Family Member Detained by ICE? What to Gather Before You Call a Lawyer

When a family member is detained by ICE, the first hours are confusing. You do not need everything on this list before you call a lawyer. But each item you can find makes the first conversation faster and more useful, and in detention cases, time matters.

1. The person's full name and date of birth

Write the name exactly as it appears on their passport or other ID, including all last names. ICE records often list people under a different order of names, or a misspelling.

2. The A-number, if they have one

The A-number (Alien Registration Number) is an 8 or 9 digit number that starts with the letter A. It appears on immigration papers such as court notices, USCIS receipts, and work permits. If the person has ever had an immigration case or application, they likely have one.

3. Where they are being held

Use the ICE Online Detainee Locator. You can search two ways:

• By A-number and country of birth. The locator asks for exactly nine digits, so if the A-number has eight, add a zero at the beginning.
• By first and last name and country of birth. The names must match ICE's record exactly, including any hyphen, so try spelling variations.

The locator does not show people under 18. Records can take a day or more to update after an arrest or a transfer, so check again if you do not find the person right away.

In Oklahoma, common places include Diamondback Correctional Facility in Watonga, Cimarron in Cushing, and county jails holding people for ICE. The location matters legally, not just practically: it can decide which federal court can hear a habeas petition.

4. How, where, and when the arrest happened

Write down what you know:

• The date and city.
• Where it happened: at home, at work, at a traffic stop, at an ICE check-in, at the border.
• Whether police or ICE made the arrest.

These details can affect whether the person is eligible for a bond hearing.

5. Any papers from ICE or the court

Collect anything the person received or signed, or ask them to describe it on a call:

• A Notice to Appear, which starts a deportation case in immigration court.
• Any hearing notice with a court date.
• Any bond decision or custody paper.

If a judge has already made a decision, note the date. Some deadlines run from that day. For example, an appeal to the Board of Immigration Appeals is due within 30 days. Our article on the BIA appeal deadline explains why some sources wrongly say 10.

6. Immigration history

As best you know:

• When and how the person first came to the United States.
• Any visas, green card, TPS, DACA, or asylum applications, past or pending.
• Any prior deportation order or prior removal.
• Any petition a family member filed for them.

7. Criminal history, if any

If the person has ever been arrested or charged, write down the county, the date, and what happened. An arrest is not a charge, and a charge is not a conviction, so be as exact as you can. Court records help the lawyer see whether mandatory detention rules may apply.

8. Family and community ties

These matter at a bond hearing:

• Spouse and children, especially U.S. citizens or permanent residents.
• How long the person has lived in the community.
• Job, church, school, or volunteer connections.
• Where the person would live if released.

Family members and employers can also start on support letters.

What not to do

• Do not pay anyone who promises a guaranteed release.
• Do not send original documents to anyone before talking to a lawyer.
• Do not sign papers for ICE without legal advice, if you can avoid it.

Calling New Horizons Legal

When you call 918-221-9438, our staff will ask for your name and the basics above. A $150 consultation is paid time for the attorney's legal assessment: whether bond may be available, whether a federal habeas petition fits, and what the next deadlines are. Consultations are by phone, Google Meet, or in person in Tulsa, and interpreters are available.

This article is general information, not legal advice for your case.