The Port Isabel Service Processing Center is an ICE detention facility located in Los Fresnos, Texas The facility's address is 27991 Buena Vista Blvd, Los Fresnos, TX 78566 If you need information about a detainee that is housed at this facility, you may call (956) 547-1700 The Port Isabel Service Processing Center is operated by Ahtna Support and Training Services under a contract with ICE The facility has a capacity of approximately 1,200 detainees The facility holds detainees whose immigration status or citizenship has not been officially determined or who are awaiting repatriation The facility has been the subject of criticism in the past, with reports of poor living conditions, inadequate medical care, and allegations of abuse.
The Port Isabel Service Processing Center in Los Fresnos, Texas has been the subject of ongoing controversies and allegations of mistreatment since it opened in 1977. Owned and operated by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), the facility is intended to hold detainees awaiting immigration proceedings or removal from the United States. With a capacity for 1,200 detainees, Port Isabel has faced scrutiny for its conditions and treatment of those detained there.
## History and Operations
Port Isabel first opened in 1977 as a facility for processing undocumented immigrants awaiting hearings or deportation. The center was built in 1950 and expanded with a new building added in 2007. Port Isabel processes approximately 9,500 detainees per year according to ICE.
The facility is owned by ICE, which provides onsite management. ICE contracts the private company Ahtna Support and Training Services LLC to handle daily operations like food service. Medical care is provided by the ICE Health Service Corps.
Between October 2021 and September 2022, Port Isabel had an average daily population of 590 detainees. The guaranteed minimum number of beds per ICE's contract is 800, with a maximum capacity of 1,200. As required by the contract, Port Isabel adheres to ICE's 2011 Performance-Based National Detention Standards (PBNDS 2011), which establish guidelines for conditions and operations.
Unarmed guards at Port Isabel undergo 67 hours of training, while armed guards receive an additional 8 hours of firearms instruction. Detainees receive two hot meals and one cold meal each day. All outgoing mail is photocopied by staff as well.
## Detainee Complaints of Poor Treatment
In April 2009, a group of detainees initiated a hunger strike to protest what they claimed were due process violations, lack of access to resources, and other abusive conditions. Additional hunger strikes and protests occurred in 2010, with detainees alleging inhumane conditions, insufficient medical care, overuse of isolation, and excessive transfers.
A 2010 Department of Homeland Security report confirmed issues with medical care at Port Isabel, finding that the facility was failing to respond to detainee health requests in a timely fashion.
In his 2010 memoir, a former guard at Port Isabel in the 1980s described corruption and human rights abuses he witnessed involving both staff and detainees. While conditions may have improved since then, Port Isabel continues to face accusations of mistreatment.
## Role in Family Separation Crisis
In 2018, the Trump administration's "zero tolerance" immigration policy led to thousands of migrant children being separated from their parents after crossing the US-Mexico border. During this crisis, Port Isabel was designated the primary family reunification and removal center for detained adults by ICE.
However, even at this reunification center, children were housed in “off-site” locations separate from their parents. According to members of Congress who visited in June 2018, some detainees had no idea where their children were taken and had been unable to contact them.
Accounts from Congressional representatives described distraught women, some of whom were told their children would be put up for adoption. The National Congress of American Indians denounced the separations, calling the policy “simply immoral.”
## Ongoing Issues with Immigration Detention
In addition to the family separation crisis, Port Isabel has faced ongoing criticisms over its treatment of immigration detainees.
A 2015 report by the U.S. Commission on Civil Rights found that conditions at Port Isabel and other facilities violated detainees' Fifth Amendment rights. Specifically, the civil rights commission determined the restrictive conditions were essentially punitive rather than reasonably related to a legitimate government purpose like immigration processing.
Other groups have called for reforms at Port Isabel regarding issues like lack of transparency, insufficient medical care, and excessive use of isolation. ensuring humane treatment remains a challenge for immigration detention facilities like Port Isabel.
## Visitation Policies and Access
Friends and family can visit detainees at Port Isabel during designated hours, which are arranged based on detainees' last names. Visits are non-contact, limited to one hour, and subject to various security procedures. Minors must be accompanied by a guardian.
Attorneys can meet with clients daily from 8am to 9:30pm with some notice. Pro bono legal organizations are also given access for consultations. Video teleconferencing and virtual visits are available as well by prior arrangement.
