Oklahoma: Resources for ICE Detainees

This guide is for people detained by ICE in Oklahoma and for their families. Oklahoma has become a major center of ICE detention, with four primary facilities and multiple county jails holding immigration detainees across the state. Oklahoma's expansion reversed decades of criminal justice reform that had closed all private prisons in the state. As of 2025 and 2026, the four main ICE detention facilities are: Cimarron Correctional Facility (Cushing, CoreCivic), Diamondback Correctional Facility (Watonga, CoreCivic, up to 2,160 beds), Kay County Detention Center (Newkirk), and David L. Moss Criminal Justice Center (Tulsa). Multiple county jails also hold ICE detainees on short-term bases. A July 8, 2025 federal directive subjected most immigrants to mandatory detention without bond hearings, meaning that for many Oklahoma detainees, habeas corpus petitions in federal court are now the only legal avenue for release. ICE has been documented transferring detainees between facilities without notice to frustrate legal challenges -- people can 'disappear from the system for days.' Oklahoma falls under the ICE Dallas Field Office. Bond posts in Oklahoma City. 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). Oklahoma ICE detainees are frequently transferred between facilities without notice. If someone does not appear in the locator, search again in 24-48 hours and check Texas facilities (Otero NM is listed for some Kay County detainees, and overnight transfers to Texas have been documented). The locator may not update immediately when transfers occur.

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

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

ICE Dallas Field Office (covers Oklahoma): Dallas.Outreach@ice.dhs.gov

Cimarron detainee information: (918) 225-3336 | 8 AM-3 PM

Diamondback detainee information: (888) 351-4024 | 8 AM-8 PM

David L. Moss (Tulsa) detainee information: (918) 596-8910 | 24 hours

WARNING - Be wary of anyone (non-attorney) who charges money to locate a detained family member. Oklahoma Watch and Public Radio Tulsa have documented predatory practices in which non-lawyers charge $500 to $1,000 just to find relatives in detention. The ICE Detainee Locator is free. The ICE Detention Reporting Line (1-888-351-4024) is free.

Step 2: The Four Main Oklahoma ICE Detention Facilities

Cimarron Correctional Facility - Cushing (CoreCivic, primary northern/central OK facility)

3200 S. Kings Highway, Cushing, OK 74023

Phone (detainee information and urgent messages): (918) 225-3336 | 8 AM-3 PM

Visitation scheduling: CimarronVisitation@corecivic.com | Special visit requests: CAFCCVisitation@corecivic.com

Legal calls/visits: (918) 225-3336 ext. 52225

ICE Dallas Field Office: Dallas.Outreach@ice.dhs.gov

Cimarron Correctional Facility is a CoreCivic-operated private prison in Cushing, Oklahoma (approximately 60 miles northeast of Oklahoma City). It had closed after losing Oklahoma DOC contracts but was reactivated as an ICE detention facility in 2025. As of 2026, it holds hundreds of ICE detainees. ICE data indicate only about 32% of detainees at Cimarron had criminal convictions. Multiple federal habeas corpus cases have been filed challenging detention at Cimarron; courts have noted that immigration judges are claiming no jurisdiction to hold bond hearings, making habeas corpus the only avenue for many.

Documented: ICE has transferred detainees from Cimarron to Texas overnight with zero notice to attorneys, making habeas corpus petitions filed in Oklahoma invalid. If a family member at Cimarron faces legal challenges, attorneys must act immediately before any transfer.

Visiting: No in-person family visitation at Cimarron as of early 2026 - contact is via mail, phone, or virtual visits through tablet. Email CimarronVisitation@corecivic.com to schedule virtual visitation. Legal attorneys may schedule in-person or virtual visits at (918) 225-3336 ext. 52225.

Mail: [Detainee Name + A-Number], Cimarron Facility, 3200 S. Kings Hwy, Cushing, OK 74023. Include last four digits of A-number. Mail is inspected for contraband but not read. Legal/confidential mail must be marked 'Confidential/Legal Mail.'

Money: Through Western Union (Pay to: Corrections Corp of America; Code City: TRUSTCCA; State: TN; Sender's Account: Commissary Number and detainee's last name), OR via PO Box 933488, Atlanta GA 31193-3488 by money order. See CoreCivic facility instructions at corecivic.com for current options.

Phone: GTL (Global Tel Link) / ConnectNetwork. Detainees cannot receive incoming calls. Call (918) 225-3336 to leave an urgent message.

