New Hampshire: Resources for ICE Detainees

This guide is for people detained by ICE in New Hampshire and for their families. New Hampshire has two active ICE detention facilities as of December 2025: the Federal Correctional Institution (FCI) in Berlin and the Strafford County Jail in Dover. Together they held 347 ICE detainees as of December 11, 2025 - a number that has been growing rapidly. FCI Berlin is a medium-security federal prison 119 miles north of Concord and 187 miles north of Boston, in one of the most remote locations in the northeast - with 204 ICE detainees, 83% of whom have no criminal convictions. Strafford County Jail in Dover held 143 ICE detainees under a $100/day contract. Twelve New Hampshire law enforcement agencies have signed 287(g) agreements with ICE, expanding immigration enforcement statewide. Portsmouth International Airport at Pease has been used for ICE deportation flights. Additional ICE detention capacity in Rockingham County (Brentwood), Hillsborough County (Manchester/Valley Street jail), and Merrimack County has been proposed and may be operational by the time you read this. New Hampshire falls under the ICE Boston Field Office. Bond posts at the Norris Cotton Federal Building in Manchester. ACLU of New Hampshire and the NH Alliance for Immigrants and Refugees are the primary advocacy organizations. 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). New Hampshire receives transfers from across New England - Maine, Rhode Island, Massachusetts, Vermont, and Connecticut - through the ICE Boston area ground transport network. If a family member arrested elsewhere disappears from the locator, check Berlin and Strafford County.

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

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

ICE Boston Field Office (covers NH): Boston.Outreach@ice.dhs.gov | (781) 359-7660

FCI Berlin ICE case information: Boston.Outreach@ice.dhs.gov | Supervisory Deportation Officer: (603) 342-4305 | BER-ICECorrespondence@bop.gov

Strafford County Jail (Dover): (603) 742-3300 (Strafford County Department of Corrections)

ACLU of New Hampshire: aclu-nh.org | (603) 224-5591 | Concord and Manchester

NH Alliance for Immigrants and Refugees / American Friends Service Committee: Eva Castillo, NH Alliance; Maggie Fogarty, AFSC - contact through nhcje.org or aclu-nh.org for current referrals.

Step 2: Where ICE Detainees Are Held in New Hampshire

FCI Berlin - Berlin (Primary Federal Facility, Most Remote)

Federal Correctional Institution, Berlin, NH 03570

Mailing address: [ICE Detainee Name + Register Number], FCI Berlin, Federal Correctional Institution, P.O. Box 9000, Berlin, NH 03570

Phone: (603) 342-4305 (Supervisory Deportation Officer / Jail Liaison)

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

Legal visits / scheduling: BER-ICECorrespondence@bop.gov

Electronic messaging: TRULINCS - corrlinks.com

FCI Berlin is a medium-security federal prison operated by the Bureau of Prisons under an interagency agreement with ICE. It is one of five federal prisons nationwide used for ICE detention under a DHS-BOP contract. Berlin is located in Coos County - northern New Hampshire, 119 miles north of Concord and 187 miles north of Boston. It is one of the most isolated ICE detention facilities in New England.

As of December 11, 2025, FCI Berlin held 204 ICE detainees, with 83% classified as non-criminal (civil immigration violations only). The facility began accepting ICE detainees in early 2025 after a February 2025 memorandum of understanding between ICE and BOP. The contract allows up to four housing units, with a potential capacity of 500+ ICE detainees. ACLU of New Hampshire confirmed the facility was already holding ICE detainees in March 2025, before the federal government officially announced the program.

Transfer conditions: One Guatemalan man who had lived in Providence, Rhode Island for 20 years was transferred from the Wyatt Detention Center in Central Falls, RI to FCI Berlin in November 2025 - approximately 10 days after detention. He reported being woken at 3 AM with no notice, transported in a cramped van with handcuffs 'tight enough to draw blood, leaving scars,' and winter air through the back of the van. This type of long-distance, overnight transfer with no family notification is a consistent feature of New England ICE detention operations.

Visiting (Saturdays and Sundays): 8 AM-9:30 AM. Federal holidays: 8 AM-9:30 AM. Check bop.gov for FCI Berlin's current visiting protocol, which may have been updated since this guide was published. Legal representatives may visit and must schedule through BER-ICECorrespondence@bop.gov. All visitors subject to BOP rules.

Legal calls: (603) 342-4305 or BER-ICECorrespondence@bop.gov. Schedule in advance.

