South Dakota: Resources for ICE Detainees

This guide is for people detained by ICE in South Dakota and for their families. South Dakota has no dedicated long-term ICE detention facility. ICE uses two county jails as its primary short-term detention points: Minnehaha County Jail (Sioux Falls, the primary facility serving eastern South Dakota) and Pennington County Jail (Rapid City, serving western South Dakota). The South Dakota State Penitentiary has also received ICE detainers. People held at Minnehaha County Jail for immigration violations can only be held there for 72 hours before transfer to a longer-term ICE facility outside South Dakota - typically facilities in Minnesota or elsewhere in the ICE St. Paul Field Office's region. Since July 2025, Operation Prairie Thunder - a state-federal collaboration announced by Gov. Larry Rhoden - has dramatically expanded immigration enforcement across South Dakota. The state has five active 287(g) agreements (South Dakota Highway Patrol Task Force Model, SD Division of Criminal Investigation Task Force Model, SD Department of Corrections Jail Enforcement and Warrant Service Models, Minnehaha County Sheriff's Office Warrant Service Officer, Hughes County Sheriff's Office Warrant Service Officer). Six National Guard members - three in Sioux Falls, three in Rapid City - process ICE paperwork, freeing agents to make arrests. South Dakota falls under the ICE St. Paul Field Office (Minneapolis region), which covers Iowa, Minnesota, Nebraska, North Dakota, and South Dakota. Bond posts in Fort Snelling, MN. 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). If you cannot find someone immediately, note that ICE detainees must be in custody for more than 48 hours before they appear in the locator. For ICE detainees at Minnehaha County Jail held on immigration violations only, transfer out of South Dakota happens within 72 hours.

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

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

ICE St. Paul Field Office (covers South Dakota): StPaul.Outreach@ice.dhs.gov | 1 Federal Drive, Suite 1640, Fort Snelling, MN 55111

Rapid City ERO Sub-office (western South Dakota): (605) 355-4300

Minnehaha County Jail (Sioux Falls, primary eastern SD ICE detention): (605) 367-4321 | 24 hours

Pennington County Jail (Rapid City, western SD ICE detention): (605) 716-6569

Step 2: The Two South Dakota ICE Detention Facilities

Minnehaha County Jail - Sioux Falls (Primary Eastern SD ICE Facility)

305 W. 4th Street, Sioux Falls, SD 57104

Phone: (605) 367-4321 | 24 hours

ICE case information: StPaul.Outreach@ice.dhs.gov | (605) 367-4321

Bond: Post at ICE ERO Fort Snelling: 1 Federal Drive, Suite 1640, Fort Snelling, MN 55111 | StPaul.Outreach@ice.dhs.gov

Money: JailATM - jailatm.com

Communication: NCIC Inmate Communications - (1-800-943-2189) | ncic.com - provides phone, video visits, and inmate messaging

In-person visits: Free in the lobby. Government-issued photo ID required (driver's license, state/county ID, military ID). Each visitor may visit once per day; must leave and re-enter the line to visit a second inmate. Contact (605) 367-4321 for current visiting schedule.

Remote video visits: Available through ncic.com at $0.30 per minute.

Mail (personal): [Inmate Full Name + File ID#], Minnehaha County Jail, PO Box 591, Longview, TX 75606

Mail (legal/subscriptions): [Inmate Full Name + File ID#], Minnehaha County Jail, 305 W. 4th St., Sioux Falls, SD 57104

Minnehaha County Jail is a 750-bed facility operated by the Minnehaha County Sheriff's Office in Sioux Falls (southeastern South Dakota, near Minnesota and Iowa borders). It is the primary ICE detention point for eastern South Dakota and received the vast majority of ICE detainer requests in South Dakota from July through October 2025. The jail holds both criminal and immigration detainees. People detained on immigration violations only - with no pending criminal charges - can be held at Minnehaha County for no more than 72 hours before ICE must transfer them to a designated long-term ICE detention facility outside South Dakota. ICE pays Minnehaha County $112 per day per federal inmate. If a family member also has state criminal charges, those are addressed first before ICE transports them for immigration proceedings.

A 287(g) Warrant Service Officer agreement allows trained Minnehaha County deputies to serve ICE removal warrants without requiring an ICE agent to appear in person at the jail. The Minnehaha County Sheriff's Office signed this agreement on March 17, 2025.

Pennington County Jail - Rapid City (Primary Western SD ICE Facility)

307 St. Joseph Street, Rapid City, SD 57701

Phone: (605) 716-6569

ICE case information: StPaul.Outreach@ice.dhs.gov | Rapid City ERO Sub-office: (605) 355-4300

ICE case information (Deportation Officer): Contact Rapid City ERO at (605) 355-4300

Communication: JailATM kiosk machines - jailatm.com

Mail: All general mail is scanned and a facsimile is provided to the inmate - originals are discarded. All postage stamps must be purchased through commissary; incoming mail containing stamps will be returned to sender. Inmate email is encouraged. Letters go through USPS only.

