Written by ASAP’s expert immigration lawyers · Updated
Some immigrants are told to attend check-in appointments with Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) or the Intensive Supervision Appearance Program (ISAP) as part of their immigration case. In 2025, arrests at these check-ins have increased. Read more below, and please know that the situation is rapidly changing.
This page is specifically about check-ins with ICE and ISAP. However, ICE is also one of the government agencies that detains and deports immigrants. On other pages of ASAP’s website, you can find more general information about safety measures for asylum seekers, immigration detention, and immigration court.
What to know before an ICE check-in
ICE check-in scheduling
How do I know if I have an ICE check-in, when it is, and where it will be?
What should I do if no one answers when I call the ICE office?
Other information
Will I be detained at an ICE check-in?
Maybe. The government has begun detaining more people during ICE check-ins. You can read about how to prepare for an ICE check-in below.
Here are some groups of people who may be especially at risk of being detained at an ICE check-in:
Immigrants with deportation orders (including people who were released from detention under Orders of Supervision.
Immigrants who have won Withholding of Removal or Protection Under the Convention Against Torture (CAT).
Immigrants with criminal records.
Immigrants who have been accused of presenting false information or documents.
Immigrants who do not have an immigration court case open AND have also not applied for asylum or other forms of immigration relief with USCIS.
Immigrants who have had their asylum applications with USCIS dismissed.
Even if none of these categories apply to you, it is still possible to be detained at an ICE check-in. The situation is changing quickly.
I am planning to go to an ICE office. What can I know before I go?
ICE has begun detaining more people at ICE check-ins. If possible, talk to a lawyer before you go to your next ICE check-in. Find legal help here.
If you are planning to go to an ICE office, here are some things to know before you go:
If you have pending immigration applications, bring copies of documents that show this, such as an asylum application receipt or a copy of your asylum application.
If you have been in the U.S. for more than 14 days, bring copies of documents that show this (see examples here). Someone who has been in the U.S. for more than 14 days may be less likely to be placed in a faster deportation process called “expedited removal.”
If you have special circumstances, bring copies of documents that show this, such as birth certificates of any children born in the U.S. or medical documents about an illness or injury.
Consider asking a friend or family member who is a U.S. citizen to go with you to the check-in to support you, so they can tell others if you are detained. They may want to bring proof of their U.S. citizenship. It could also be helpful If they speak English.
If you are going to an ICE Office, you can prepare for the possibility of detention. Eat a full meal beforehand and drink plenty of water. If you are detained it could be many hours before you can eat again. Wear comfortable clothes, and bring a sweater or jacket in case the detention facility is cold.
Memorize the phone number of at least one person you trust or write their number on your arm, so that you can call them if you lose access to your phone.
Ask the person you trust if they can help in case of an emergency, for example help picking children up from school. If you have a lawyer, make sure they know how to contact your lawyer. Make sure they know where to find your important documents. Make sure they know your full name, A number, and date and country of birth so that they can try to find where you are being detained using this website. It is possible that ICE may transfer you to a detention facility far away.
You can fill out another organization’s sample emergency plan. You can also read about other safety measures here.
If you are detained at an ICE check-in, and you are afraid to return to your country of origin, tell as many immigration officers as possible that you are afraid to return to your country of origin and you want to seek asylum. When someone who is in the expedited removal process tells the government that they are afraid to return to their country of origin, the government is supposed to give them a Credible or Reasonable Fear Interview. Immigration officials will likely not ask you if you are scared, so you can tell as many officials as possible as many times as you can.
The U.S. government is now trying to send some immigrants to other countries that are not their country of origin. You may be at risk of being deported to a third country if you have a deportation order or if you won withholding or CAT. There have been reports of this happening across the country, and immigrants are fighting against this policy through a lawsuit. If you are detained at an ICE check-in and you are told you could be sent to another country, and if you are afraid to be sent to that country, tell as many immigration officers as possible.
What happens if I miss an ICE check-in?
If you miss an ICE check-in you may be especially at risk of being detained. ICE may see this as a violation of the requirements of your release.
If you want to continue to pursue your immigration case you can try to take the steps below to schedule another ICE check-in and include evidence of the circumstances that caused you to miss your appointment.
How do I know if I have an ICE check-in, when it is, and where it will be?
First, even if you were released from detention, you may not have to check-in with ICE. Some people have to check-in regularly as part of their case, and other people do not.
You probably have ICE check-in appointments if one of the following situations apply to you:
You received a document from the U.S. government that tells you that you have appointments with ICE. The document may look like this, this, or this. The document may tell you when and where your first ICE appointment will be.
After arriving in the United States through the Mexico-U.S. border, you received a document called Notice to Report (Form I-385) or you were told that you had to report to ICE by a certain time (for example, within 60 days).
Can I reschedule my ICE check-in?
