What to do if ICE detains someone in your family

This page covers the first days after an arrest. Bond, visits and money each have their own page, linked below. This is general information, not legal advice. DNLH is not a law office and does not represent anyone.

We know this is one of the hardest days a family can face. Take one step at a time. Each step helps.

What should I do in the first hours?

Do these in order. Ask a friend to help so you are not alone.

1. Stay safe. If someone is hurt or in danger, call 911. Do not try to stop agents or follow their cars.
2. Call your rapid response line. San Mateo County (203) 666-4472. Santa Clara County (408) 290-1144. Trained teams can confirm what happened and help connect your loved one to a lawyer. In San Mateo County, the line connects families to emergency attorneys once a detention is confirmed.
3. Write down what happened while you remember it: the time, place, agency, names or badge numbers, cars, what was said and any paper agents showed. Ask witnesses to write it down too. Save any videos without editing them.
4. Gather their details: full legal name, every spelling, date of birth, country of birth and A number if they have one.
5. Find where they are held. See How do I find out where they are?
6. Call a lawyer. See How do I find a lawyer fast?
7. Care for the children. Follow your family plan. See Who takes care of the children?

How do I find out where they are?

Use the free ICE Online Detainee Locator. Search by A number and country of birth, or by full name and country of birth.

• New arrests can take up to 8 hours to show. Search again later and the next morning.
• Names must match exactly. Try every spelling.
• Children under 18 do not appear.

If you still cannot find them, call the ICE San Francisco Field Office at (415) 365-8800. People from the Bay Area are often moved to centers in the Central Valley or farther away. The full steps, with detention center phone numbers, are on How to find a family member detained by ICE.

What rights does my loved one have in custody?

Your loved one still has rights inside.

• The right to stay silent and to refuse to sign papers.
• The right to a lawyer. In immigration court a person may have a lawyer of their choice, but the government does not pay for one.
• Rights after a warrantless arrest. If they were arrested without a warrant and placed in an immigration court case, federal rules say they must be told why, told they may have a lawyer at no cost to the government, and given a list of free legal services. A decision on custody is generally made within 48 hours.
• The right to contact their consulate. Federal rules (8 CFR 236.1(e)) say every detained person must be told they may contact the consulate of their country. For some countries, ICE must notify the consulate even if the person does not ask. Federal rules also say officers may not reveal that a person has asked for asylum.

If they can call you, remind them: stay silent, sign nothing, ask for a lawyer.

What papers should they not sign?

Agents may hand your loved one papers soon after the arrest. Some papers can end a case fast.

• A stipulated removal order is an agreement to be deported. Federal law (8 U.S.C. 1229a(d)) says it counts as a final decision that the person can be removed.
• Other papers, such as forms about leaving the country, can also change what happens in the case. Ask a lawyer before signing any of them.

Your loved one should not sign anything they do not fully understand, in a language they read well, until a lawyer has looked at it. If they already signed something, tell the lawyer right away.

How do I find a lawyer fast?

Start today. The first days matter.

• Rapid response lines can connect detained people to attorneys. Call first.
• Community Legal Services in East Palo Alto (CLSEPA): (650) 326-6440. Helps people with low income in San Mateo and Santa Clara counties, including detained cases.
• The Department of Justice pro bono list shows free legal providers by immigration court: justice.gov/eoir/list-pro-bono-legal-service-providers.
• Only a licensed attorney or a DOJ accredited representative can give immigration legal advice. A notario or consultant cannot.

More groups are on Free legal help in the Bay Area. To get ready for the first call, see What to bring to your first meeting with an immigration lawyer.

What papers should I gather for the lawyer?

Put copies in one folder. Keep the originals safe.

• Their full name, date of birth, country of birth and A number
• Any immigration papers: work permit, Notice to Appear, court notices, old applications, any past deportation order
• Proof of how long they have lived here: leases, pay stubs, school records, medical records, tax filings, bank statements, church records with dates. See Papers that show how long you have lived in the United States
• Proof of family ties: birth certificates of children, marriage certificate
• Any criminal court papers, even old or cleared ones
• Letters of support from employers, pastors and teachers

Who takes care of the children?

