Most large ICE detention centers accept photos by regular mail, as long as the envelope shows your loved one's name, their A-Number (at least the last four digits) and your full name and return address. The big exception is Dilley, Texas, where ICE says personal letters and cards from family can't be accepted at all.
Below are the mailing details for five of the best-known large ICE facilities: Stewart in Georgia, Adelanto and Otay Mesa in California, Krome in Miami, and the South Texas facilities in Pearsall and Dilley. We cover what ICE's own facility pages say and how to keep your photos from coming back.
First, confirm where they are
People in immigration detention are moved more often than people in prison, sometimes with little warning. Before you mail anything, search the ICE Online Detainee Locator. ICE says the best search uses the person's A-Number together with their country of birth.
A few things to know about the locator:
- It doesn't show anyone under 18.
- It only shows people who are in ICE custody now or were released in the last 60 days.
- Someone who was just detained may not appear right away.
If the locator shows a county jail instead of an ICE facility, that jail's own mail rules apply. Our guide to sending photos to someone in ICE detention explains why so many people held by ICE are in local jails.
The ID number you need
At ICE facilities, the number that goes on the envelope is the A-Number (Alien Registration Number), 8 or 9 digits. It's on your loved one's immigration paperwork, including the top right corner of the Notice to Appear.
ICE's pages for Stewart, Otay Mesa, Krome and the South Texas ICE Processing Center all say letters must include the last four digits of the A-Number, plus the sender's name and address. Writing the full A-Number covers that. Adelanto asks for something different, explained below. If you're still tracking down the number, see how to find someone's inmate ID number.
Stewart Detention Center (Lumpkin, Georgia)
Stewart is in rural southwest Georgia. Our facility page uses this format:
[Full name], A# [A-Number]
STEWART DETENTION CENTER
146 CCA ROAD
LUMPKIN GA 31815
ICE lists 146 CCA Road as the facility address. Its page says all incoming mail is screened for contraband, opened but not read, and delivered to the detainee. See our Stewart Detention Center page for the current details.
Adelanto ICE Processing Center (Adelanto, California)
Adelanto is the one facility here where ICE spells out a specific address format, and it asks for more than the others:
[Full name]
A[Last 4 digits of A-Number], [Housing Unit/Dorm/Bunk]
10250 RANCHO ROAD
ADELANTO CA 92301
ICE's Adelanto page says letters must include the last four digits of the A-Number and the housing unit, dorm and bunk number. Ask your loved one for those details on a call. ICE lists two buildings, Adelanto East at 10400 Rancho Road and Adelanto West at 10250 Rancho Road, and its mail format uses 10250. The nearby Desert View Annex has its own page in our directory.
See our Adelanto ICE Processing Center page.
Otay Mesa Detention Center (San Diego, California)
Otay Mesa is in south San Diego, close to the border. Our facility page uses this format:
[Full name], A# [A-Number]
OTAY MESA DETENTION CENTER
7488 CALZADA DE LA FUENTE
SAN DIEGO CA 92154
ICE's page repeats the standard rule: last four digits of the A-Number, plus your name and address. Packages are a separate matter there and need an authorization form approved by ICE, so stick to photos in a regular envelope. See our Otay Mesa Detention Center page.
Krome North Service Processing Center (Miami, Florida)
Krome is in Miami-Dade County. Our facility page uses this format:
[Full name], A# [A-Number]
KROME NORTH SERVICE PROCESSING CENTER
18201 SW 12TH ST
MIAMI FL 33194
ICE's page uses the same mail rules as Stewart and Otay Mesa. See our Krome North page.
South Texas: Pearsall and Dilley are different places
These are two separate facilities with very different mail rules.
The South Texas ICE Processing Center is in Pearsall. It accepts letters under the standard rules:
[Full name], A# [A-Number]
SOUTH TEXAS ICE PROCESSING CENTER
566 VETERANS DRIVE
PEARSALL TX 78061
See our South Texas ICE Processing Center page.
The Dilley Immigration Processing Center, at 300 El Rancho Way in Dilley, works differently. ICE's Dilley page describes it as a family residential center where stays average about 20 days. Because stays are short, ICE says the facility can't accept general correspondence such as personal letters, greeting cards and other mail from friends and family. Only legal and other special mail is accepted.
That means photos mailed to Dilley are unlikely to reach your loved one. ICE says the facility has tablets that can receive non-confidential messages, and its page explains how to send one. That's the better way to share photos there.
Photo rules at ICE facilities
ICE's detention standards leave most mail details to each facility. They do say that all incoming general mail is inspected for contraband. They also say a facility can reject mail to protect security and order, and must tell the detainee when it holds something back.
On our pages for these facilities, we list:
- Size: 4x6 prints
- How many: up to 10 photos per envelope
- Not allowed: nudity, sexual content, gang signs, weapons, drugs or money
ICE's facility pages also warn against sending cash in the mail. Items other than letters, such as clothing for release or travel, need approval from the person's ICE deportation officer first. Plain 4x6 photo prints with nothing glued or stuck on them are the safest choice. For more detail, see what photos are allowed in prison and jail.
What your loved one receives
Many prisons and jails now photocopy or scan mail, but these ICE facility pages describe something simpler. Mail is opened, inspected for contraband and then delivered to the detainee. We haven't confirmed this for every facility yet, so before you pay we show you what we know about what the person will actually receive.
If they're moved or released
Moves are one of the main reasons photos come back from ICE facilities. ICE's pages for these centers say that when someone leaves or is transferred, only legal mail is forwarded. Everything else is marked "Return to Sender."
So:
- Check the locator shortly before you send.
- Send smaller batches more often instead of one large order far in advance.
- If you hear about a transfer or court date, wait until you know where they'll be.
If the facility sends your photos back, you get a full refund or a free reprint. The exceptions are photos showing content you confirmed wasn't in them, or the person being released or moved before we mailed. If we learn they've moved before we mail, we hold your order and help you send it to the new place. For more, see what happens to mail when someone is transferred.
Step by step
- Search the ICE locator with the A-Number and country of birth.
- Make sure you have the full A-Number. For Adelanto, also get the housing unit, dorm and bunk number.
- Choose your photos and keep each envelope at 10 or fewer.
- Order at inmatepics.com/send. Choose the facility and we handle the address and envelope count. We confirm each ICE facility's mailing details before we print.
- Tell your loved one photos are on the way, so they know to watch for them.
Tips to avoid returned mail
- Write the person's name exactly as it appears on their immigration paperwork.
- Always include your full name and return address.
- Don't send cash, stickers, glitter or anything glued on.
- Don't mail personal letters or photos to Dilley.
- Recheck the locator after any court hearing, since a hearing can lead to a move or release.
Frequently asked questions
Can you send photos to someone in ICE detention?
Yes, at most facilities. Stewart, Adelanto, Otay Mesa, Krome and the South Texas ICE Processing Center accept letters from family. Dilley doesn't accept personal mail.
Do I need the full A-Number on the envelope?
ICE asks for at least the last four digits at most of these facilities, and the full number covers that. Adelanto asks for the last four digits plus the housing unit, dorm and bunk number.
What happens to photos if my loved one is deported or transferred?
ICE says only legal mail is forwarded after someone leaves. Personal mail is returned to the sender, so check the locator before each order.
How long does mail take to reach them?
ICE's detention standards say incoming mail should normally be handed out within 24 hours of the facility receiving it. Postal time to get there varies.
Rules change, and we keep each facility page linked above up to date. Check your loved one's page before you send, or send photos now.
