Mapping U.S. Immigration Detention

Freedom for Immigrants’ interactive detention map sheds light on the scope and growth of immigration detention, helping impacted individuals and local communities find resources and understand the impact of detention on their neighborhoods, cities, states, and the country as a whole. 

We grant reporters, researchers and other users the right to repurpose the data in this map. We ask that you please credit Freedom for Immigrants, including by linking back to the map. 

Detention Map Improvements Survey

Freedom for Immigrants is revamping the detention map, and we would love to hear your insights about what would make the next version the most useful to you. Please take a few moments to fill out the (anonymous) survey below!

How to use the map

Advocates and policymakers can use these tools to make changes in their communities. For more information, check out the #DONEwithDetention map resource as a guide. In addition to the map, Freedom for Immigrants has created informational briefings on immigration prisons and jails by Congressional district.

The map is divided into 8 categories showing:

  • An overview of the current landscape of immigration prisons and jails, including the number of facilities, the location of Section 287(g) agreements and ICE field offices;

  • A search engine that enables you to compare and contrast detention in your Congressional district, such as identifying which detention facilities are located near you

  • The growth of immigration detention over time

  • The number of people currently in ICE detention, organized by state, and the estimated bed capacity

  • The companies and government entities that contract with ICE, as well as the visualization of immigration bond statistics 

  • A layout of the immigration court system

  • Legal and financial resources, such as bond funds, available for those suffering inside detention

  • A compilation of Freedom for Immigrants’ programs, reports and resources, including monitoring reports, our network of visitation groups and other important data.

You can check and uncheck subcategories to overlay them on the map. To learn more about each subcategory, hover over it. If you click on a marker on the map, a window will pop up and display the corresponding information. You can also use the search engine next to the zoom function to identify specific information. This work is supported by a Scholar-Activist Project Award from the Antipode Foundation.

Note: For best results the following are recommended:

  • Screen resolution of at least 1280x720 is recommended. (A mobile phone screen is too small)

  • Either the Mozilla Firefox or Google Chrome web browser (Both are free downloads)