Your Loved One Is Detained in Arizona. Here's What to Do First.

Start Here: Finding Your Loved One and Understanding the Situation

When someone you love is taken into ICE custody, the first hours are disorienting. You may not know which facility holds them, whether a bond hearing is possible, or what the rules are for calls and visits. The most important thing you can do right now is gather information — and move quickly, because options can narrow fast.

 

Arizona's two main immigration detention facilities are the Florence Correctional Center and the Eloy Detention Center, both operated under ICE contracts southeast of Phoenix. Many people detained in Tucson or elsewhere in Arizona are transferred to one of these facilities within hours. Knowing where your loved one is held matters because each facility has its own rules for visits, phone access, and commissary deposits.

 

To locate someone in ICE custody, use the ICE Online Detainee Locator at ICE.gov. You will need the person's full legal name, country of birth, and date of birth. If the locator does not return results, it may mean the transfer is still processing — try again in 24 hours or call the ICE detainee locator line directly.

 

Once you have confirmed the facility, find out whether a hearing has been scheduled. Immigration court hearings for detained individuals in Arizona are typically handled through the Tucson Immigration Court. You can check scheduled hearings using the EOIR automated case information line at 1-800-898-7180 or the online case portal at acis.eoir.justice.gov.

What Families Need to Know About Florence and Eloy

Visiting a Detained Family Member

Both Florence and Eloy allow in-person visits, but schedules, registration requirements, and ID rules differ by facility. Visits are typically limited to a few hours per week and require advance scheduling. All adult visitors must present a valid government-issued photo ID. Children may visit with a legal guardian. Contact the facility directly to confirm current visit windows before making the trip, as schedules change and facilities occasionally suspend visits without advance public notice.

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Phone Calls and Communication

Detainees at both facilities use a paid phone system managed by a private vendor. To receive calls, family members must set up an account and add funds through the provider's website or by phone. Calls are expensive — often $1 or more per minute — and are monitored and recorded except for calls to legal counsel. If your loved one needs to speak with an attorney, those calls are treated as privileged and are not recorded.

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Sending Money and Commissary Support

Detainees can use commissary funds for personal items, additional phone time, and hygiene products. Deposits are made through the facility's designated payment system, not through the mail. Each facility uses a specific platform — confirm which one applies before sending funds, as deposits sent through the wrong channel can be delayed or rejected. There is typically a per-deposit limit, and processing can take 24 to 48 hours.

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Medical Needs and Special Circumstances

If your loved one has a serious medical condition, a pending asylum claim, or is a primary caregiver for U.S. citizen children, those facts matter legally and should be communicated to an attorney as early as possible. Medical conditions can support a bond request or a request for humanitarian release. Certain vulnerable populations — including survivors of trafficking or domestic violence — may have additional protections that apply even in a detention context.

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How an Attorney Can Help Right Now

Getting legal counsel involved early is not just about the eventual hearing — it changes what happens in the days before it. An immigration attorney can assess whether bond is a realistic option and what evidence would support a lower bond amount at a bond hearing. They can review the basis for the detention, identify any procedural issues in the arrest or transfer, and flag whether any relief options — including asylum, cancellation of removal, or humanitarian protections — apply to your loved one's situation.

 

Ayala Law Office has represented clients in detention proceedings tied to Florence and Eloy for years. Attorney Siovhan Ayala brings 23 years of immigration law experience to these cases, including bond hearings, removal defense, and appeals. If you are outside Arizona, you can still work with this office — the cases are Arizona-based, and geographic distance from the family does not change that.

 

For the full picture on bond hearings and legal strategy in detained cases, see the ICE Detention & Bond page.

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Questions Families Ask When a Loved One Is Detained

  • How do I find someone in ICE custody in Arizona?

    Use the ICE Online Detainee Locator at ICE.gov with the person's full legal name, country of birth, and date of birth. If the search returns no results in the first few hours, the transfer may still be processing — try again after 24 hours or call the ICE detainee locator line. Most people detained in Arizona end up at the Florence or Eloy facility within a day or two of arrest.

  • What do families do first after a loved one is detained?

    Confirm which facility holds them, then check whether a hearing has been scheduled through the EOIR case information system. After that, contact an immigration attorney as soon as possible — bond hearings can happen quickly, and preparation time matters. Gather any documents that show ties to the U.S., family relationships, employment, and length of residence, as these are relevant to bond and removal proceedings.

  • Can my loved one be released on bond from Florence or Eloy?

    Bond is possible in many detained cases but is not automatic. An immigration judge sets bond based on flight risk and danger to the community. An attorney can request a bond hearing, present evidence of community ties and equities, and argue for a reasonable bond amount. Certain individuals — including those with prior removal orders or specific criminal histories — may be subject to mandatory detention, which an attorney can also evaluate.

  • How long can ICE hold someone before a hearing?

    There is no fixed deadline for a bond hearing in immigration detention. Detained individuals are generally entitled to a bond hearing before an immigration judge unless they fall under mandatory detention. Processing times vary, but detained cases move faster than non-detained ones — hearings can be scheduled within days or weeks. Having legal representation in place before that first hearing is critical.

  • Can I get help from outside Arizona if my family member is detained there?

    Yes. Ayala Law Office works with families across the country whose loved ones are detained or facing proceedings in Arizona. The attorney-client relationship does not require the family to be in Tucson — what matters is that the case is in Arizona and that you have counsel who knows the Florence and Eloy facilities, the Tucson Immigration Court, and Arizona immigration proceedings.

Move From Panic to a Plan

Every hour in detention without legal direction is an hour when options may be narrowing. Whether you need help locating your loved one, understanding what a hearing means, or getting an attorney into the case before the first court date, Ayala Law Office is ready to help. Call now or submit the contact form to reach the office directly.

 

Reviewed by Siovhan Ayala, Immigration Attorney