely Scarce in Mississippi

Mississippi has some of the most limited immigration legal infrastructure of any state. The facility in Natchez is geographically remote, and the Fifth Circuit's February 2026 ruling eliminating bond hearings for most detainees has made habeas corpus the primary - and backlogged - legal tool. Contact every organization below and seek private immigration attorneys.

ISLA - Immigration Services and Legal Advocacy (New Orleans)

islaimmigration.org | (504) 265-0416 | admin@islaimmigration.org

ISLA is the primary nonprofit organization providing free immigration legal services to detained immigrants in Louisiana and Mississippi. ISLA attorneys visit ICE detention centers in both states. ISLA was founded specifically to address the scarcity of legal services in southern detention facilities. Contact ISLA immediately for detention cases at Adams County.

Mississippi College School of Law Immigration Clinic - Jackson

Contact Mississippi College School of Law (MC Law) in Jackson for their Immigration Clinic, which provides free legal services to low-income immigrants in Mississippi, including those in immigration court proceedings.

Mississippi Access to Justice Commission (MSATJC)

msatjc.org - Provides referrals to immigration legal resources in Mississippi, including the pro bono list for the New Orleans Immigration Court (which handles Mississippi cases) and the Memphis Immigration Court. Contact for referrals and resources.

Mississippi College School of Law - Immigration resources

For detainees at Adams County appearing before the New Orleans or Oakdale immigration courts: contact the MSATJC for the pro bono lists for those courts (available at justice.gov/eoir for New Orleans and Oakdale).

Mid-South Immigration Advocates

Contact through MSATJC and ISLA for Mississippi immigration representation resources.

ACLU of Mississippi

aclu-ms.org - Contact for civil rights concerns and conditions complaints at Adams County Correctional Center.

Immigration Advocates Network

immigrationadvocates.org - National searchable directory; search by Mississippi.

Habeas corpus - the primary legal tool in Mississippi

Because the Fifth Circuit upheld mandatory detention and bond hearings are largely unavailable, habeas corpus petitions in US District Court for the Western District of Mississippi (in Natchez) have become the primary legal vehicle for challenging detention. More than 290 petitions were filed from Adams County since June 2025. However, Senior Judge David Bramlette III - the sole federal judge in the Western District - had not ruled on any cases based on the merits through April 2026, creating a massive backlog. An immigration attorney must file a habeas petition; contact ISLA and private immigration attorneys immediately about this option.

EOIR Pro Bono List

Adams County Correctional Center is required to post a pro bono legal service list in housing units. Ask your family member to request the list and use the facility tablet (gettingout.com) or phone to contact providers.

Step 4: Bond - The Most Restricted Jurisdiction in the Country

Mississippi is in the Fifth Circuit, which in February 2026 upheld the Trump administration's mandatory detention policy - ruling that people who entered without inspection can be held indefinitely without bond hearings. Combined with the Western District habeas backlog, Mississippi is among the most difficult jurisdictions in the country in which to obtain release from ICE detention.

Bond hearings are theoretically available for some categories of detainees. An immigration attorney must evaluate individual eligibility. If bond is denied, habeas corpus in federal court is the remaining avenue - but as documented above, the backlog in Natchez federal court means most petitions have not been decided.

Bond posting for Mississippi detainees

There is no ICE ERO office in Mississippi. Bond for Mississippi ICE detainees is posted at the ICE New Orleans Field Office:

ICE ERO New Orleans: 1250 Poydras Street, Suite 325, New Orleans, LA 70113 | (504) 599-7800

Or: ICE ERO Oakdale, Louisiana: 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 for a fee.

Bond Funds

National Immigrant Bond Fund

immigrantbondfund.org - National fund; requires family contribution.

Contact ISLA

Contact ISLA at (504) 265-0416 for information on current Louisiana/Mississippi-specific bond assistance resources.

Step 5: Communication at Adams County Correctional Center

Phone

Detainees cannot receive incoming calls. To leave an urgent message: call (601) 304-3003 (available 24 hours) and leave the detainee's full name, A-Number, your name, and callback number. The detainee will receive the message.