Diamondback Correctional Facility - Watonga (CoreCivic, largest in state, up to 2,160 beds)

1000 Diamondback Road, Watonga, OK 73772

Phone (detainee information): (888) 351-4024 | 8 AM-8 PM

Urgent messages: (580) 614-2100 ext. 42225

ICE Dallas Field Office: Dallas.Outreach@ice.dhs.gov

The Diamondback Correctional Facility in Watonga reopened as an ICE detention facility in early 2026, operated by CoreCivic under a $100 million federal contract. The facility is in Blaine County, western Oklahoma, approximately 70 miles northwest of Oklahoma City. It was vacant for 15 years before reactivation. With a capacity of up to 2,160 beds, it is the largest ICE detention site in Oklahoma and is intended to house detainees from across the country - not just Oklahoma arrestees.

As of Q1 2026, the facility had 64 detainees and was still ramping up. Immigration attorneys reported major difficulties reaching clients at Diamondback: 'The facility's just not ready to process people,' said Tulsa attorney Lorena Rivas. 'People need to have access to immigration attorneys, which, obviously, there's none in Watonga.' Calls often went unanswered and deportation officers did not respond to emails. Attorneys should use ERO eFile (ice.gov) for legal visits from March 16, 2026 forward.

Money: Viapath - (888) 988-4768 | Via website | Or mail money order to 1000 Diamondback Rd, Watonga, OK 73772 with detainee name.

Attorney VTC: ERO eFile (ice.gov) from March 16, 2026. Walk-in visits still permitted. Appointments in 60-minute increments, 8 AM-4 PM daily.

Packages: Detainee must receive prior approval (package approval form + warden authorization) before any package is sent.

David L. Moss Criminal Justice Center - Tulsa (County Jail)

300 N. Denver Avenue, Tulsa, OK 74103

Phone (detainee information): (918) 596-8910 | 24 hours

ICE case information: Dallas.Outreach@ice.dhs.gov | ICE Field Office main: (702) 388-6253

Bond posting: NOT at this facility. Post bond at: 4400 S.W. 44th Street, Oklahoma City, OK 73119 | (405) 219-3126 | Monday-Friday 9 AM-3 PM

The David L. Moss Criminal Justice Center is the Tulsa County Jail. It holds ICE detainees and is the primary short-term processing facility for ICE arrests in the Tulsa/northeast Oklahoma region. It is where people are often brought first after arrest before transfer to Cimarron or another long-term facility. Documented: ICE transferred the case of Yingchao Fan to Tulsa specifically to invalidate a habeas corpus petition that had been filed in Sequoyah County - illustrating how transfers are used to defeat legal challenges.

Public parking is available at the facility. Visiting hours: organized by housing unit - call (918) 596-8910 (24 hours) to find which unit your family member is in and confirm visiting hours. Arrive 30 minutes early.

Kay County Detention Center - Newkirk

Kay County Detention Center, Newkirk, OK 74647

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

NOTE: Kay County Detention Center is listed under the Chicago ICE Field Office (unusual) and detainees are assigned to the Otero, NM Immigration Court.

The Kay County Detention Center in Newkirk (north-central Oklahoma, near the Kansas border) has held ICE detainees since June 2019. The daily average in the fiscal year through late 2025 was 163 individuals. ICE data indicate only about 39% of detainees at Kay County had criminal convictions. A federal habeas case documented a person who had lived in the US for 17 years with six US-citizen children detained here. Contact Kay County Detention Center at (580) 362-2175 for visiting hours, money, and communication procedures.

County Jails (short-term holding)

Multiple Oklahoma county jails - including Sequoyah County and others - hold ICE detainees briefly before transfer. Oklahoma has a 287(g) agreement and multiple counties work with ICE. If someone is arrested in a county jail and you believe they may be held for ICE, check the ICE Detainee Locator immediately and call the jail directly. ICE typically transfers people out of county jails within 24-72 hours.

Step 3: Get Legal Help

Oklahoma has limited immigrant legal infrastructure relative to the scale of detention. The July 8, 2025 mandatory detention directive means many detainees cannot get bond hearings before immigration judges - contact an attorney immediately to evaluate habeas corpus options.

