If someone you love has been detained by Immigration and Customs Enforcement, known as ICE, in New York, it helps to know how detention is set up here. The main immigration detention center in the state is the Buffalo Federal Detention Facility in Batavia, far upstate between Buffalo and Rochester. New York has little immigration detention space, especially in the New York City area, so a person detained downstate is often moved far upstate to Batavia, or out of state entirely. So if your person was detained in or near New York City, expect that they may be held hundreds of miles away. The two most urgent things you can do are find exactly where they are being held, and get an immigration attorney involved right away.
It helps to understand the nature of this. ICE detention is civil, not criminal. A person is not being held as punishment for a crime; they are being held to secure their presence for immigration proceedings or removal. And unlike criminal court, immigration court does not provide a free, government appointed lawyer, which is why finding legal help early is so important.
One number matters more than anything else through all of this: the Alien Registration Number, called the A-Number. It is a nine digit number assigned to the case, found on immigration paperwork, a work permit, or court notices. Write it down and keep it close, because it follows your person from place to place, and it is the key to locating them, posting any bond, and working with a lawyer.
How to find someone in ICE custody
ICE runs a free public tool called the Online Detainee Locator System, at locator.ice.gov. You can search by the A-Number, which is the most reliable way, or by the person's full name plus their country of birth and date of birth.
A few things make the difference between finding your person and coming up empty. The locator only matches names spelled exactly the way the government entered them, so if you get no result, try different spellings, swap the order of first and last names, and try with and without a middle name. Children under 18 do not appear in the system at all. And there can be a lag of a day or more before a newly detained person shows up.
Because people can be moved, check the locator again every few days. New York has two ICE Enforcement and Removal Operations field offices: the Buffalo field office, which covers upstate New York, and the New York City field office at 26 Federal Plaza, which covers the downstate area. You can also call the Batavia facility directly for detainee information at 585-344-6500, or the ICE detention reporting line at 1-888-351-4024.
Where ICE detention happens in New York
The main immigration detention center in New York is the Buffalo Federal Detention Facility, also called the Buffalo Service Processing Center, in Batavia. It is one of a small number of detention centers in the country that ICE owns and operates directly, rather than contracting out to a county or private company. It has held roughly five hundred people at a time, primarily men, from a wide range of countries, and it sits far upstate, between Buffalo and Rochester.
Beyond Batavia, New York has very limited immigration detention space, particularly in the New York City area. Because of that, people detained downstate are frequently moved upstate to Batavia, or out of state, to facilities in places like New Jersey or Pennsylvania. This means the distance between a detained person and their family and lawyer can be large. People are also moved between facilities, so always rely on the live locator to confirm where your person actually is.
How someone ends up in ICE custody in New York
New York generally limits how much local law enforcement cooperates with ICE, so many people are taken into custody through ICE's own enforcement, including arrests in the community and at immigration check-ins or court appearances.
A person can still come into ICE custody after contact with law enforcement elsewhere, through a detainer, which is a request to hold someone for up to 48 hours so ICE can take custody. If your person was first arrested or stopped by local authorities, ask the attorney exactly how they came into ICE custody, because the circumstances can matter to the case.
How the process and your person's rights work
Immigration cases are handled in immigration court, run by a separate agency called the Executive Office for Immigration Review, not by ICE. New York has immigration courts in New York City and elsewhere in the state, and for people held in Batavia, hearings are often conducted at or by video from the facility. You can check case status through the court's automated system using the A-Number.
Here is what families most need to know about rights. A detained person has the right to be represented by a lawyer, but at their own expense, because the government does not provide one in immigration proceedings. New York does have legal aid programs, including some that provide representation to detained people, which is worth asking about. A detained person generally has the right to a hearing before an immigration judge, and in many cases the right to ask that judge for release on bond. Some people are eligible for bond, which a judge can set and which can then be paid for release while the case continues; others fall under mandatory detention and are not eligible. One more thing worth knowing: a detained person should not sign documents giving up their rights, such as a voluntary departure form, without talking to a lawyer first.
How families can help from the outside
Find a lawyer first. New York has experienced immigration attorneys, nonprofit legal organizations, and law school clinics, some of which work directly with people detained at Batavia. Have the A-Number ready when you call.
Understand the Batavia system, because contact can be harder at a distance. Detainees at the facility cannot receive incoming calls, so you set up a way for your person to call out, and in an emergency you can call 585-344-6500 and leave a message with the detainee's full name and A-Number. The facility has set in person visiting hours and free parking, and electronic devices are not allowed. Call to confirm current visiting times and money and phone procedures before you travel, since it is a long drive for downstate families.
Track any transfer. Keep checking the locator so you always know which facility your person is in, since money, phone, mail, and visitation all depend on where they are, and a move can take them out of state.
Keep the paperwork organized. Hold onto every document with the A-Number, every court notice, and every receipt, and share copies with the attorney.
Staying connected matters more than anything
Through all of the logistics, do not underestimate the simple power of staying in touch. Being held far upstate or out of state, away from family and familiar surroundings, can be deeply isolating, and steady contact from home is one of the few things that genuinely helps a person hold on. When visits mean a long drive and calls are limited, written contact carries even more weight.
Letters and photos are the backbone of that connection. They are something your person can keep, read again on a hard night, and hold as proof that home has not let go, and they can follow your person from one facility to the next. InmateAid can help you send physical mail and photos to your loved one, printed and delivered the right way so it reaches them inside. Use it to send pictures of family, words of encouragement, or simply a reminder that someone is fighting for them on the outside. That steady contact, alongside a good lawyer, is the most practical support you can give while the case moves forward.
Frequently asked questions
Where does ICE detain people in New York?
The main facility is the Buffalo Federal Detention Facility in Batavia, far upstate, which ICE owns and operates directly and which has held roughly five hundred people at a time. New York has little other detention space, so people are often moved to Batavia or to facilities out of state.
Why is my family member held far from New York City, or out of state?
New York has very limited immigration detention space, especially downstate. So a person detained in or near New York City is commonly moved far upstate to Batavia, or out of state, to facilities in places like New Jersey or Pennsylvania. Use the locator to confirm where your person is.
How do I find someone detained by ICE in New York?
Use the free Online Detainee Locator System at locator.ice.gov, searching by the nine digit A-Number or by full name, country of birth, and date of birth. You can also call the Batavia facility at 585-344-6500 for detainee information, or the ICE detention reporting line at 1-888-351-4024. People under 18 do not appear in the locator.
How and where do I post an immigration bond in New York?
If a judge sets a bond, it can be posted at an ICE office that accepts immigration bonds. In New York, that includes the Batavia facility itself, as well as ICE offices in Buffalo, in the Albany area, and at 26 Federal Plaza in New York City. Call ahead to confirm current hours and accepted forms of payment, or use a licensed immigration bond agent.
Can someone be released from ICE detention on bond?
Sometimes. An immigration judge can set bond for people who are eligible, and it can then be paid for release while the case continues. Others are subject to mandatory detention and cannot get bond. An immigration attorney can determine which applies.
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