Outgoing calls require a prepaid account. Contact (601) 304-3003 for current phone service provider and account setup procedures.

Tablets and Electronic Messaging

Tablets are available in the facility. Non-confidential messages can be sent through gettingout.com. The video call app blurs backgrounds and obscures video if the camera is not pointed at the detainee's face.

Mail

Mailing address: [Detainee Full Name + A-Number], Adams County Correctional Center, 20 Hobo Forks Road, Natchez, MS 39120

All mail is subject to inspection for contraband. Do not send cash. Money orders should reference the detainee's name.

Visiting

Call (601) 304-3003 for current visiting hours, schedule, and registration requirements before traveling. Maximum 3 adults and 2 minor children. Valid government ID required. All visitors subject to search.

Sending Money

Contact (601) 304-3003 for current money deposit procedures. CoreCivic ICE facilities typically accept funds through Access Corrections (accesscorrections.com) or similar systems - confirm current method.

Step 6: Mississippi's Detention Context and Your Rights

The 'justice-free zone' problem:

Human Rights Watch titled its major report on ICE detention 'Justice-Free Zones,' and Mississippi exemplifies the concept. Adams County sits in one of the most geographically remote large ICE detention sites in the country. The sole federal judge in the Western District has not ruled on any habeas petitions despite months of backlog. The Fifth Circuit has eliminated bond hearings for most detainees. Legal service providers are scarce. People are being detained for months with no legal resolution and no clear pathway to release.

Population volatility - VOLATILE STATUS:

Adams County's population dropped from approximately 2,100 in early April 2026 to approximately 1,247 meals being prepared by late April 2026 - a decrease of nearly 1,000 detainees in three weeks. ICE said the facility will remain open and that population changes are routine. Verify current population status at ice.gov or by calling (601) 304-3003 before traveling, as conditions at the facility may change significantly if population continues to shift.

Fifth Circuit and habeas backlog:

The combination of the Fifth Circuit's February 2026 mandatory detention ruling (no bond hearings) and the Western District habeas backlog (no decisions issued through April 2026) creates what attorneys have called an 'imprisonment illegally or unconstitutionally' without recourse. Mississippi detainees' cases may eventually be resolved by Supreme Court action on the Fifth Circuit ruling or by the Western District judge beginning to issue decisions. Contact ISLA and an immigration attorney to monitor these developments.

Delvin Francisco Rodriguez - in-custody death:

The December 2025 death of Delvin Francisco Rodriguez at Adams County raises serious questions about medical care at the facility. Family members and nurses reportedly described circumstances inconsistent with ICE's account. If a family member reports serious medical concerns at Adams County, contact ISLA and the DHS Inspector General immediately.

Do not sign anything without an attorney:

ICE may pressure detained people to sign Voluntary Departure or stipulated removal documents. Signing permanently waives legal rights. Contact ISLA at (504) 265-0416 before signing anything.

Key rights every detainee has:

The right to speak with an attorney. Ask for the pro bono list; contact ISLA at (504) 265-0416.

The right to challenge detention through habeas corpus in federal court (despite the backlog).

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

The right to access medical care, including for emergencies and chronic conditions.

The right to adequate food, water, and hygiene.

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

To report conditions, the Rodriguez death, or file a complaint:

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

ACLU of Mississippi: aclu-ms.org

ISLA: islaimmigration.org | (504) 265-0416

ICE New Orleans Field Office: 1250 Poydras Street, Suite 325, New Orleans, LA 70113

Quick Reference - Mississippi 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

Adams County Correctional Center (24 hours): (601) 304-3003

ICE New Orleans Field Office: NewOrleans.Outreach@ice.dhs.gov | (504) 599-7800

The only Mississippi ICE facility:

Adams County Correctional Center: 20 Hobo Forks Road, Natchez, MS 39120 - (601) 304-3003

Tablets/messaging: gettingout.com | Mail to facility address with A-Number

Legal help:

ISLA (New Orleans, visits Mississippi facilities): islaimmigration.org | (504) 265-0416