University of Tulsa Immigration Clinic - Tulsa

Alex Gavern, Assistant Clinical Professor of Law: utulsa.edu | Tulsa

The University of Tulsa College of Law immigration clinic is one of the most active legal advocates for ICE detainees in Oklahoma, and has been documented challenging transfers, predatory practices, and mandatory detention. Contact for referrals and Know Your Rights.

Oklahoma Immigration Law Center - Oklahoma City

oklahoma-immigration.org - Provides low-cost immigration legal services in Oklahoma. Contact for referrals to attorneys working on detained cases.

Catholic Charities of the Archdiocese of Oklahoma City

catholiccharitiesok.org | (405) 523-3000 | Immigration legal services - Provides immigration legal services for low-income individuals in the Oklahoma City area.

ACLU of Oklahoma

acluok.org | (405) 524-8511 | Oklahoma City - Monitors ICE detention conditions and civil rights in Oklahoma. Contact for civil rights concerns, habeas corpus referrals, and systemic advocacy.

Private immigration attorneys in Oklahoma

Lorena Rivas (Tulsa): Known for representing Cimarron and Diamondback detainees - contact through the Oklahoma Bar immigration referral service.

Robert Don Gifford (Oklahoma City): Civil rights attorney active in habeas corpus petitions for Oklahoma ICE detainees.

Oklahoma City-area immigration attorneys: Contact the Oklahoma Bar Association at (405) 416-7000 for referrals to immigration attorneys with detained client experience.

EOIR Pro Bono Lists

Cimarron, Diamondback, and Kay County are required to post pro bono legal service lists in housing units, updated quarterly. Ask your family member to request the list immediately.

Immigration Advocates Network

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

Step 4: Bond - Mandatory Detention and Habeas Corpus

CRITICAL: On July 8, 2025, the federal government issued a directive subjecting most immigrants to mandatory detention without bond hearings. This is the most consequential aspect of Oklahoma detention for families. Immigration judges at Oklahoma courts are frequently ruling that they have 'no jurisdiction' to hold bond hearings for detainees classified under certain statutes. This means the traditional path - bond hearing before an immigration judge - may not be available.

The alternative is a habeas corpus petition filed in US federal district court (Northern or Western District of Oklahoma, depending on the facility). Federal district court judges in Oklahoma have granted habeas petitions and ordered bond hearings or releases. This requires an attorney.

URGENT: If ICE is threatening transfer - act immediately

If an attorney has filed a habeas corpus petition or is preparing to, and ICE transfers the detainee to a different state, the Oklahoma habeas petition becomes invalid and must be refiled in the new jurisdiction. ICE has been documented using transfers to defeat legal challenges. Contact an attorney immediately if you receive word that a family member may be transferred.

Bond posting when a bond is granted

Bond CANNOT be posted at Oklahoma ICE detention facilities. Post bond at:

ICE ERO Oklahoma City: 4400 S.W. 44th Street, Oklahoma City, OK 73119 | (405) 219-3126 | Monday-Friday 9 AM-3 PM

Payment: Money order, cashier's check, or certified check payable to 'Department of Homeland Security.'

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.

Oklahoma mutual aid

Contact ACLU of Oklahoma (405-524-8511) and Catholic Charities (405-523-3000) for current Oklahoma-specific bond assistance resources.

Step 5: Communication at Oklahoma Facilities

Cimarron Correctional Facility - Cushing

Family visits: NO in-person family visits as of early 2026. Virtual visits via tablet. Email CimarronVisitation@corecivic.com to schedule.

Phone: GTL/ConnectNetwork. Detainees call out; cannot receive incoming calls. Leave urgent messages at (918) 225-3336.

Mail: [Name + A-Number + last 4 digits A#], 3200 S. Kings Hwy, Cushing OK 74023.

Money: Western Union (Code City: TRUSTCCA, State: TN) or mail money order to PO Box 933488, Atlanta GA 31193-3488.

Diamondback Correctional Facility - Watonga

Detainee information: (888) 351-4024 | 8 AM-8 PM. Urgent messages: (580) 614-2100 ext. 42225.

Money: Viapath at (888) 988-4768, via website, or mail money order to 1000 Diamondback Rd, Watonga OK 73772.

Mail: [Detainee Name], 1000 Diamondback Rd, Watonga, OK 73772.

Attorney VTC: ERO eFile from ice.gov; walk-in also permitted; 8 AM-4 PM daily.

David L. Moss (Tulsa)

Detainee information: (918) 596-8910 | 24 hours. Visiting: arrive 30 minutes early; call (918) 596-8910 for current schedule.

