New York City Field Office
Varick Federal Detention Facility

About Us

Who Are We?
Where Are We?
Hours and Visitations
Contacting Us
Local Procedures

 

Who Are We?

The U. S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) Varick Detention Facility is located at 201 Varick Street, 4th floor, New York, New York. The Varick Detention Facility is operated under Contract with the Ahtna Technical Services Inc. (ATSI - http://www.ahtna-technicalservices.com/aboutus.htm).

The Varick Detention Facility is a 250-bed dormitory style facility, which houses only adult male aliens (criminal and non-criminal).

Detention and Removal Operations

Field Office Director: Christopher Shanahan
Assistant Field Office Directors: Wayne Muller and Ruben Perez (212) 863-3401

ATSI

Facility Director: Edward Reilly
Assistant Facility Director: James Bealts (212) 337-0437

Where Are We?

U.S. Department of Homeland Security Immigration and Customs Enforcement
201 Varick Street, 4th Floor
New York, NY 10014

The detention facility is located at 201 Varick St. It is in the neighborhood of Greenwich Village in lower Manhattan on the corner of Varick and Houston streets. The visitor’s entrance is on Houston Street. You must show photo ID to enter the building and will be subject to search.

Parking: There are some parking garages in the area, but they fill quickly and are expensive. There is meter parking on the street, but many allow only up to an hour.

Public Transportation:

By PATH Train:
33rd St. Train to Christopher Street. Walk south on Hudson Street to Houston Street.

By Subway:
#1 local train to Houston Street (corner of Houston and Varick).
C or E trains to Spring Street (corner of Spring and 6th Avenue).
A, B, C, D, E, F (not all run full-time) to West 4th Street (corner of West 4th and 6th Avenue).

By Bus
M5, M6, and M21 buses stop on West Houston near Varick. M10 bus (7th and 8th Ave.) uptown on Hudson to near Houston. Some, not all, M10's downtown go as far south as Houston. M15 bus connects with the M5 and M21 at E. Houston. Take M21 bus to Varick, or M5 bus to 6th Avenue.

Accessibility for Individuals with Special Needs: Special needs customers may report to the main entrance of the building on Houston Street which is manned 24 hours by security.

 

Hours and Visitations

Public Visiting Hours

General visitation will be conducted seven days a week during the following hours with prior approval:
Monday through Friday from: 1 p.m. - 4 p.m.
Saturday and Sunday from: 9 a.m. - 11 a.m. and 1 p.m. - 3 p.m.

General Visitation:

Visitors must have a valid government issued verifiable photo identification card.

Minors who are visiting the facility must be accompanied by an adult guardian (18 years or older). Children cannot be left unaccompanied in the waiting room, visiting room or lobby. Any disruptive conduct by the detainee or visitor will result in the termination of the visit.

Attorney Visitation Hours:

Legal representatives are authorized to visit their clients every day from 8 am to 9 pm. A list of pro-bono (free) legal organizations is posted in all detainee housing units and other appropriate areas. This list is updated quarterly.

Consular Visits:

Consular officials may meet with their detained nationals at any time. It is requested that prior arrangements be made with the office of the ICE Assistant Field Office Director to the extent possible, and that consular officials bring appropriate credentials when they come to the facility. The Assistant Field Office Director can be reached at (212) 863-3526.
A listing of free consular phone numbers is posted in each housing unit.

Visiting Restrictions:

All visits must be scheduled and will be non-contact. Visits will be limited to one (1) per day with 30-minute duration. All visitors are subject to search.
There will be a limit of four visitors approved for any one 30-minute visit. Every child under the age of 18 years must be accompanied by an adult who can be responsible for no more than one child at any time on the property. If detainee visitors bring minors they are expected to remain under the direct supervision of the adult visitors so they will not disturb others. The number of persons in the visiting booth will be limited to one adult and one non-adult visitor. No firearms or weapons of any kind are permitted in the facility including off duty LEO’S wanting to visit.

• Visitors are not allowed to pass or attempt to pass any items to detainees.
• Visitors are not allowed to chew gum in the facility.
• Visitors are not allowed to carry any items into the visitation area.
• If Visitors are or appear to be under the influence of alcohol or any drug, visitation will not be permitted.
• If contraband such as drugs, alcohol, or weapons are found on any person, that person may be subject to arrest and prosecution.
• Visitors must dress appropriately in socially accepted attire following good taste.

