TCDF is for Private Facility offenders have not been sentenced yet and are detained here until their case is heard.
All prisons and jails have Security or Custody levels depending on the inmate’s classification, sentence, and criminal history. Please review the rules and regulations for Medium facility.
The phone carrier is Global Tel Link (GTL) - ConnectNetwork, to see their rates and best-calling plans for your inmate to call you.
If you are seeking to send your inmate money for commissary, one recommended for this facility is ConnectNetwork/AdvancePay® There is a fee for sending money, see their rates and limitations.
If you are unsure of your inmate's location, you can search and locate your inmate by typing in their last name, first name or first initial, and/or the offender ID number to get their accurate information immediately Registered Offenders
Located in Estancia, NM, TCDF operates as a private contractor with various government agency agreements providing state-minimum custody requirements. Programs are offered to all custody levels, including work release residents focused on reentry success. With a strong emphasis on rehabilitation, TCDF provides comprehensive educational and vocational opportunities. Onsite amenities include dietary, health, fitness, educational, religious, and recreational services. Regular inspections ensure compliance with government standards, ensuring the facility's continued operation.
The Torrance County Detention Facility in Estancia, New Mexico, is one of the most controversial immigration detention centers operating under contract with the U.S. Department of Homeland Security and Immigration and Customs Enforcement. Operated by CoreCivic, the facility houses ICE detainees awaiting asylum hearings, deportation proceedings, immigration court decisions, or transfer within the federal detention system. Located in rural central New Mexico, the detention center has become a major component of ICE detention operations in the Southwest, routinely receiving detainees transferred from border states and federal enforcement actions across the country. The facility reopened for ICE detention operations in 2019 after previously functioning as a county correctional center and U.S. Marshals detention site.
The detention center maintains a capacity of 505 detainees, according to ICE and Associated Press reporting tied to the facility’s federal detention agreement. The secure complex includes intake and classification units, housing pods, transportation staging infrastructure, medical services, attorney visitation areas, recreation sections, and administrative offices designed to support large-scale immigration detention operations. The facility primarily houses adult male immigration detainees, although detainee populations fluctuate significantly depending on national immigration enforcement priorities and federal transfer activity. Torrance County Detention Facility has repeatedly operated near capacity during periods of intensified ICE enforcement activity throughout the Southwest region.
ICE Detainee Information
This facility holds immigration detainees under an active contract with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement in addition to its regular population. ICE detainees are civil immigration detainees, not criminal defendants, and are held while their immigration cases are processed. The rules, rights, and services that apply to ICE detainees differ from those that apply to the general jail population.
To locate an ICE detainee at this facility, use the ICE Online Detainee Locator at locator.ice.gov. You will need the detainee's A-Number, a nine-digit Alien Registration Number that appears on any immigration document they have received. If the A-Number has fewer than nine digits, add zeros at the beginning. If you do not have the A-Number, you can search using the detainee's full legal name, country of birth, and date of birth. Names must be an exact match; try variations if the first search returns no results.
Immigration bond works differently from criminal bail. Not all detainees are eligible for bond; those with certain criminal convictions or prior deportation orders may be subject to mandatory detention. For those who are eligible, bond is set by an immigration judge and typically ranges from $1,500 to over $10,000. Bond must be paid in full before release. An immigration attorney can request a bond hearing and argue for a lower amount based on the detainee's circumstances.
Unlike criminal defendants, ICE detainees do not have the right to a government-appointed attorney. They must hire a private immigration attorney or find free legal help through a nonprofit organization. RAICES provides legal services and bond assistance at raicestexas.org. The National Immigrant Justice Center offers free legal representation at immigrantjustice.org. Many immigration courts also maintain a list of free and low-cost legal service providers available to detainees upon request.
ICE transfers detainees between facilities frequently and with little advance notice, sometimes to locations far from family and legal counsel. If you cannot locate your family member through this page, search the ICE Online Detainee Locator again at locator.ice.gov with their A-Number. If they have an attorney, notify the attorney immediately as transfers affect court appearances and case timelines.