Kay County Detention Center (Newkirk)

Contact (580) 362-2175 for current visiting, money, and communication procedures.

Step 6: Oklahoma Context and Your Rights

The transfer 'shell game' - the most dangerous threat to legal challenges:

Oklahoma Watch, Public Radio Tulsa, and The Frontier have documented that ICE uses facility transfers to defeat habeas corpus petitions. A habeas corpus petition is only valid in the federal court district where the detainee is being held. If ICE transfers a detainee overnight to Texas or another state - with zero notice to the attorney - the Oklahoma petition is invalidated and must be refiled from scratch in the new jurisdiction. University of Tulsa attorney Alex Gavern said: 'If you have someone who's detained at Cimarron and they think, OK, we're going to the Northern District of Oklahoma to file our habeas, and then with zero notice ICE transfers that person overnight to Texas, well, all of a sudden you can't file that habeas petition in Oklahoma anymore.' This is a documented, active legal strategy by ICE.

What this means for families: track your family member's location via the ICE Detainee Locator every single day. If an attorney is working on a habeas petition, alert them immediately if the locator shows a new facility or if the person disappears from the locator.

The reversal of Oklahoma's private prison reform:

Oklahoma had closed all private prisons and transferred all prisoners to state control - the last transfer occurred in July 2025. The reactivation of Cimarron and Diamondback as ICE detention facilities immediately reversed this reform, with CoreCivic reactivating formerly closed facilities through ICE contracts. Diamondback's $100 million ICE contract was described by CoreCivic investors as 'realizing the company's growth potential.'

Low-criminal-conviction rates in Oklahoma ICE detention:

ICE's own data show that only about 32% of Cimarron detainees and 39% of Kay County detainees had criminal convictions. Long-term US residents - some with decades of continuous presence, US citizen spouses and children, and no criminal record - make up a substantial portion of Oklahoma's ICE detained population.

Do not pay anyone to find a detained family member:

Oklahoma Watch and Public Radio Tulsa documented non-lawyers charging families $500 to $1,000 just to find detained relatives. The ICE Detainee Locator (locator.ice.gov) and ICE Detention Reporting Line (1-888-351-4024) are FREE.

Do not sign anything without an attorney:

Contact the University of Tulsa immigration clinic, ACLU of Oklahoma, or an immigration attorney before signing any Voluntary Departure document. The pressure to sign is documented as part of the mandatory detention strategy.

Key rights every detainee has:

The right to speak with an attorney. Request the pro bono list. Contact ACLU Oklahoma (405-524-8511).

The right to challenge detention through habeas corpus in federal court - contact an attorney immediately.

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

The right to be free from physical and verbal abuse.

The right to medical care.

To report conditions or file a complaint:

ACLU of Oklahoma: acluok.org | (405) 524-8511

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

ICE Dallas Field Office: Dallas.Outreach@ice.dhs.gov

Quick Reference - Oklahoma ICE Detainee Resources

Find a detainee (check daily - locator may lag after transfers):

ICE Detainee Locator: locator.ice.gov

ICE Detention Reporting Line: 1-888-351-4024

EOIR Case Status: 1-800-898-7180

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

Cimarron (Cushing): (918) 225-3336 | 8 AM-3 PM

Diamondback (Watonga): (888) 351-4024 | 8 AM-8 PM

David L. Moss (Tulsa): (918) 596-8910 | 24 hours

Kay County (Newkirk): (580) 362-2175

Four main Oklahoma ICE detention sites:

Cimarron (Cushing, CoreCivic): 3200 S. Kings Hwy | (918) 225-3336

Diamondback (Watonga, CoreCivic, 2,160 beds): 1000 Diamondback Rd | (580) 614-2100

David L. Moss (Tulsa): 300 N. Denver Ave | (918) 596-8910

Kay County (Newkirk): (580) 362-2175

Legal help:

ACLU of Oklahoma: acluok.org | (405) 524-8511

Catholic Charities OKC: catholiccharitiesok.org | (405) 523-3000

OK Bar Association attorney referral: (405) 416-7000

Post bond (NOT at detention facilities):

ICE ERO Oklahoma City: 4400 S.W. 44th St, Oklahoma City, OK 73119 | (405) 219-3126 | Mon-Fri 9 AM-3 PM

CRITICAL: ICE transfers without notice. If a habeas petition is being filed, track location daily and notify the attorney immediately of any transfer.