If you cannot attend your ICE check-in and you want to continue to pursue your immigration case, there are steps you can take.
Time: According to ICE, if you cannot attend the time of your ICE check-in appointment, you can show up anytime that day to meet the requirements of your release.
Date: If you cannot attend the date of your ICE check-in appointment, you can try to reschedule:
You can go to checkin.ice.gov to try to reschedule your check-in appointment.
You can try calling your ICE officer to let them know and ask to reschedule your appointment for another date when you are able to attend.
If you do not have your ICE officer’s phone number, you can try calling ICE’s national phone number at 1-833-383-1465 or calling or emailing your local ICE office.
Location: If you plan to move far away and you will not be able to attend the location of your ICE check-in appointment, ICE may tell you to ask permission before you move. Read more information below.
What should I do if no one answers when I call the ICE office?
If you want to contact ICE and no one answers at the ICE office, you can try leaving a voicemail message with your name, phone number, and A number. It is often difficult to get someone to answer when you call an ICE office and you may not be able to leave a voicemail message. You can try to keep calling until they answer.
You can also try calling the ICE’s national number at 1-833-383-1465.
You can also try emailing your local ICE office.
It is helpful to keep a record of how you tried to contact ICE. You can write down the date and time you called, what phone number you called, and what answer was provided. Keep a copy of any emails you send to ICE.
Can I move if I have ICE check-ins?
Yes – but if you want to continue to pursue your immigration case, ICE may tell you to get permission before moving.
If you have a Form I-220A, ICE says that you must get written permission from your ICE Officer before you move.
If you have a Form I-220B, ICE says that you must inform your ICE Officer in writing 48 hours before you move. If you move far away, you can ask your ICE officer to update your appointment location.
If you do not have either of these forms, and ICE has not told you that you need to notify them about a move, then ICE says you are not required to tell them before you move.
The government says asylum seekers have to update their address with the government when they move. No matter what type of form you have, ICE says that you should update your address on ICE’s website or by phone at 1-833-383-1465 within 5 days after you move. If you want to continue with your asylum case, you may also need to change your address with the immigration court and other immigration agencies.
ICE took my passport. Can I get a new one?
If ICE took your passport, they usually keep it until the end of your immigration court case. At the end of your case, ICE should return your passport when you ask for it.
If you need your passport while your immigration court case is still pending, there are two possible options: (1) you can ask ICE to return your passport temporarily, and (2) you can request a new passport from the consulate of your country of origin. There is more detail on these options below to help you decide whether they make sense for you.
First, you can ask your ICE office to return your passport to you temporarily for a specific reason, such as to include in your asylum application or apply for a driver’s license. But you will have to return your passport by the date ICE specifies. If they do not agree to give you the passport itself, you can also ask them for a photocopy of all the pages of your passport, or at a minimum, the page with your name, biographic information, and photo. You can use that photocopy to prove your identity when you send immigration applications, like for a work permit.
Second, some people may be able to request a new passport from the consulate of your country of origin. Whether this option makes sense for you may depend on the reasons why you are requesting asylum.
If you are requesting asylum based on threat or danger from the government of your country of origin, it is probably a bad idea to contact your country’s consulate in the United States to request a new passport because it could put you at risk. The U.S. government could decide that because you are not afraid to contact your country of origin’s government for a new passport, you do not need the protection of asylum in the United States.
If you are not in danger directly from the government in your country of origin, but instead from other people or groups there, it may be safe to request a new passport from your country’s consulate in the United States. You know best the reasons why you may be seeking asylum in the United States, and whether contacting the government of your country of origin is a risk. If you are not sure what to do, we recommend talking to an immigration attorney first.
If you are not seeking asylum, withholding of removal, or protection under the Convention Against Torture (CAT), but instead you have a different type of immigration case, it is generally fine to request a new passport from your country.
I have an ankle monitor. How can I request for it to be removed?
The length of time it takes to remove the ankle monitor varies and each case is different. Sometimes a lawyer can advocate to have it removed. If you would like to find a lawyer, visit this find help page.
Also, this guide has information on how to ask your ICE officer to remove the ankle monitor.
What is ISAP?
Often when ICE releases a person from immigration detention, they decide to continue to monitor the person through a program called the Intensive Supervision Appearance Program (ISAP). This monitoring can happen in different ways, including through ankle monitors, in-person check-in appointments, visits at home, or check-ins by phone. Some private companies work for ICE to administer the ISAP program.
The Asylum Seeker Advocacy Project (ASAP) aims to provide factual information about current immigration laws. This information is not legal advice.
All legal content is written and legally reviewed by ASAP’s team of expert immigration lawyers. ASAP’s expert lawyers have decades of experience in immigration law and litigation. Collectively, they have won hundreds of cases. Our lawyers are admitted to the Bar in several U.S. states, hold law degrees from universities including Harvard, Yale, and UCLA, and have won multiple awards for their legal work.