ICE Detention Centers in California: Locations, Conditions, and What You Need to Know

California holds more people in immigration custody than almost any other state. As of early 2026, the state has seven active ICE detention facilities, all run by private companies, with a combined capacity of nearly 10,000 beds. The average daily population has surged to over 5,300 individuals, a 72% increase from April 2025.

If someone you know is being held at an ICE detention center in California, here is everything you need to know about the facilities, conditions, and how to take action.

California’s ICE Detention Facilities in 2026

Adelanto ICE Processing Center

• Location: 10400 Rancho Road (East) and 10250 Rancho Road (West), Adelanto, CA 92301 (San Bernardino County)
• Operator: GEO Group
• Capacity: Approximately 1,940 beds
• Field Office: Los Angeles
• Notes: One of the most scrutinized ICE facilities in California. Multiple reports of inadequate medical care and civil rights concerns have been documented over the years.

Mesa Verde ICE Processing Facility

• Location: 425 Golden State Avenue, Bakersfield, CA 93301 (Kern County)
• Operator: GEO Group
• Capacity: Approximately 400 beds
• Field Office: San Francisco
• Notes: Subject to ongoing litigation regarding conditions. Federal courts have previously ordered improvements to medical care at this facility.

Golden State Annex

• Location: 254 Taylor Avenue, McFarland, CA 93250 (Kern County)
• Operator: GEO Group
• Capacity: Approximately 700 beds
• Field Office: San Francisco
• Notes: Opened on the site of a former state prison. People held here have alleged medical neglect, inadequate food, and solitary confinement after reporting abuse.

Central Valley Annex

• Location: McFarland, CA (Kern County)
• Operator: GEO Group
• Capacity: Approximately 700 beds
• Field Office: San Francisco
• Notes: Opened in April 2026, the newest ICE facility in California. Located adjacent to the Golden State Annex on the site of another former state prison. Advocates raised concerns that it began operating without required local permits.

California City Detention Facility

• Location: California City, CA (eastern Kern County)
• Operator: CoreCivic
• Capacity: Approximately 2,560 beds
• Field Office: San Francisco
• Notes: The largest ICE facility in California. Opened in August 2025 on the site of a shuttered state prison. CoreCivic began housing individuals before obtaining all necessary local permits, leading to legal opposition from the city and advocacy groups.

Otay Mesa Detention Center

• Location: 7488 Calzada de la Fuente, San Diego, CA 92154 (San Diego County)
• Operator: CoreCivic
• Capacity: Approximately 1,358 beds
• Field Office: San Diego
• Notes: Located near the U.S.-Mexico border. Has been the subject of complaints regarding medical care, including from people held during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Imperial Regional Detention Facility

• Location: 1572 Gateway Road, Calexico, CA 92231 (Imperial County)
• Operator: Management and Training Corporation (MTC)
• Capacity: Approximately 782 beds
• Field Office: San Diego

Conditions Inside California ICE Facilities

Conditions across California’s ICE facilities have been the subject of federal lawsuits, government investigations, and advocacy reports.

Common concerns include:

• Medical care. The California Attorney General’s office released a report in 2025 raising concerns about healthcare inside ICE facilities. People in custody have reported delayed treatment, denial of prescribed medications, and inadequate mental health services.
• Solitary confinement. Facilities in Kern County have faced allegations of placing people in solitary confinement after they reported sexual abuse or filed grievances.
• Labor practices. ICE detainees at several California facilities have reported being paid as little as $1 per day for facility labor, a practice that has drawn legal challenges.
• Communication access. Access to phones, legal calls, and attorney visits has been inconsistent, particularly at newer facilities still establishing protocols.

How to Find Someone in an ICE Facility

Use the ICE Online Detainee Locator System to search by name, A-number, or country of birth. If the person was recently taken into custody, it may take 24 to 72 hours for them to appear in the system.

You can also call the relevant ICE field office. Field office phone numbers and current contact information are listed at ICE.gov’s field office directory. California falls under three field offices:

• San Francisco Field Office (Northern California)
• Los Angeles Field Office (Los Angeles, Orange, Riverside, San Bernardino, Ventura, Santa Barbara, San Luis Obispo counties)
• San Diego Field Office (San Diego and Imperial counties)

How to Visit Someone in ICE Custody

Each facility has its own visiting hours and rules. Contact the specific facility before visiting to confirm:

• Current visiting hours (these change frequently)
• Identification requirements (valid photo ID is standard)
• Dress code restrictions
• Items you can and cannot bring (phones and electronics are typically prohibited)
• Whether virtual visits are available

The Expansion of ICE Custody in California

California tried to prevent the expansion of private immigration facilities. In 2019, the legislature passed a law prohibiting private companies from operating immigration lockups. But ICE had already signed a 15-year, $1.5 billion contract with GEO Group for facilities in McFarland and Bakersfield just weeks before the law took effect. In 2023, a federal court found the state law unconstitutional, ruling it infringed on federal enforcement authority.

Since January 2025, two new facilities have opened on the sites of former state prisons. The growth has been fueled by the current administration’s enforcement priorities and tens of billions in federal funding allocated through the spending law signed in 2025. The administration has stated its goal of holding more than 100,000 people in immigration custody on any given day nationwide.

The private companies operating these facilities profit from every person held. GEO Group and CoreCivic are publicly traded corporations with billions in government contracts. The system creates a financial incentive to fill beds, not to evaluate whether each person in custody actually needs to be there.

What You Can Do

If someone you know is being held in an ICE facility in California, contact the Law Office of Lina Baroudi as soon as possible to evaluate bond eligibility, habeas corpus options, or other paths to release. Report any concerns about conditions to the California Attorney General’s portal and to the DHS Office of Inspector General.

The system does not advocate for the people it holds. You have to.