Strafford County Jail - Dover (Southern NH Facility)

266 County Farm Road, Dover, NH 03820

Phone: (603) 742-3300 (Strafford County Department of Corrections, Superintendent Chris Brackett)

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

Strafford County Jail in Dover is New Hampshire's traditional ICE detention facility and the only county-operated ICE facility in the state. It held 131 ICE detainees as of mid-February 2025 and 143 as of December 11, 2025 - an increase under the Trump administration. The county receives $100 per ICE detainee per day. Strafford County also provides transportation to and from immigration court hearings.

ICE detainees at Strafford cannot post bond at the facility - bond must be posted at the Norris Cotton Federal Building in Manchester, approximately 50 miles west. Contact (603) 742-3300 for current visiting hours, phone procedures, and mailing address.

More than 68% of Strafford County ICE detainees are classified as non-criminal as of December 2025.

Additional NH Facilities - Verify Current Status

ICE has been expanding New Hampshire's detention capacity. ICE plans revealed in late 2025 called for adding 221 detention beds in Hillsborough, Rockingham, and Merrimack counties. Verify current operational status at ice.gov or by calling Boston.Outreach@ice.dhs.gov:

Rockingham County Jail - Brentwood: County commissioners voted 2-1 in 2025 to apply to hold approximately 150 ICE detainees at $150/day. Status: proposed/pending as of late 2025. Verify current status at (603) 642-5456.

Hillsborough County Jail - Valley Street, Manchester: Commissioners discussed but had not agreed to an ICE contract as of late 2025. Verify current status at (603) 627-5640.

Merrimack (warehouse conversion): Plans for an ICE processing center in Merrimack were reported in late 2025. Community and elected official opposition was active. Verify current status.

Step 3: Get Legal Help

New Hampshire has limited free immigration legal infrastructure. Most immigration attorneys are in Manchester, Nashua, and Concord - many hours from FCI Berlin. The ACLU of New Hampshire and several nonprofits have been most active in monitoring and advocating on behalf of NH ICE detainees.

ACLU of New Hampshire

aclu-nh.org | (603) 224-5591 | 18 Low Avenue, Concord, NH 03301

ACLU-NH has been the lead organization tracking FCI Berlin's ICE detention operations, filing FOIA requests, and conducting advocacy. Contact for civil rights concerns, conditions complaints, and referrals to immigration legal services.

NH Alliance for Immigrants and Refugees

Contact through nhcje.org - Eva Castillo, executive director, has been a public voice on NH immigration enforcement. Contact for community support, referrals, and advocacy.

American Friends Service Committee - NH Program

afsc.org | Maggie Fogarty, NH Program Director - Active on 287(g) agreements and NH ICE detention advocacy. Contact for community support and referrals.

New Hampshire Legal Assistance

nhla.org | (603) 224-3333 | Manchester, Concord, other offices - Free civil legal services for low-income New Hampshire residents, including some immigration matters.

New Hampshire Pro Bono Referral Service

nhbar.org - New Hampshire Bar Association's lawyer referral service. Immigration attorneys available through referral.

BIJAN - Boston Immigration Justice Accompaniment Network

beyondbondboston.org - Provides immigration bond support and community accompaniment for New England ICE detainees, including those held in New Hampshire. BIJAN covers ME, NH, VT, RI, and MA.

PAIR Project (Political Asylum/Immigration Representation)

pairproject.org - Boston-based; conducts Know Your Rights presentations at New England ICE facilities and provides legal referrals.

EOIR Pro Bono List

Both FCI Berlin and Strafford County Jail are required to post pro bono legal service lists in housing units. Ask your family member to request the list immediately. At FCI Berlin, legal calls can be scheduled through BER-ICECorrespondence@bop.gov or (603) 342-4305.

Immigration Advocates Network

immigrationadvocates.org - National searchable directory; search by New Hampshire.

Step 4: Bond - How to Get Someone Released

Bond allows a detained person to be released from ICE custody while their immigration case proceeds. New Hampshire falls under the ICE Boston Field Office and the First Circuit Court of Appeals, which has been more protective of bond rights than some other circuits.

Bond CANNOT be posted at FCI Berlin or Strafford County Jail. Bond must be posted at the ICE ERO office in Manchester:

Bond posting for New Hampshire detainees

Norris Cotton Federal Office Building (ICE ERO Boston / Manchester): 275 Chestnut Street, Manchester, NH 03101

Phone: Contact Boston.Outreach@ice.dhs.gov or (781) 359-7500 (ICE ERO Burlington MA) for current Manchester office hours and bond posting confirmation.

Alternatively: ICE ERO Burlington, MA: 1000 District Avenue, Burlington, MA 01803 | (781) 359-7500 - Monday-Friday 9 AM-3 PM

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, avoiding travel.

Bond and Financial Support

BIJAN - Boston Immigration Justice Accompaniment Network

beyondbondboston.org - Bond support for NH ICE detainees.