For locating specific detainees, calling the center at 956-547-1700 is recommended. Incoming calls are not permitted, but urgent messages can be left with staff. Mail can be sent to detainees provided it includes their identification number. Detainees can also send mail from the facility that is collected daily.
Strict visitor dress codes and security measures apply, including pat downs and metal scans. Firearms and weapons are prohibited.
## Oversight and Accountability
Anyone wishing to comment on services at Port Isabel can write to ICE's Field Office Director for the region. Formal complaints about staff misconduct can also be submitted to ICE's Office of Professional Responsibility or the DHS Office of Inspector General. Contact information for these oversight bodies is provided to detainees.
Despite this oversight, problems persist at Port Isabel. More transparency and accountability for immigration detention facilities is needed to ensure operations align with stated standards for conditions and treatment.
## Conclusion
With a long history of complaints and controversies, the Port Isabel Service Processing Center exemplifies many of the ongoing issues with the US immigration detention system. While ICE intends for facilities like Port Isabel to humanely process detainees through removal proceedings, in practice detention conditions remain restrictive and potentially abusive.
Reforming policies around medical care, isolation, family access, and transparency could help improve conditions at Port Isabel. However, fundamentally rethinking the scale of immigrant detention may be required for facilities like Port Isabel to fully align with principles of human rights and due process.
## Frequently Asked Questions
**What is the Port Isabel Service Processing Center?**
Port Isabel is an immigration detention facility located in Los Fresnos, Texas. Owned and operated by ICE, it holds detainees awaiting immigration proceedings or deportation.
**How many detainees does Port Isabel hold?**
Port Isabel has a capacity of 1,200 detainees and averages around 590 detainees daily. Its guaranteed minimum bed space is 800 under ICE's contract.
**What are some controversies associated with Port Isabel?**
Detainees have protested poor conditions through hunger strikes. Port Isabel was criticized for its role in family separations. It has faced allegations of insufficient medical care, isolation overuse, and due process violations.
**Who manages and staffs Port Isabel?**
ICE owns the facility and provides onsite management. Contractors Ahtna Support and Training Services handle operations and food service. Medical care is provided by the ICE Health Service Corps. Guards receive extensive training.
**What are the visitation policies for family and lawyers?**
Family visitation is limited to 1 hour during designated hours. Lawyers can meet with detainees daily with notice. Virtual and video visit options are also available. Strict security and dress code policies apply.
**How can someone file a complaint about Port Isabel?**
Complaints about conditions or staff misconduct can be submitted to ICE field leadership or oversight bodies like the DHS Office of Inspector General. Contact information is provided to detainees.
Phone: 956-547-1700
Physical Address:
Port Isabel Service Processing Center
27991 Buena Vista Blvd
Los Fresnos, TX 78566
Mailing Address (personal mail):
Inmate's Full Name & A-Number
Port Isabel Service Processing Center
27991 Buena Vista Blvd
Los Fresnos, TX 78566
Other Jails and Prisons
When someone that is not a US Citizen gets arrested in the United States, and they are here illegally, depending on what state or city they are arrested in, the person may be turned over to ICE.
Many states such as New York and California, as well as hundreds of US cities, have declared themselves 'sanctuary cities' and do not turn over foreigners here illegally, even if they are committing crimes in their jurisdiction.
However, when an alien here illegally is turned over to ICE, and sent to one of the over 100 Immigration Detention Centers in the United States, the only way to try and locate where they are being detained is using the Online Detainee Locator System.
You can look them up using their assigned A-Number.
You can also try and look them up by using their name.
What is an ICE Detention Center?
Men, women, and children that are in the United States illegally and are apprehended by the US Border Patrol or ICE will most likely be placed in removal proceedings and may be detained in one of the more than 200 jails and detention centers that make up ICE’s detention system.
Many of the illegal immigrants that are detained are held in county and local jails that contract with ICE to detain immigrants. The rest are held in dedicated immigration detention facilities run by ICE or contracted to private prison corporations, including family detention centers that hold mothers and children.
What Determines if an Illegal Immigrant gets Detained?
ICE will typically detain an immigrant because DHS (Homeland Security) believes that an illegal immigrant is either a “flight risk” and may move to another location within the U.S. or that they pose a public safety threat. Detaining the person allows the government to guarantee that the person will show up for their hearing before an Immigration Court.
