Your options for getting someone out of ICE detention
You may need to find your person, talk to someone, understand their options or prepare papers. Different services help with different parts. Here is what each can do, what it costs and where its help stops.
Official service pages checked . This page compares help you can use; it does not decide which legal request your person should make.
Compare the help available
| Service | What it helps with | Cost | Limits |
|---|---|---|---|
| ICE detainee locator | Look up where an adult is held, using their A-number and country of birth, or their name and other details. | Free public search. | It does not cover children under 18. A search can miss someone. It locates a person; it does not tell you how to get them released or provide a lawyer. |
| Detention hotlines Example: Freedom for Immigrants |
Talk with a volunteer, ask for resources or legal referrals, and get help contacting family. The detained person can dial 9233# from a facility phone. | FFI describes its hotline as free and confidential. Check other hotlines’ terms. | Hours and language availability vary; lines can be busy. A referral does not guarantee that a lawyer or bond fund will take the case. A hotline is not ongoing legal representation. |
| DetentionHelp | A free tool from three immigration nonprofits for preparing a habeas petition: court forms, a legal memorandum and filing instructions. Available in English and Spanish. | The tool is free. It offers an optional application to ask the court to waive upfront fees. | For people in U.S. immigration detention preparing a petition without a lawyer, and those helping them. It does not replace legal advice or guarantee release. The detained person must decide what to file and sign the petition. |
| NIJC Pro Se Manual | A downloadable guide to detention, immigration proceedings and release from custody, for people representing themselves. English and Spanish PDFs. | Free download. Printing and mailing may cost money. | You read and apply the information yourself. It is not a personalized answer, an automated packet or a lawyer. The linked English edition is from May 2025; check current law and procedure with a qualified lawyer. |
| An immigration lawyer | Review the facts and documents, give legal advice, and represent the person for the work they agree to handle. | Private fees vary; ask for a written quote. Pro bono services are free, though filing, copying or mailing expenses may remain. Some nonprofits charge reduced fees. | Finding a lawyer takes time, and free providers are not required to accept every case. Ask whether the agreement covers a bond hearing, the immigration case, a federal habeas case or an appeal. Representation does not guarantee release. |
| Vadens | Answer questions about the detained person. See which release paths may apply, what to do first, and which documents and evidence to prepare. | Free. About five minutes to check release options; no account needed for the check. | Information, not legal advice. Vadens does not represent anyone, file anything, post a bond or promise release. You still need to act on the plan, and a lawyer can review it. |
Free describes the service or tool. It does not mean that a bond, a court filing, printing or mailing will be free. Confirm separate costs with the fund, court or lawyer involved.
Start with what you need today
- “I don’t know where they are.” Start with the guide to finding someone in ICE detention and the ICE locator.
- “I need a person to talk to.” Check the hotline’s current hours, or use the legal-help directories to contact a provider.
- “I need to understand what to do first.” Vadens asks about your person’s situation and gives you a release-options plan.
- “I can’t find a lawyer.” Read NIJC’s manual or DetentionHelp’s description to understand what each can help you prepare. Self-help tools do not replace representation.
- “Bond is set, but we can’t pay it.” Look for a bond fund that covers the person or facility. Approval depends on the fund’s rules and available money.
You can use more than one kind of help. A locator, a hotline, a self-help tool and a lawyer each answer a different need. If a lawyer is already handling the case, ask them about any papers you are considering.
Sources and service boundaries
The descriptions above come from ICE’s locator, FFI’s hotline page, DetentionHelp, NIJC’s manual and EOIR’s explanation of pro bono services. For Vadens, read what the service does and how it handles your information.
Vadens does not receive money from these links and is not affiliated with the services listed. A listing is not an endorsement. Ask each service about its current coverage, rules and availability.
See which release options may apply to your person
Answer what you know about where they are held, how they entered and the papers ICE gave them. You can say when you do not know an answer.
Free · About five minutes · No account needed for the check.