Keep children with people they know.

• Follow your family plan. If you have a Caregiver's Authorization Affidavit, give it to the caregiver. It lets a trusted adult enroll a child in school and agree to school related medical care. It is free, needs no notary and is not filed with a court. See Who can care for my children if I am detained.
• Tell the school who will pick the children up.
• If a child under 18 was taken into federal immigration custody, call the Office of Refugee Resettlement National Call Center at 1-800-203-7001 or email information@ORRNCC.com.

For talking with children about what happened, see Helping your children cope when a parent is detained or deported.

What about their job, rent and money?

• Their job. Since January 1, 2026, a California employer must notify a worker's chosen emergency contact if the worker asked for this and is arrested or detained at the worksite, or during work hours elsewhere if the employer knows. Call the employer to ask for any pay owed. California's labor laws protect all workers, whatever their status, and the state Labor Commissioner says a wage claim can be filed even after a person leaves the country. See How to file a wage claim.
• Rent, food and bills. There is help in both counties. See Emergency money help when a family member is detained.
• Putting money on their account and visits. See How to visit, call or send money to someone in ICE detention.

What happens next?

Every case is different. Two common paths:

• Immigration court. Many people get a Notice to Appear and a hearing before an immigration judge. Once they have an A number, call 1-800-898-7180 for hearing dates. The San Francisco Immigration Court closed on September 4, 2026, and its cases moved to the Concord Immigration Court (925-680-9015). The court line tells you where a hearing will be. Some can ask for bond. See How to get someone out of detention on bond and How the deportation process works.
• Fast track removal. Some people who cannot show two years in the United States can be removed without seeing a judge, unless they say they want asylum or fear going back. On June 23, 2026, a federal appeals court lifted the order that had paused this expanded version nationwide (Make the Road New York v. Mullin). The challengers asked the full court to rehear the case on July 27, 2026; no ruling has been reported. If this may apply, tell the lawyer at once. See Can I be deported without seeing a judge?

If something is wrong in detention, such as abuse, a serious medical or mental health problem, or a child separated from a parent, ICE's Detention Reporting and Information Line takes reports at 1-888-351-4024.

What mistakes should I avoid?

• Paying anyone who promises a fast release. No one can buy that. See Warning signs of an immigration scam.
• Posting their A number, name or photos online. Keep their information private. Share it only with the lawyer and the rapid response team.
• Going to the detention center without calling first. People get moved. Our suggestion: if you have no papers yourself, talk with a legal group before you go in person.
• Talking about your own status on calls to ICE or a center. Keep it about your loved one.
• Waiting. Call the rapid response line and a lawyer today.

Questions people ask

Can I talk to them? You cannot call in to a detained person. They can call you on a phone account that family can fund, and you can leave an urgent message through the center. Rules depend on the center. See How to visit, call or send money.

Will they be sent away right away? It depends on the case. Fast track removal can move quickly. A case in immigration court has hearings first. A lawyer can tell you which path applies. Call one today.

I do not have papers. Can I still help? Yes. Rapid response teams and lawyers can make calls for you. Most steps on this page do not require you to give your own status.

Can the consulate help? Consulates may help reach family or find a lawyer. Our suggestion: if your loved one fears going back to their country, ask the lawyer before anyone contacts the consulate. Officers may not tell anyone that a person asked for asylum (8 CFR 236.1(e)).

Who can help?

Contact them to confirm hours, languages and openings. Being listed here is not a referral or a promise of service.

• Rapid response lines, open 24/7: San Mateo County (203) 666-4472; Santa Clara County (408) 290-1144.
• Community Legal Services in East Palo Alto: (650) 326-6440. Walk in Monday to Friday, 9 a.m. to 1 p.m., 1861 Bay Road.
• Legal Aid Society of San Mateo County: (650) 558-0915.
• San Mateo County Immigrant Services: (650) 363-4194.
• Asian Law Alliance (San José): (408) 287-9710.
• More groups: Free legal help in the Bay Area.

Is there a checklist I can print?

You are doing the right things. One call, one step, one day. You and your family are not alone in this.