ICE in Oklahoma City: Detention, Bonds, and Detainee Rights

The ICE Oklahoma City office is the Enforcement and Removal Operations (ERO) sub-office at 1220 Sovereign Row, Oklahoma City, OK 73108, and it handles immigration enforcement, check-ins, and bond posting for the entire state under the Dallas Field Office.¹ The phone number is (405) 764-9300, appointments run Tuesday through Thursday from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m., and the office email is Dallas.Outreach@ice.dhs.gov.

Major decisions such as field office director orders and bond determinations move through Dallas, at 8101 N. Stemmons Freeway, Dallas, TX 75247, (972) 367-2200.² Day-to-day contact, however, happens in Oklahoma City.

Finding Someone Who Has Been Detained

Start with ICE’s Online Detainee Locator System. You can search two ways: by A-Number (the nine-digit alien registration number on immigration paperwork) plus country of birth, or by first name, last name, country of birth, and date of birth.³ Names must match exactly, including hyphens. If the A-Number is shorter than nine digits, add zeros to the front. The system will not return results for anyone under 18.⁴

If a person you believe is in custody does not appear, wait and try again. It can take up to 48 hours for a new detainee to show up in the system. After that window, call the Oklahoma City ERO office at (405) 764-9300.

Where ICE Holds Detainees in Oklahoma

ICE uses three facilities across the state:

Kay County Detention Center, 1101 West Dry Road, Newkirk, OK 74647, operated under contract with the Kay County Sheriff’s Department.⁵
Cimarron Correctional Facility, 3200 S. Kings Highway, Cushing, OK 74023, a private facility run by CoreCivic. The ICE Supervisory Detention and Deportation Officer at Cimarron can be reached at (918) 225-3336.⁶
David L. Moss Criminal Justice Center in Tulsa, the county jail that holds ICE detainees under contract with the Tulsa County Sheriff’s Department.⁷

Rules on visits, calls, and property differ by facility. Confirm every procedure with the specific facility before you drive out.

Visiting, Calling, and Sending Money

At Kay County, ICE detainees get one hour of visitation per week, which can be split into two 30-minute visits. Visits run Monday through Saturday from 9 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. Central Time, and you must call (580) 362-3393 at least one business day ahead to schedule. All family and social visits are non-contact. Legal representatives can visit Monday through Friday from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m., with case-by-case exceptions.⁵

At Cimarron, visits are scheduled by emailing CimarronVisitation@corecivic.com.⁶ Every facility requires adult visitors to bring valid government-issued photo ID. Minors must come with an adult guardian. No electronics, weapons, or personal items are allowed in the visitation area, and all visitors go through a pat-down and metal scan. Anyone who appears intoxicated will be turned away.

Phone contact is one-way. Detainees place outgoing calls through the facility phone system; you cannot call in to speak with them. Mail is accepted but inspected. At Cimarron, address mail to the detainee’s name and A-Number at 3200 S. Kings Highway, Cushing, OK 74023.⁶

To put money on a detainee’s commissary account at a CoreCivic facility like Cimarron, mail a money order or cashier’s check to the designated lockbox address, or send funds through Western Union Quick Collect. Personal checks and cash are not accepted through the lockbox. Do not include letters, cards, or photos with a deposit; they will not be forwarded or returned. Because methods vary, confirm the current procedure with the facility itself.

Immigration Bonds and Release

When ICE takes someone into custody, an ERO officer makes the initial custody decision. In many cases the person can be released on a delivery bond while the immigration case proceeds. Federal law sets a $1,500 minimum, but real amounts are often far higher based on flight risk and perceived danger.⁸ A detained person can ask an immigration judge to reconsider a bond they believe is too high.

In Oklahoma, bonds are posted at the ERO office at 1220 Sovereign Row.⁹ ICE has shifted toward electronic posting through the CeBONDS system, which accepts Fedwire or ACH bank transfer. If you don’t have access to banking services, a licensed immigration bond company or a community organization that assists with bond payments can help.¹⁰

Not everyone qualifies. People subject to mandatory detention, including those with certain criminal convictions or deemed national security risks, cannot be released on bond while their cases are pending.

Immigration Court Is Not in Oklahoma

Oklahoma has no immigration court of its own. Non-detained cases from Oklahoma are typically assigned to the Dallas Immigration Court. Detained cases at facilities like Cimarron and David L. Moss fall under the administrative control of the Aurora Immigration Court in Colorado, and detainees appear before those judges by video teleconference.¹¹

A case begins when ICE or another agency issues a Notice to Appear (Form I-862), the charging document that lays out the allegations and legal grounds for removal. Once it’s filed with the court, a judge is assigned and hearings are scheduled. Detained cases usually move faster than non-detained ones, but timelines vary. Free or low-cost legal help in Oklahoma is offered by organizations including Catholic Charities of Tulsa and Hispanic Equal Legal Protection in Oklahoma City. Reach out early; by the time a case reaches its merits hearing, the window for building a defense has narrowed considerably.