The following is a list of prohibited clothing items:

• Mini skirts
• Short shorts
• Bare feet
• Flip flops
• Tank tops
• Tube tops
• Sexually explicit attire
• Transparent or translucent material (see thru clothes)
• Gang-related colors, emblems or signs on any clothing or headgear
• Items deemed to be inappropriate by the ICE DRO Officer on duty.

Search Procedures:

Visitors and any articles in their possession are subject to search before entry to the visitor waiting area to protect the facility, to include staff and detainees alike, from the introduction of contraband. This may include a pat-down search of their person, an inspection of their bags, pocket books, purses, outer garments, head gear, luggage, etc. and a metal scan search. Individuals refusing to cooperate with a reasonable search will be denied entry.

 

Contacting Us

Detention:

Many of the detainees held at the Varick Street Detention Facility have been picked up from jails, prisons, courts and other law enforcement facilities in the New York area or transferred by other ICE or DHS Components. If you need information about a detainee you may call (212) 863-3401 during normal business hours. (Please do not call until the detainee has been in our custody for at least 24 hours). When you do call, please have his/her biographical information ready, including first, last and hyphenated names, any alias names he/she may use, date of birth, and country of birth if possible. If you do not have this information, we may not be able to help you.

The only information you will receive is the detainee’s alien registration number if they are in Varick Street custody. If you need to get in touch with a detainee you must call (212) 337-9540 and leave the detainee’s full name, alien registration number and a telephone number where you can be reached. He or she will be given your message.

Freedom of Information Act (FOIA):

All FOIA/PA requests must be submitted on form G-639 (Freedom of Information / Privacy Act Request) or in letter format. All requests must contain the original notarized signature of the subject in question. Please complete the form G-639 thoroughly and if writing a letter, be sure to include your full name, any other names used, date of birth, place of birth, A-number, and your address and telephone number, so that we may contact you if we have any questions.

Mail your FOIA/PA request to:
Via: U.S. Postal Service or any overnight delivery, e.g. FedEx
Immigration and Customs Enforcement
Freedom of Information Act Office,
800 North Capitol Street, NW, Room 585
Washington, DC 20536
Phone – 1-866-633-1182
E-mail – ICE-FOIA@dhs.gov

Finding the status of your case:

Immigration Court:
For information about a matter before the Immigration Court you may contact them at 1-800-898-7180. Applications for relief from removal, stay of removal, and other applications requested by the Immigration Judge must be filed directly with the Immigration Court at the address above.

Board of Immigration Appeals (BIA):
For information about a matter before the Board of Immigration Appeals (BIA) you may contact them at (703) 605-1007 where you can obtain automated information and/or speak to a live representative during office hours. Their menu of automated options includes:

• Information about the Board's mailing address, location, and web site information
• Appeals and motions
• Transcripts and briefs
• Board decisions and stays of deportation
• Change of address

Legal Help:

Click the link for a list of pro bono representatives who might be able to assist you.

Talking with the Press/Media:

The Facility has a responsibility to protect the privacy and other rights of detainees and members of the staff; therefore, interviews will be regulated to ensure the orderly and safe operation of the Facility. Ordinarily, live television or radio interviews will not be permitted in the facility.

Correspondence and Phone Contacts with the Media:
Detainees may correspond with the media and may use facility telephones at their own expense to call the media.

Personal Interviews:
A news media representative who desires to conduct an interview with a detainee must apply in writing to the New York City Detention and Removals Office, indicating familiarity with and agreement to comply with the rules and regulations of the Facility as provided to that person by staff.

Detainee Consent:
A detainee has the right not to be interviewed, photographed, or recorded by the media. Before interviewing, photographing, or recording the voice of a detainee, a visiting representative of the media must obtain written permission from that individual.

Press Information Office:

For press inquiries, please contact the ICE Public Affairs Officer in New York, NY at (646) 313-2716.

Feedback:

We strive to provide quality service to people in our custody, their family, friends, and to their official representatives. If you believe that we have not lived up to this commitment, we would like to know. If we have met or exceeded your expectations, please let us know that as well. To comment on the services provided at this office, please write to:

U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement
Assistant Field Office Director
11th Floor, Room 1127
201 Varick Street, New York, NY 10014

If you feel that an ICE employee or a contract employee mistreated you and wish to make a complaint of misconduct, you may call or write to:

Director of Detention and Removal Operations
U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement
26 Federal Plaza, 11th floor
New York, NY 10278
(212) 264-5085

or

Office of Professional Responsibility
425 “I” Street, NW
Room 3260
Washington, DC 20229
(877) 246-8253

You may also file a complaint by filing a DHS Form I-847.