Some of the reasons that causes an illegal immigrant to get arrested and held in detention prior to their day in court is as follows:
The illegal immigrant has:
How do you find someone that is in an ICE Detention Center?
The first step to finding out if an illegal immigrant is in ICE or DHS custody is by using the ICE Detainee Locator.
It’s easier to find the person if you have an Alien Number (A#), if one exists. A green card or work permit will show this number. If you don’t have an A# the person is much more difficult to locate.
The information you will need is as follows:
If you are having difficulty, try different spellings and the order of how the name is listed.
If the illegal immigrant was only recently detained, the ICE Detainee Locator may not be updated with the latest information. Keep in mind that ICE does not give information (online or over the phone) for people under 18 years of age. In such cases, you can only get information on them from the ICE Enforcement and Removal Operations field office nearest you.
If the person you are looking for is not in an ICE Detention Center, they may have been taken to a local jail that contracts with ICE, so contact their local City and County Jail, all which can be found here.
Another option, short of the expense of hiring an Immigration Lawyer, is to go to this website and use their online form to get their help.
Once an illegal immigrant is located and you find out the facility where they are being held you need to find out the Deportation Officer that has been assigned to their case. The Officer can tell you how to call or visit the detainee, or pay for the detainee to be able to call you, or how you can send any needed items such as clothing, prescriptions, etc.
The last option, and the most expensive, is to hire an experienced immigration attorney to assist you in tracking down the Deportation Officer. If the person being detained requires specific medical care, an attorney can ensure that they receive that care.
If the detained illegal immigrant has been deported from America previously or has an outstanding removal order - in which case they have no right to see an immigration judge - they can be removed within a few days, or even hours, of the initial arrest.
Even if the government does not immediately remove the person, it is possible that they can be moved around to different Detention Centers. There is never a warning that a person is being moved around and during the transfer there is a complete blackout of any information.
How long are people held in ICE Immigration Detention Centers?
The time that an illegal immigrant is held in an ICE Detention Center can vary. It all depends on several factors such as the individual’s personal situation, criminal record, the severity of the crime they are being charged with, previous deportations and the current caseload that the Detention Center is dealing with.
This image portrays the most recent data available on the time a detained illegal immigrant remains in custody before their release and/or deportation.
Can you visit someone in ICE Detention Centers?
The short answer is yes. The person visiting an illegal immigrant in an ICE Detention Center must be lawfully present in the United States. In other words the visitor must have some form of currently valid immigration status at the time of the visit. A detention center or jail will not allow the visit unless visitor can show valid I.D. and offer proof that they are lawfully in the United States.
If you want to become a volunteer that visits illegal immigrants in order to offer emotional support, it may be possible. You can join one of these visitation networks by going here and contacting the network in your area.
What crimes can cause an illegal immigrant to be deported?
(The following information comes from Nolo.com, a trusted legal resource)
These are the straightforward crimes that are mentioned in the immigration law. The statute also lists a number of security violations, such as involvement in espionage, sabotage, terrorism, Nazi persecution, totalitarian parties, and so forth.
Once an illegal immigrant is deported, how long before they can come back to the United States?
If an illegal immigrant has a deportation or removal order in their immigration file, it's possible that they won’t be allowed to enter the U.S. for five, ten, or even 20 years.
The applicable law comes from Section 212 of the Immigration and Nationality Act (I.N.A.).
Five-Year Ban: If they were summarily removed or deported upon arrival at a U.S. port of entry because they were found inadmissible, or if they came to the U.S. but were immediately put into removal proceedings and then removed or deported, they may be ineligible to return to the U.S. for five years. The five-year ban also applies if they failed to show up for their removal hearing in the United States.
Ten-Year Ban: If a ‘removal order’ was issued at the conclusion of their removal hearing in Immigration Court, they may not be able to return for ten years after their removal or departure.
Twenty-Year Ban: If they were convicted of an aggravated felony or have received more than one order of removal, they are barred from returning to the U.S. for 20 years. And if they entered without permission after having been removed, or illegally reentered the U.S. after having previously been in the U.S. unlawfully for more than one year, they may be barred from entering the United States for 20 years or permanently.
This facility, known as "Port Isabel Service Processing Center" is also known as ICE Detention Facility, Port Isabel Detention Center.