Requesting a Stay of Removal

If you have a final order of removal and need more time for medical treatment, pending legal filings, or another urgent reason, you can apply for a stay using ICE Form I-246. In Oklahoma, the application is filed in person at the Oklahoma City ERO office at 1220 Sovereign Row.¹²

The filing fee is $155, payable by cash, money order, or cashier’s check made out to “Department of Homeland Security” or “Immigration and Customs Enforcement.” Bring identity documents (a valid passport or proof of a pending passport application), a written statement explaining why you need the stay, and supporting evidence such as medical records. For a medical basis, include documentation from your doctor covering the condition, treatment, and prognosis.

ICE can reject an application for procedural errors, such as the wrong fee or failing to appear in person, and can deny it on the merits for a criminal record, inaccurate information, or missing documentation. The decision is entirely at the discretion of the field office director, and there is no appeal.¹²

Rights While in ICE Custody

Consular Notification

Foreign nationals in ICE custody have the right to contact their country’s embassy or consulate, and staff must inform detainees of this option. For nationals of roughly 58 countries, ICE is required to notify the nearest consulate whether or not the detainee asks.¹³ Notification must happen without delay, and staff must keep a written record. These protections apply regardless of immigration status. If you want consular help, tell facility staff your country of citizenship and ask them to contact your consulate.

Medical Care and Grievances

All ICE detention facilities must follow the National Detention Standards. Every detainee gets an initial medical, dental, and mental health screening within 12 hours of arrival, and a comprehensive health assessment within 14 days. Medical care is provided at no cost.¹⁴

If care is inadequate, a detainee can file a grievance. The system has three levels: informal complaints raised verbally with staff, formal written grievances submitted to any healthcare staff member, and emergency grievances for immediate threats to health or safety. Formal grievances must be logged within 24 hours, with a written response due in five working days. An unsatisfactory response can be appealed to a Grievance Appeals Board, which also has five working days to respond.¹⁵

Civil Rights Complaints

For broader concerns, including mistreatment by staff, unsafe conditions, or violations of detention standards, you can file a complaint with the DHS Office for Civil Rights and Civil Liberties (CRCL) through its online portal. CRCL investigates allegations involving DHS policies and personnel but does not provide individual legal remedies; complaint information is used to identify systemic problems.¹⁶ If you think your rights have been violated, pair a CRCL complaint with a call to an immigration attorney.

Alternatives to Detention

Not everyone in removal proceedings is physically held. Many people are placed in ICE’s Alternatives to Detention program, which uses supervision instead of a facility. The main tool is the SmartLINK smartphone app, which requires check-ins at intervals ICE sets, typically through facial recognition in the app.¹⁷

ICE officers decide eligibility based on factors such as criminal history, immigration history, family ties, caregiver responsibilities, and medical considerations. On participant-owned devices, SmartLINK cannot access photos, texts, or browsing history and cannot continuously track location. ICE has stated that persistent tracking on agency-issued devices is currently inactive as well.¹⁷ To change your check-in schedule, raise it during a scheduled office or home visit with your case specialist, or send a request through the app. Missed check-ins or program violations can lead to being taken back into physical custody.

How Local Arrests Feed Into ICE Custody: the 287(g) Program

Oklahoma has one of the country’s more extensive 287(g) networks. The program, named for a section of the Immigration and Nationality Act, lets ICE delegate certain immigration enforcement authority to state and local officers who complete specialized training.¹⁸

Oklahoma agencies with signed 287(g) agreements include the Oklahoma Department of Public Safety, the Oklahoma Bureau of Narcotics, the Oklahoma State Bureau of Investigation, the Okmulgee County Criminal Justice Authority, sheriff’s offices in Blaine, Canadian, Lincoln, Logan, Muskogee, and Tulsa counties, and the police departments in Fletcher, Eufaula, Sterling, and Vinita. Trained officers there can question people about immigration status, issue immigration detainers, and help transport people to ICE detention, all under ICE oversight.¹⁹

In practice, a routine traffic stop or arrest by a participating agency can trigger an immigration detainer, which asks the local jail to hold the person past their normal release time so ICE can pick them up. If you or someone you know receives a detainer after a local arrest, call an immigration attorney quickly. Time-sensitive options can disappear within days.

1
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2
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3
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U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement. Kay County Detention Center
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U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement. Cimarron Correctional Facility
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U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement. 2023 Tulsa County Jail (David L. Moss Justice Center), Tulsa, OK
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U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement. ICE ERO Bond Acceptance Facilities
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Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE). Post a Bond
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U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement. Application for a Stay of Deportation or Removal
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Travel – State Department. Consular Notification and Access
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U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE). 2025 National Detention Standards
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U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE). Noncitizen Medical Grievance System
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U.S. Department of Homeland Security. Make a Civil Rights Complaint
17
Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE). Alternatives to Detention Frequently Asked Questions
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U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement. Delegation of Immigration Authority Section 287(g) Immigration and Nationality Act
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U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement. Partner With ICE Through the 287(g) Program