The facility operates within Torrance County, where local law enforcement responsibilities fall under the Torrance County Sheriff’s Office, currently led by Sheriff Joe Chavez. Although the detention center itself is privately managed through federal ICE contracts, county officials remain connected to the facility through intergovernmental agreements and broader public safety coordination. The detention center has become economically significant within the small rural community of Estancia, serving as one of the county’s largest taxpayers and correctional employers. County commissioners have repeatedly debated continuation of ICE detention agreements amid pressure from advocacy organizations and state political groups seeking closure of the facility.
Torrance County Detention Facility has received extensive national scrutiny because of repeated allegations involving detainee abuse, severe understaffing, medical neglect, inadequate mental health treatment, poor sanitation, and prolonged solitary confinement practices. In 2022, the Department of Homeland Security Office of Inspector General recommended immediate removal of detainees from the facility after investigators identified unsafe and inhumane conditions tied to chronic staffing shortages and operational failures. Since then, advocacy organizations, immigration attorneys, civil rights groups, and journalists have continued documenting allegations involving water shortages, sewage backups, suicide attempts, legal access problems, and deteriorating living conditions inside the facility.
Despite years of controversy and repeated calls for closure, Torrance County Detention Facility remains an active ICE detention center and continues serving as a major immigration detention hub in New Mexico. Federal authorities routinely transfer detainees into the facility from across the United States, including recent large-scale transfers from Midwest enforcement operations. The detention center’s remote location, large detention capacity, and longstanding federal agreements make it operationally valuable within ICE’s national detention infrastructure, even as critics continue pushing for termination of federal contracts tied to the facility. As immigration enforcement activity evolves nationwide, the Estancia detention center remains one of the most scrutinized and debated ICE detention facilities operating in the country.
The jail offers a phone program for outbound calls only, with inmates unable to receive incoming calls. Accepting collect calls can be expensive, sometimes exceeding $10 per call. Alternatively, setting up an account through a third-party phone company may entail high fees per minute of usage. You might qualify for discounts on inmate calls, especially if the communication with your inmate is frequent. It's important to remember that all phone calls are recorded, and discussing sensitive legal matters over these lines is discouraged.
Books and magazines ordered for inmates must come directly from the publisher. This policy ensures that the items are new, untampered, and comply with the facility's regulations. The Jail enforces this rule to prevent the introduction of contraband or prohibited materials. By restricting orders to publishers, the facility can better maintain security and control over the content entering the institution. Any books or magazines not received directly from the publisher will be rejected and not delivered to the inmate. You may, however, send letters and selfies to inmates with this easy-to-use app, packages starting at only $8.00.
Commissary is available weekly, with orders submitted via kiosk two days in advance. On holidays, there may be increased spending limits. Upon receiving commissary items, inmates must present their ID, check their order, and sign for it in the presence of the commissary employee. Indigent inmates are provided with all essential basic hygiene items including USPS stamps and writing materials.
Inmate workers are selected for community service programs based on their demonstrated good conduct, cooperation with facility staff, and adherence to institutional rules. These criteria ensure that only individuals who exhibit responsibility, reliability, and a commitment to positive behavior are allowed to participate. Participation in these programs not only benefits the community through valuable labor contributions but also offers inmates the chance to develop a strong work ethic, learn transferable job skills, and build a sense of accountability.
In certain cases, involvement in community service programs can contribute to a reduction in an inmate's sentence. This incentive reinforces the importance of maintaining good behavior while incarcerated and highlights the program's dual role in supporting both the community and the inmate's journey toward reintegration.
If you need information about a detainee who is housed at this facility, you may call (505) 452-4821 between the hours of 7 a.m. and 3 p.m. When you call, please have the individual’s biographical information ready, including first, last, and hyphenated names, any aliases he or she may use, date of birth, and country of birth. Detainees cannot receive incoming calls. If you need to get in touch with a detainee to leave an urgent message, you must call (505) 384-2711 and leave the detainee’s full name, alien registration number, and your name and telephone number where you can be reached. The detainee will be given your message.