Sources and verification: Oklahoma Watch / Public Radio Tulsa, 'Inside the ICE Detention System: How Oklahoma Facilities Use Legal Limbo to Pressure Deportations,' February 12, 2026 (Cimarron Cushing Kay County Newkirk Diamondback Watonga multiple county jails; CoreCivic reactivated Diamondback 15 years vacant; $100 million annual revenue 2,160 beds; 64 detainees Q1 2026 guaranteed minimum 1,200 TRAC; July 8 federal directive mandatory detention without bond hearings; Sequoyah County Fan arrested accident no charges held ICE; David L. Moss Tulsa habeas invalidated by transfer; Alex Gavern UT assistant clinical professor 'about whether they have resources time strength of will in detention'; 'not about actual merits'; Cimarron transfer overnight Texas habeas invalidated; locator often doesn't update transfers; 'people will just disappear from system for days'; predatory non-lawyers $500-$1,000 to find relatives; Lorena Rivas Diamondback 'facility just not ready'; 'nobody answers call nobody responding emails voicemail full'; CoreCivic 4 idle facilities 6,353 beds $325 million aggregate annual revenue Q3 2025; Oklahoma last private prison handover July 2025 then immediately reversed); The Frontier, 'Held Without Bail in Oklahoma's ICE Facilities, Immigrants Turn to Federal Courts for Release,' December 22, 2025 (Kay County 163 daily average FY; 32% Cimarron criminal convictions 39% Kay County; Chinese immigrant 20 years US Cimarron asylum denied 1990s monthly check-in taxes decades farm worker; 17 years US 6 USC children Kay County due process; Elissa Stiles Lorena Rivas prison-like conditions not charged crime; accelerated processes deported before fair hearing; long-term residents primary breadwinners; habeas corpus increasingly used; Robert Don Gifford transfers difficult updates on location; overnight transfers jurisdiction complications); ICE Cimarron page (ice.gov; 3200 S Kings Hwy Cushing OK 74023; (918) 225-3336 8AM-3PM detainee info and urgent messages; CimarronVisitation@corecivic.com visitation scheduling; legal calls (918) 225-3336 ext. 52225; pro bono list housing units quarterly; mail last 4 A-number standard legal size no maps Polaroids negatives large greeting cards; packages contact (918) 225-3336 SDDO approval; no electronic devices; Western Union TRUSTCCA TN or PO Box 933488 Atlanta GA 31193-3488; GTL ConnectNetwork phone; Scarlet Grant warden May 2025); ICE Diamondback page (ice.gov; 1000 Diamondback Road Watonga OK 73772; (888) 351-4024 8AM-8PM detainee info; urgent messages (580) 614-2100 ext 42225; Viapath (888) 988-4768 money; ERO eFile attorney visits from March 16 2026 walk-in still permitted 8AM-4PM daily 60-minute increments; package prior approval warden; no electronic devices; money order to 1000 Diamondback Rd or via Viapath); cfiaus.com David L Moss (300 N Denver Ave Tulsa OK 74103; (918) 596-8910 24 hours; ICE field office main (702) 388-6253; bond at 4400 SW 44th St OKC OK 73119 (405) 219-3126 Mon-Fri 9AM-3PM; public parking available; arrive 30 minutes early); Steve Langer immigration attorney blog (Kay County under Chicago ICE field office and Otero NM immigration court; Dallas field office covers Oklahoma; Diamondback expected receive detainees Q1 2026 fully operational Q2 following renovations); Oklahoma Watch/TRAC Immigration data. Volatile items: Verify Diamondback current detainee population and operational status (64 detainees Q1 2026 ramping to 1,200+ guaranteed minimum; verify current population and whether attorney access issues have been resolved); verify which county jails are currently active ICE detention sites in Oklahoma (multiple county jails documented; verify current list at ice.gov or Dallas.Outreach@ice.dhs.gov); verify Cimarron current family visitation policy (no in-person family visits as of early 2026; CimarronVisitation@corecivic.com; verify whether this has changed); verify Kay County Detention Center current procedures and contact for visiting and money (580-362-2175; verify current); verify current status of federal habeas litigation landscape in Oklahoma Northern and Western Districts (hundreds of petitions filed; verify current win rate and whether courts have issued any broader rulings on mandatory detention). Last verified: June 2026.