National Immigrant Bond Fund

immigrantbondfund.org - National fund; requires family contribution.

Step 5: Communication at New Hampshire Facilities

FCI Berlin

Electronic messaging: TRULINCS - Register at corrlinks.com. This is the primary non-visit communication for FCI Berlin ICE detainees.

Visiting: Saturday and Sunday 8-9:30 AM; federal holidays 8-9:30 AM. All visitors subject to BOP rules. Check bop.gov for current protocol.

Legal calls: Schedule via (603) 342-4305 or BER-ICECorrespondence@bop.gov.

Mail: [Name + Register Number], FCI Berlin, Federal Correctional Institution, P.O. Box 9000, Berlin, NH 03570. Legal mail is forwarded on transfer; general mail returned to sender.

Money: Follow BOP detainee funds procedures at bop.gov.

Strafford County Jail - Dover

Phone: (603) 742-3300 for current visiting hours, phone system, and procedures.

Bond: Cannot post bond at Strafford - go to Manchester (Norris Cotton Building) or use a bond agent.

Step 6: New Hampshire's Enforcement Context and Your Rights

Twelve NH agencies with 287(g) agreements:

As of summer 2025, twelve New Hampshire law enforcement agencies - including sheriffs, police departments, and state troopers - had signed 287(g) agreements with ICE. This means immigration enforcement can occur at routine traffic stops, court appearances, and ICE check-ins statewide. People with valid immigration status, temporary protections, and even green card holders have been detained through these encounters. Do not attend any ICE check-in or appointment without consulting an attorney.

Portsmouth Airport deportation flights:

Portsmouth International Airport at Pease was used for ICE deportation flights between mid-July and early September 2025, despite strong community opposition led by former US Senator Gordon Humphrey (R). Monitor whether Pease has resumed deportation flights. If a family member in NH ICE custody is being moved quickly, they may be headed to a deportation flight.

FCI Berlin - extreme isolation:

Berlin is 119 miles north of Concord and 187 miles north of Boston - in the same region as the White Mountains, hours from any immigration legal service provider. ACLU-NH policy director Amanda Azad described it as placing people 'isolated from their family, advocates, and potential legal services.' The ICE Boston ground transport plan lists Berlin as a 'less frequent but much longer trip' in the regional van network. Overnight transfers with no notice are documented.

NH expansion in progress:

ICE's disclosed plans for New Hampshire include adding 221 beds in Hillsborough, Rockingham, and Merrimack counties beyond the existing Berlin and Strafford facilities. By the time you read this, Rockingham County (Brentwood) or Hillsborough County (Manchester) may have an ICE contract. Verify current facilities at ice.gov before assuming where a family member is held.

Do not sign anything without an attorney:

Contact ACLU-NH at (603) 224-5591 before signing any Voluntary Departure document.

Key rights every detainee has:

The right to speak with an attorney. FCI Berlin: schedule legal calls via (603) 342-4305 or BER-ICECorrespondence@bop.gov.

The right to a bond hearing before an immigration judge (First Circuit is more protective; contact ACLU-NH if denied).

The right to be free from physical, sexual, and verbal abuse - including during transport.

The right to advance notice before transfer, to the extent operationally feasible. Overnight transfers with no notice are documented and may violate standards.

The right to access medical care and adequate food.

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

To report conditions, transfer abuse, or file a complaint:

ACLU-NH: aclu-nh.org | (603) 224-5591

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

ICE Boston: Boston.Outreach@ice.dhs.gov

Quick Reference - New Hampshire 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 Boston Field Office: Boston.Outreach@ice.dhs.gov | (781) 359-7660

FCI Berlin ICE line: (603) 342-4305 | BER-ICECorrespondence@bop.gov

Strafford County Jail (Dover): (603) 742-3300

Legal help:

ACLU-NH: aclu-nh.org | (603) 224-5591

BIJAN (bond support, New England): beyondbondboston.org

PAIR Project: pairproject.org

NH Legal Assistance: nhla.org | (603) 224-3333

Post bond:

Manchester (NH): Norris Cotton Federal Office Building, 275 Chestnut St, Manchester, NH - verify hours at Boston.Outreach@ice.dhs.gov

Burlington MA: 1000 District Avenue, Burlington, MA 01803 | (781) 359-7500 - Mon-Fri 9 AM-3 PM

FCI Berlin communication:

TRULINCS messaging: corrlinks.com | Mail: P.O. Box 9000, Berlin, NH 03570

Visiting: Sat/Sun 8-9:30 AM | Legal: BER-ICECorrespondence@bop.gov

Sources and verification: Union Leader, 'ICE Processing Center in Merrimack Reportedly in the Works,' December 29, 2025 (NH held 347 ICE detainees December 11: 204 Berlin 143 Strafford; 68%+ Strafford non-criminal 83%+ Berlin non-criminal; September Portsmouth Airport deportation flights ex-Sen. Gordon Humphrey sanctuary airport request; Rockingham County commissioners 2-1 vote to apply 150 detainees $150/day; Hillsborough commissioners did not rule out Valley Street Manchester; Merrimack warehouse plan; ICE 221 additional beds Hillsborough Rockingham Merrimack); Boston Globe, 'Plan to House Hundreds of ICE Detainees in Berlin NH Draws Pushback,' February 24, 2025 (DHS BOP contract five federal prisons: Miami Atlanta Leavenworth Philadelphia Berlin; up to four units Berlin; 898 inmates at Berlin as of February; 1,152 medium 128 minimum capacity; contract six months extendable six months; Strafford County Superintendent Chris Brackett 131 ICE detainees mid-February 2025; BOP rights to approve or decline; New Hampshire Immigrants' Rights Network opposition Eva Castillo Grace Kindeke Maggie Fogarty David Holt Sarah Jane Knoy); ACLU-NH press release, 'NH Immigration Advocates Denounce Leaked Plans to Use FCI Berlin,' February 24, 2025 (Amanda Azad Policy Director ACLU-NH quote isolated from family advocates legal services 119 miles Concord 187 miles Boston; FOIA request; substantial preparation resources staffing food utilities clothing training per BOP); ACLU-NH, 'ACLU-NH Confirms FCI Berlin Already Jailing ICE Detainees,' March 6, 2025 (confirmed already housing ICE detainees before federal government announcement); Detention Pipeline FCI Berlin page (204 ICE detainees December 11 2025; 80%+ non-criminal; BOP-ICE interagency agreement; five-prison contract also Miami Atlanta Leavenworth Philadelphia; Guatemalan 'D' Providence 20 years Wyatt to Berlin November 2025 10 days after detention; 3 AM no notice cramped van handcuffs tight enough to draw blood leaving scars winter air back; 130+ habeas cases Rhode Island federal court 2026 vs 5 in 2024 reflecting surge including Berlin transfers); Project Saltbox, 'Routes Behind ICE's East Coast Detention Expansion,' April 15, 2026 (Boston AOR 514,732 miles ground transport; daily shuttles Plymouth Strafford Wyatt Cumberland; less frequent FCI Berlin White River Junction Batavia western New York; Paragon contractor $11 million first year now $17M+ NYC/Newark plus $17M multi-field-office transportation); NHCJE, 'NH's Immigration Enforcement from a Community Lens,' November 2025 (Strafford County Jail Dover main ICE site $100 per day; FCI Berlin began housing 2025; Portsmouth Airport deportation flights mid-July early September strong opposition; 221 beds Hillsborough Rockingham Merrimack per Washington Post; 12 NH law enforcement agencies 287g agreements summer 2025; Maggie Fogarty AFSC NH Program Director quote community trust law enforcement; 60,000 ICE detainees fall 2025 71.5% no criminal convictions); ICE FCI Berlin page (ice.gov; Boston.Outreach@ice.dhs.gov case information; (603) 342-4305 Supervisory Deportation Officer; BER-ICECorrespondence@bop.gov legal visits scheduling; Saturday Sunday 8 AM-9:30 AM federal holidays 8 AM-9:30 AM visiting; FCI Berlin website for most current protocol; TRULINCS corrlinks.com; P.O. Box 9000 Berlin NH 03570 mail; legal mail forwarded general returned; no electronic devices packages); ICE immigration bond info NH (bond cannot post at Strafford; Norris Cotton Federal Building Manchester; 501 South Las Vegas Blvd in Nevada is different state; ICE ERO Burlington MA 1000 District Avenue Burlington MA 01803 (781) 359-7500 confirmed NH bond alternate). Volatile items: Verify FCI Berlin current ICE detainee population (204 as of December 2025; contract allows up to 500+; verify June 2026 status); verify Rockingham County Brentwood jail current ICE contract status (voted 2-1 to apply December 2025; vote on formal proposal early 2026; verify if contract signed and detainees held); verify Hillsborough County Valley Street Manchester current status (not ruled out December 2025; verify June 2026); verify Merrimack warehouse current status (reported in planning stages December 2025; community opposition active; verify); verify Portsmouth Airport Pease current ICE deportation flight status (mid-July to early September 2025 then opposition; verify if flights resumed); verify Manchester/Norris Cotton building current ICE bond posting hours (per older sources and general NH bond info; verify at Boston.Outreach@ice.dhs.gov before traveling); verify FCI Berlin visiting hours (Saturday Sunday 8-9:30 AM per ICE page; check bop.gov for most current). Last verified: June 2026.