What to Expect When You Go to an ICE Check-in in Minnesota

ICE is another name for U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement. ICE is part of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security. ICE is in charge of enforcing immigration laws in the United States.

It is a meeting with an ICE officer at an ICE field office. You will be asked to confirm where you live. You will also be asked about your immigration case and any criminal cases you are involved in.

You have to go to an ICE check-in any time you get a paper from ICE that tells you to go to a check-in. There are many reasons you might need to go to an ICE check-ins. Examples of reasons you might have to go to an ICE check-ins are:

• You recently arrived in the United States.
   
• You are out on bond while you wait for your first immigration court hearing.
   
• You have been ordered removed from the U.S. by an immigration judge but you don’t have proper documents to travel yet.
   

ICE could also ask you to go to a check-in for other reasons.

ICE will tell you if you need to go to an ICE field office for a check-in. ICE will give you a paper that says you have to meet with ICE. It will say the date, time, and place you need to meet with ICE. The paper might show your picture or say your A-Number if you have one. ICE might give you this paper:

• In the mail. You must tell ICE if you move.
   
• When you are released from ICE custody or a shelter.
   
• At your last check-in. At the end of an ICE check-in, ICE will tell you when your next check-in is.

It depends. An ICE check-in takes 10 minutes. An ICE check-in can also take several hours if there are updates to your case or situation.

It depends. Every person’s ICE check-in schedule is different. ICE decides how often you need to come in. It could be 1 time every 3 months. It could be 1 time every 6 months. It could be 1 time every year. At the end of your ICE check-in, they will tell you when you need to come back.

Yes. You can ask ICE to change the ICE field office where you go for your check-ins if you move to a different city or state.

Example: Ana moved to a new state.
Ana entered the U.S. in Arizona. She got a letter that says her ICE check-ins are scheduled at an ICE field office in Arizona. Ana moved to Minnesota to live with her aunt. She wants to move her ICE check-ins to an ICE field office in Minnesota.

You must do two things:

1. Tell ICE you moved. Go to ICE’s website and fill out the change of address form at: www.portal.ice.gov/ocoa
    
2. Call the ICE field office listed on your letter. Ask to move the check-in to an office where you live now.

ICE could find you “out of compliance.” This means that ICE could:

• Come looking for you.
   
• Revoke a bond if you have one.
   
• Detain you.

Yes. Different administrations have different policies about when to detain people. There is a risk that you could be detained at any ICE check-in. You still must go to your check-ins. Prepare your family and take certain steps before you go in case you are detained. 

Talk to an immigration lawyer before you go to an ICE check-in if:

• You have been arrested for any reason since your last ICE check-in.
   
• You are on an “ordered supervision.” This means a judge ordered you removed from the United States, but you cannot be sent back to your country because you could be tortured or harmed if you return there. 

ICE check-ins are in-person. They take place at the ICE field office. In Minnesota, the ICE field office is in the same building as immigration court hearings. Follow the steps in the “What to Expect at Your ICE Check-in” section of this fact sheet.

You should bring documents that show who you are, where you live, and what is going on in your immigration case. Use the checklist in this fact sheet to make sure you bring everything you need. All documents must be in English. Have someone translate any important documents that are not in English.

ICE also needs to know if you have been arrested, charged with a crime, or convicted of a crime. You must tell them about any new arrests. You also must tell them if anything changed in an ongoing criminal case.

You do not need to bring anyone with you. You can choose to bring:

• An attorney or advocate if you have one.
   
• A friend or family member for support.
   
• Someone to interpret for you. ICE does not provide an interpreter for you. Bring someone to interpret if you are not comfortable speaking English.
   

Leave your children at home if you can. If you need to bring them, bring someone to watch them while you are at your check-in. ICE officers are in the building. Make sure anyone you bring with you is living in the United States legally (someone who has legal papers).

Get to the ICE field office 30 minutes to 1 hour before your check-in time. Plan to be at the ICE field office for 4 hours. Your check-in might be 15 minutes long. It could also take several hours. You might have to wait a long time for it to start.

St. Paul ICE Field Office
1 Federal Drive, Suite 1601
Fort Snelling, MN 55111
Phone number: (612) 843-8600
*The ICE field office is the same building as the immigration courthouse. The ICE field office is in a different room.

Get directions on Google maps

Parking.
There is free parking in front of the building. Go through a guard station to get into the lot. Show your ID. There is also a parking lot nearby at the Fort Snelling Station N.

Train.
The ICE field office is near the Fort Snelling Station N. This stop is on the Twin Cities Metro Transit Blue Line. Visit: metrotransit.org to figure out the best route.

Step 1. Go through security.

There are security guards when you enter the building. You need to:

Take off your shoes and belt. Empty your pockets. Put everything you brought with you through an X-ray machine. This includes your phone, purse, and backpack. Take computers, tablets, and electronics out of your bag. Put them in a separate tray. Do not bring weapons to the ICE field office. Do not bring cologne, perfume, or deodorant sprays.

Walk through a metal detector. If the metal detector beeps, a security guard asks you to spread your arms and legs. They wave a wand across your body to find the metal. The metal detector might beep because of jewelry.

Step 2: Go to room # 1601.

To get to room # 1601 from security:

• After security, go straight ahead, past the elevators.
• The ICE check-in room is on the left. It is room # 1601.

Step 1: Go to the window with a person sitting behind it.

Inside room 1601, there is a person sitting behind a window. Get in line to talk to that person. You may wait for 30 minutes or longer.

Step 2: The person behind the window will ask you questions.

This person may or may not speak Spanish. Answer all their questions honestly. The person will ask you:

• “Can I see your reporting schedule?” This is the paper ICE gave you with the time and place of your ICE check-in.
   
• “Do you still live at your current address?” If you moved, you will need to give them a document that proves where you live now.
   
• “What is your current phone number?”
   
• “When is your next immigration hearing?”
   
• “Do you have any pending immigration applications?” Tell ICE about any applications you have submitted including for asylum or work authorization.
   

Step 3: The person behind the window will look you up in ICE’s computer.

If there are other questions listed in your file, the person behind the window may take you to a private room. See step 4.

If there are no other questions listed in your file, the check-in is over. The person behind the window will tell you:

• That you can leave.
   
• The date and time of your next check-in.
   
• If you need to go to the Intensive Supervision Appearance Program (ISAP). ISAP contracts with ICE to do more monitoring. ISAP might ask you to check-in by phone or wear an ankle monitor. ISAP may also visit your home or work.
   

Step 4: You might go to a private room. An ICE officer will ask more questions.

You could wait 30 minutes or 1 hour before the ICE officer is ready for you. The questions could also take 1 hour. There are many reasons you might need to stay and answer more questions. This might be because:

• You have a longer appointment scheduled.
   
• You have documents that you need to drop off.
   
• You had a new criminal arrest since your last ICE check-in.
   
• Something has changed in immigration enforcement policy.

No. Do not ask the person at the window or any ICE officer questions about your court hearing or immigration case. Do not ask anyone at ICE for advice about your immigration case.

ICE does not provide an interpreter during your check-in. Bring someone who can translate for you if you are not comfortable using English.