MSATJC (referrals): msatjc.org

ACLU of Mississippi (conditions/civil rights): aclu-ms.org

Post bond (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: Mississippi Today, 'What We Know About One of the Nation's Largest ICE Facilities,' March 27, 2026 (Adams County Correctional Center 14 acres Natchez; CoreCivic publicly traded Tennessee; $2.2 billion revenue 2025; $200 million increase 2024 to 2025 due to ICE; 9% criminal conviction; civil infraction only; transgender women held per Trump executive order gender assigned at birth; average stay 60 days getting longer; Natchez Mayor Dan Gibson CoreCivic single largest taxpayer; $3.9 million monthly flat rate 2019 contract; 140 people per unit 8 toilets 15 showers; outdoor access once every four or five days; work $3.50/day; communication app blurs background; DHS OIG 2021 violations: grievance timing inadequate COVID vulnerable detainees; ACLU called for closure); Mississippi Today, 'Population of Mississippi's ICE Facility Has Plummeted,' May 1, 2026 (April 2 ICE reported 2,100; Rep. Bennie Thompson April 9 visit 1,400 detainees; meals for 1,247 Tuesday suggesting nearly 1,000 drop in three weeks; original units empty consolidated; ICE spokesperson Angelina Vicknair facility remains open population changes routine; no WARN Act notices submitted; still booking small groups daily); Mississippi Today, 'ICE Detainee Cases in Mississippi Remain Undecided,' April 3, 2026 (more than 290 habeas petitions since June 2025; Senior Judge David Bramlette III sole Western District judge; handful dismissed procedural errors; none ruled on merits; attorney Brandon Riches Ocean Springs dozens fully argued for months not decided; Katherin Torres New Jersey husband detained December petition still waiting; 34,000+ habeas petitions nationally fewer than 8,000 decided Habeas Dockets nonprofit; Fifth Circuit February 2026 upheld mandatory detention; 8th Circuit March upheld); Detention Pipeline (second largest ICE facility averaging 2,154/day early 2026; population dropped by nearly 1,000 in three weeks April 2026; Delvin Francisco Rodriguez 39 Nicaraguan found unresponsive December 4, 2025 failed brain death test December 14 died; ICE told family hanging in cell sheet; large open unit 100+ people inconsistency; nurses injuries inconsistent with account; seven ICE deaths December 2025; 33 total 2025 deadliest year since agency founded; DHS OIG violations OIG-21-46 July 2021; Thompson April 9 2026 3.5-hour visit 1,400 detainees bathrooms kitchen commissary infirmary clean no direct mistreatment complaints processing status delays clothing access); ICE Adams County page (ice.gov; 20 Hobo Forks Road Natchez MS 39120; (601) 304-3003 24 hours; tablets gettingout.com; NewOrleans.Outreach@ice.dhs.gov; 1250 Poydras New Orleans 70113 complaints; visitors max 3 adults 2 minors; valid ID; children 17 under direct supervision; Baton Rouge Airport directions); ISLA (islaimmigration.org; (504) 265-0416; admin@islaimmigration.org; visits detention centers Louisiana and Mississippi; founded to address scarcity of legal services); MSATJC (msatjc.org; New Orleans Oakdale Memphis pro bono lists; Mississippi College School of Law Immigration Clinic Jackson; free legal service providers); Global Detention Project (20 Hobo Fork Road Natchez MS 39120; (601) 304-2500 alternate; Dedicated IGSA exclusive ICE use 2026). Volatile items: Verify Adams County current population (dropped from ~2,100 to ~1,247 meals by late April 2026; ICE said facility remains open but volatile; verify June 2026 status at ice.gov); verify Western District habeas backlog current status (Judge Bramlette had not ruled on any cases through April 2026; verify if any decisions issued by June 2026); verify Fifth Circuit mandatory detention ruling current status (expected Supreme Court review; verify whether ruling has been stayed or reversed as of June 2026); verify current visiting hours and procedures at Adams County (contact (601) 304-3003 before traveling); verify ISLA current capacity and Mississippi visit schedule ((504) 265-0416). Last verified: June 2026.