Packages: Prior approval required. Contact ICE office in Rapid City at (605) 355-4300 before sending any package. Packages without prior approval will be returned to sender. No electronic devices.

Pennington County Jail is the secondary ICE holding facility in South Dakota, serving western South Dakota and the Rapid City region. It holds adult men and women under ICE custody. Three National Guard members in Rapid City are assigned to process ICE paperwork. The Rapid City ERO Sub-office coordinates deportation cases from western South Dakota. Operation Prairie Thunder has included saturation patrols in Fall River County (Hot Springs) and other western South Dakota communities in 2025 and 2026.

Bond: Post at ICE ERO Fort Snelling: 1 Federal Drive, Suite 1640, Fort Snelling, MN 55111 | StPaul.Outreach@ice.dhs.gov

South Dakota State Penitentiary - Sioux Falls

1600 N. Drive, Sioux Falls, SD 57117 | (605) 367-5190

The South Dakota State Penitentiary has received ICE detainer requests and holds some ICE detainees, particularly people with prior state criminal convictions. The SD Department of Corrections signed a 287(g) agreement with ICE (Jail Enforcement Model and Warrant Service Officer) on July 25 and August 28, 2025. Contact the SD DOC at (605) 367-5190 or StPaul.Outreach@ice.dhs.gov for information on detainees who may be at this facility.

Step 3: Get Legal Help

South Dakota has very limited immigration legal infrastructure. There are no major nonprofit immigration law organizations in the state. Contact national and regional organizations immediately after arrest.

Advocates 4 Victims of Violence / SD Coalition Against Human Trafficking

Contact through Dakota Plains Legal Services for immigration-related harm cases.

Dakota Plains Legal Services

dakotaplainslaw.org | (605) 352-6310 | Huron - Provides free civil legal services in rural South Dakota. Contact for immigration legal help and referrals.

East River Legal Services

erlservices.org | (605) 336-9230 | Sioux Falls - Free civil legal services in eastern South Dakota. Contact for immigration legal help and referrals.

Black Hills Legal Services

bhls.org | (605) 342-7171 | Rapid City - Free civil legal services in western South Dakota. Contact for Rapid City area detainees.

South Dakota Access to Justice Commission

sdaccesstojustice.gov - Provides a legal resource finder for South Dakota. Contact for referrals to immigration legal help.

American Immigration Lawyers Association (AILA) - Referral

aila.org - AILA attorney referral tool. Search for licensed immigration attorneys in South Dakota or nearby Minnesota who represent detained clients.

Minnesota-based immigration organizations (ICE St. Paul region)

The St. Paul/Minneapolis area has substantially more immigration legal infrastructure than South Dakota. For detainees transferred out of South Dakota, contact: ILCM (Immigration Law Center of Minnesota) - ilcm.org | (651) 641-1011 | St. Paul; The Advocates for Human Rights - theadvocatesforhumanrights.org | (612) 341-3302 | Minneapolis.

National Immigrant Justice Center

immigrantjustice.org - Free national representation network.

EOIR Pro Bono List

Minnehaha County Jail and Pennington County Jail post pro bono legal service lists. Ask your family member to request the list. Note that South Dakota has very few immigration attorneys - the list may be short and many may be unavailable for detained clients.

Immigration Advocates Network

immigrationadvocates.org - Searchable national directory; search by South Dakota and Minnesota.

Step 4: Bond

Bond for South Dakota ICE detainees is administered through the ICE St. Paul Field Office. Bond CANNOT be posted at Minnehaha County Jail or Pennington County Jail directly.

Bond posting for South Dakota detainees

Post bond at: ICE ERO Fort Snelling: 1 Federal Drive, Suite 1640, Fort Snelling, MN 55111 | StPaul.Outreach@ice.dhs.gov

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.

Contact East River Legal Services (605-336-9230) and Dakota Plains Legal Services (605-352-6310) for current South Dakota-specific bond assistance referrals.

Step 5: Communication

Minnehaha County Jail - Sioux Falls

In-person visits: Free. Government-issued photo ID required. Call (605) 367-4321 for visiting schedule.

Video visits: In-lobby free; remote via ncic.com at $0.30/min. Set up account: 1-800-943-2189.

Phone: NCIC - ncic.com | (1-800-943-2189). Detainees call out.

Money: JailATM - jailatm.com.

Mail (personal): [Name + File ID#], Minnehaha County Jail, PO Box 591, Longview TX 75606

Mail (legal): [Name + File ID#], Minnehaha County Jail, 305 W. 4th St., Sioux Falls SD 57104

Pennington County Jail - Rapid City

Contact (605) 716-6569 for current visiting hours and procedures.

