The first call
Updated July 28, 2026
The call is recorded
Calls from the facility are recorded and monitored. Registered attorney lines are the exception.
Before the call
Turn off blocking of unknown numbers
He calls, and the phone silently rejects it — the most painful failure of all. The call will come from an unfamiliar number.
iPhone: Settings → Phone → turn off "Silence Unknown Callers".
Android: Phone app → settings → blocked numbers.
Also check the spam filter with your carrier.
What to ask — you can read this aloud
- Tell me the full A-Number, one digit at a time
- What exactly is the facility called and what city is it in
- Did you sign anything? What exactly?
- Do you need medication?
- How do I put money on the phone account
What this line should not touch
Past removals and orders. Arrests and convictions. Case details and defense plans.
The recording can be used. Those things are discussed with an attorney.
The card to learn by heart and carry on paper
Dialing 9233# is free from inside the facility — it connects to the nonprofit help line. It works when the account is at zero.
Then, in order: the number of a trusted person · the number of an attorney or organization · 1-888-351-4024 (DRIL, the official ICE line).
The phone is taken first. A slip of paper in a wallet or pocket is the only thing that stays with the person.
- Copy the numbers onto paper by hand — the phone does not go inside
- Add the number of the trusted person and of the attorney once chosen
- Keep one copy in the wallet and one at home; give copies to those close to you
- If there is no attorney yet — 9233# reaches the nonprofit line, where you can ask where to look for free help
Before you call
Keep paper and a pen next to you. There will be little time and you may not get to repeat a question.
Calls, money, letters →Information updated July 28, 2026. Rules change — check the date.
We are not attorneys and we do not give legal advice. This page has facts and links to official sources only.