How to find him
The official system does the search. We explain how to use it and what the result means.
Updated July 28, 2026
What you need
- The A-Number — the letter A and nine digits
- Or: first and last name, country of birth, date of birth
Eight digits is fine too: a zero is added at the front. The number is printed on the wristband — you can ask for it to be read aloud.
The name must match letter for letter
Many people find someone only on the third or fourth try: a different name order, a second surname, a different transliteration.
The tool below builds spelling variants. Everything stays in this browser.
Empty does not mean he is not there
Records are entered with a delay: the system itself warns that a person may appear up to 72 hours after the arrest.
An empty result in the first hours is common.
What the result means
In Custody— found: the facility is shown, and visits and calls become concreteNot in Custody— released or deported within the last 60 days- Empty — not found: a record update takes 20 minutes to 8 hours, plus initial processing at an ICE office of about a day
When the system will not show him
- In the first hours with the border agency a person is not visible; people held by CBP longer than 48 hours do appear in this same locator
- Minors do not appear in this locator
- During a transfer the record can disappear for several days
People are moved between states
Families are not notified. Someone can be flown across the country without warning, and the facility changes on its own.
Check again even if you found him yesterday.
If the search finds nothing
The first line is run by ICE. The second by a nonprofit organization. The choice is yours.
ICE office: where to go and where to check in
If the person has been ordered to check in (ankle monitor, ISAP) or you need to know which office covers the area, find the nearest office by city or state.
Enter a city or state. The base has 270 ICE offices (Deportation Data Project).
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.