A major change at ICE is making it much harder for families and immigration attorneys to find people who have been detained and may be facing deportation.
Starting around September 15, 2026, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) stopped showing the detention locations of many people who have final orders of removal in its Online Detainee Locator System. According to Associated Press reporting cited by the Guardian, three current and former ICE officials said ICE removed detainees with final removal orders from the Online Detainee Locator System on September 15, 2026. ICE itself did not publicly announce the change and, when contacted by AP, did not confirm or deny that it had implemented it. AILA separately reported that attorneys were seeing the problem by mid-September.
The change was initially noticed by immigration attorneys like Shepelsky Law Group fighting to release immigrants from ICE custody. Specifically, Immigration attorneys began noticing that clients who previously appeared in the system suddenly disappeared from search results.
This does not necessarily mean that the person has already been deported.
What Changed?
For years, families and attorneys have used ICE’s Online Detainee Locator System to find out where a detained immigrant is being held. The system normally allows users to search using the person’s A-number or identifying information.
Now, many people with final removal orders are no longer appearing in the locator.
This can create serious problems because ICE frequently transfers detainees between detention centers, sometimes moving them hundreds or thousands of miles away. Without knowing where a person is being held, family members may have difficulty contacting them, and attorneys may have trouble taking urgent legal action.
The change could affect thousands of people. Nearly 16,000 people booked into ICE detention in July reportedly already had final removal orders.
A Final Removal Order Does Not Always Mean There Are No Legal Options
Having a final order of removal does not necessarily mean that a person can no longer challenge deportation.
Depending on the circumstances, a person may still be able to:
• File a Motion to Reopen an immigration court case
• Challenge an order entered after missing a court hearing
• Request an emergency stay of removal
• File certain federal court challenges
• Seek protection if returning to a country could expose them to persecution or torture
• Raise other legal issues that could prevent or delay removal
These cases can move extremely quickly once ICE takes someone into custody.
What Should Families Do?
If your family member has been detained and suddenly disappears from the ICE detainee locator, do not automatically assume that the person has been deported.
Contact an immigration attorney immediately.
An attorney may be able to determine where the person is being held, review the immigration court history, determine whether there is a final removal order, and evaluate whether any emergency legal options remain available.
Time can be especially important when someone already has a final order of removal because ICE may prioritize that person for deportation.
If you or a loved one has been detained by ICE, has a final order of removal, or is facing possible deportation, contact the immigration attorneys at Shepelsky Law Group at Tel: (718)769-6352 or book a consultation through our website at www.shepelskylaw.com.
Our legal team can review your case and determine what legal options may still be available. Call Shepelsky Law Group today!