Communication: JailATM kiosk - jailatm.com

Mail: Scanned - originals discarded. No stamps by mail - buy through commissary. Inmate email encouraged. Contact ICE Rapid City (605-355-4300) before sending packages.

Step 6: South Dakota Context and Your Rights

Operation Prairie Thunder - state-led immigration enforcement:

Operation Prairie Thunder is a South Dakota state-federal immigration enforcement initiative announced by Gov. Larry Rhoden on July 28, 2025. It involves South Dakota Highway Patrol troopers conducting saturation patrols - originally in Sioux Falls, then expanded to Belle Fourche, Huron, Yankton, Hot Springs, Sturgis, Winner, and other communities across the state. By late 2025, the operation had taken more than 75 individuals into ICE custody statewide. By May 2026, the SD Highway Patrol's 287(g) troopers were expanding from 17 to 41. The operation includes joint state-federal coordination between the SD Highway Patrol, SD Division of Criminal Investigation, SD Department of Corrections, National Guard, Minnehaha County Sheriff, Hughes County Sheriff, and ICE.

Five 287(g) agreements - most state agencies in the country:

South Dakota has five active 287(g) agreements as of 2026: SD Highway Patrol (Task Force Model - troopers can perform immigration enforcement during any patrol), SD Division of Criminal Investigation (Task Force Model), SD Department of Corrections (Jail Enforcement and Warrant Service - can identify and process immigrants in state prison), Minnehaha County Sheriff (Warrant Service Officer), Hughes County Sheriff (Warrant Service Officer). A Warrant Service Officer agreement means trained jail staff can serve ICE removal warrants on people already in custody - saving ICE agents a trip to the jail.

National Guard processing ICE paperwork:

Gov. Rhoden announced in August 2025 that six South Dakota National Guard members - three in Sioux Falls and three in Rapid City - are processing ICE arrest paperwork. The governor described this as freeing ICE agents to 'stay in the field in search of migrants eligible for deportation.'

Fear in South Dakota's Latino communities:

Operation Prairie Thunder has generated significant fear in South Dakota's immigrant communities. Ivan Romero, vice president of the South Dakota Hispanic Chamber of Commerce, told South Dakota News Watch that people 'just don't feel comfortable coming to Sioux Falls.' The South Dakota Hispanic Chamber's Latino Festival and Parade was canceled in 2025 due to safety concerns. Small-town worksite operations - including at the Manitou Equipment plant in Madison and an agricultural audit at Drumgoon Dairy near Lake Norden - affected dozens of workers. The city of Brookings publicly declined to participate in Operation Prairie Thunder in December 2025.

72-hour transfer limit from county jails:

People detained on immigration violations only at Minnehaha County Jail can be held there for no more than 72 hours before ICE must transfer them to a longer-term ICE detention facility. If a family member also has state criminal charges, they will stay in South Dakota while those charges are resolved. After 72 hours on immigration holds only, check the ICE Detainee Locator - they may now be in Minnesota or another state.

Do not sign anything without an attorney:

Contact East River Legal Services (605-336-9230) or Dakota Plains Legal Services (605-352-6310) before signing any Voluntary Departure document.

Key rights every detainee has:

The right to speak with an attorney. Request the pro bono list. Contact Dakota Plains Legal Services and East River Legal Services.

The right to a bond hearing (unless subject to mandatory detention).

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:

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

ICE St. Paul: StPaul.Outreach@ice.dhs.gov

Rapid City ERO: (605) 355-4300

Quick Reference - South Dakota ICE Detainee Resources

Find a detainee (may take 48+ hours to appear; check MN facilities after 72 hours):

ICE Detainee Locator: locator.ice.gov

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

EOIR Case Status: 1-800-898-7180

ICE St. Paul: StPaul.Outreach@ice.dhs.gov

Rapid City ERO: (605) 355-4300

Minnehaha County Jail: (605) 367-4321 | 24 hours

Pennington County Jail: (605) 716-6569

Two South Dakota ICE detention facilities:

Minnehaha County Jail (Sioux Falls, primary): 305 W. 4th St. | (605) 367-4321

Pennington County Jail (Rapid City): 307 St. Joseph St. | (605) 716-6569

Legal help:

East River Legal Services (Sioux Falls): erlservices.org | (605) 336-9230

Dakota Plains Legal Services: dakotaplainslaw.org | (605) 352-6310

Black Hills Legal Services (Rapid City): bhls.org | (605) 342-7171

ILCM (Minneapolis, St. Paul ICE region): ilcm.org | (651) 641-1011

Post bond (NOT at county jails):

ICE ERO Fort Snelling: 1 Federal Drive, Suite 1640, Fort Snelling MN 55111 | StPaul.Outreach@ice.dhs.gov

Minnehaha money: JailATM - jailatm.com | Video/phone: NCIC - ncic.com | (800) 943-2189

VOLATILE: Operation Prairie Thunder enforcement is ongoing and expanding (troopers expanding from 17 to 41 as of May 2026). Verify current operations at aclusd.org and southdakotasearchlight.com. Monitor which facilities are receiving ICE detainees - SD State Penitentiary and county jails beyond Minnehaha and Pennington may activate.

Sources and verification: SD News Watch, 'ICE in SD - From Small Towns to Operation Prairie Thunder,' December 22-25, 2025 (majority detainer requests July 1 to Oct 15 Minnehaha County Jail Sioux Falls then Pennington County Jail Rapid City then SD State Penitentiary Sioux Falls; five 287(g) agreements Highway Patrol DCI DOC Minnehaha County Hughes County; SD Highway Patrol Task Force Model May 22 DCI June 11 DOC August 28 and July 25 Minnehaha County March 17 Hughes County March 7; Operation Prairie Thunder July 28 2025 through December extended 2026; saturation patrols Sioux Falls expanded Belle Fourche Huron Yankton Hot Springs Sturgis Winner; 75 individuals ICE custody 27 ICE contacts; Brookings declined December 12; Ivan Romero SDHCC 'people just don't feel comfortable coming to Sioux Falls'; Latino Festival Parade canceled safety concerns; Manitou Equipment Global Polymer Madison eight arrested; Drumgoon Dairy Lake Norden 38 employees terminated); South Dakota Searchlight, 'Operation Prairie Thunder Will Assist with Deportations,' July 28, 2025 / 'National Guard Troops Begin Processing Immigration Paperwork,' August 2025 (262 ICE arrests SD since Trump took office; SD will offer transportation detainees to and from Minneapolis ICE HQ; Highway Patrol perform two saturation patrols per month Sioux Falls; six National Guard members three Sioux Falls three Rapid City processing ICE paperwork; $112 per day per federal inmate Minnehaha; Minnehaha County 287(g) Warrant Service Officer; five agencies active 287(g); Sam Olson Minneapolis field office director July 28 announcement); South Dakota Searchlight, 'Men Arrested in Madison Among Dozens,' May 15, 2025 (Minnehaha County Jail primary ICE detention eastern SD; Pennington County Jail secondary western SD; 72 hours immigration holds only before transfer; criminal charges resolved first; $112/day federal inmate; Sheriff Mike Milstead 287(g) will allow deputies to serve removal warrants; Pennington four ICE holds Thursday); ICE Pennington County Jail page (ice.gov; 307 St. Joseph St. Rapid City SD; StPaul.Outreach@ice.dhs.gov; (605) 355-4300 deportation officer; jailatm.com kiosk; mail scanned facsimile originals discarded; stamps commissary only incoming mail with stamps returned to sender; packages prior approval ICE Rapid City; no electronic devices; bond ICE ERO Fort Snelling 1 Federal Drive Suite 1640 Fort Snelling MN 55111; Field Office Director ICE 1 Federal Drive Suite 1640 Fort Snelling MN 55111); Minnehaha County Jail page/jailexchange.com (305 W 4th Street Sioux Falls SD 57104; (605) 367-4321 24 hours; 750 beds; JailATM jailatm.com money; NCIC ncic.com (800) 943-2189 phone video messaging; in-person visits free government ID; remote ncic.com $0.30/min; personal mail PO Box 591 Longview TX 75606; legal mail 305 W 4th St Sioux Falls SD 57104; Dakota News Now June 17 2025 detainees transferred out 72 hours; can only find by A-number or country of origin; criminal charges addressed before ICE transport); Detention Pipeline / Global Detention Project (Pennington County Jail 307 St Joseph St Rapid City 44.07874 -103.221593 confirmed use through 2025-2026; three National Guard Rapid City August 2025; Rapid City ERO sub-office (605) 355-4300; Fall River County Hot Springs 12th Prairie Thunder saturation patrol March 2026; 287(g) troopers 17 to 41 May 2026). Volatile items: Verify current 287(g) agreement count and agency coverage in South Dakota (five as of August 2025 expanding to 41 troopers; verify current list and any new county agreements); verify Operation Prairie Thunder current status (originally through December 2025; confirmed extended; verify current operational areas and frequency of saturation patrols); verify Pennington County Jail current visiting hours and money procedures ((605) 716-6569; verify current); verify whether SD State Penitentiary is currently accepting ICE detainees (DOC 287(g) signed; verify current ICE detainee count at SDSP); verify whether additional South Dakota county jails have entered ICE detention contracts (Hughes County 287(g) active; verify whether any additional county is now holding ICE detainees long-term). Last verified: June 2026.