 

Local Procedures

Bonds:

To post a Departure or Delivery Bond:
These bonds are posted when a person has been placed into Removal/Deportation Proceedings while in the United States. The person supplying the bond money must show proof of identity. This person (the obligor) is responsible for ensuring that the alien presents himself before an officer or agent of this agency whenever a request is made. For bond information, please call (212) 264-4213 and ask to speak to the Deportation Officer handling the case. You must have the last name of the detainee and alien registration number before calling.

Commissary:

Commissary services are available to detainees at this facility. The following schedule is for commissary. Commissary sheets are passed out on Sunday evening for pick up on Monday morning and issuance of commissary on Tuesday. In addition commissary sheets shall be handed out on Tuesday evening and picked up Wednesday morning and issuance of commissary on Thursday.

Mail:

A postal allowance has been established at government expense for indigent detainees. These detainees will be permitted to mail a reasonable amount of mail each week, including at least five pieces of special correspondence and three pieces of general correspondence. The facility generally does not limit the amount of correspondence detainees may send at their own expense, except to protect public safety or facility security and order. All outgoing mail must have a return address with detainee’s name, alien registration number, and complete address of the facility clearly written on the envelope.

Receiving Mail:

Detainees may receive mail from anyone they know personally. The letter/mail must have the detainee’s immigration number (File Number), facility ID number (if applicable), plus the sender’s name and address. All incoming social and legal mail will be opened and inspected for contraband. The mail is not read, only inspected by the delivering officer. When a detainee departs the facility, his or her mail is sent to the forwarding address. If no forwarding address is provided, the mail is endorsed, "No Forwarding Address, Return to Sender", and then returned to the U.S. Postal Service.

Medical Care:

The facility is staffed 24 hours a day, 7 days a week with qualified medical staff of United States Division of Immigration Health Services (USDIHS). They are responsible for the medical services provided at the facility. If a medical emergency arises that the USDIHS staff is unable to control or is beyond the scope of their practice, or the detainee is in need of more comprehensive care, the detainee will be referred to the nearest emergency medical facility.

Money:

Detainee Sending Money Out:
Detainees may release funds outside the facility in the form of a money order to their spouse or other family members by using a property release form. This is done through Detainee Accounting Clerk. All expenses associated with the mailing of the funds will be the responsibility of the detainee making the request.

Receiving Money:
It is permissible for a detainee to receive certified checks or money orders via the mail. Cash and personal checks are not accepted. Funds are deposited into an account for the detainee’s use. A receipt is provided to the detainee and will be released to them when they are released or removed from the facility. During visiting hours, visitors can drop off certified checks or money orders, which will then be deposited in the detainee’s account. Please note that a U.S. Postal Service money order is the only money order that is guaranteed and not subject to a hold.

Sending Packages:

A detainee may send out packages at his or her own expense. In some cases, the agency may pay for an indigent detainee to send packages within the United States.

Receiving Packages:

A detainee may receive items that are determined to be of necessity for the sole purpose of travel or release from agency custody with approval of the ATSI Chief of Security. No items should be sent to a detainee without the supervisor’s approval. Also, hygiene items are not permitted from outside sources. These are issued or purchased by the detainee at the facility. Do not send magazines and photographs depicting nudity or explicit sexual acts. Material offering training in martial arts, destructive device manufacturing, or similar devices is prohibited. Any food items received will be confiscated and destroyed in the presence of the detainee. Magazines can only be purchased from a publishing company, and mailed directly to the detainee at the facility. If a detainee was arrested without any property and will be removed from the United States, you may drop off one bag of luggage for him or her, weighing no more than 40 pounds. A detainee arrested at an airport or seaport who already has baggage in excess of 40 pounds, will not be allowed any additional luggage. Please be advised that for security reasons, no electronic devices (cell phones, electric razors, lap-top computers, radios, etc.) will be accepted.

Religious Services and Observances:

All detainees in the facility have access to religious resources, services, instructions, and counseling on a voluntary basis. Detainees shall be extended the greatest amount of freedom and opportunity for pursuing any legitimate religious belief or practice within the constraints of security and safety considerations. The religious service schedule is posted in the housing unit.

Smoking:

This is a Non-Smoking facility. No cigarettes, tobacco or smoking paraphernalia is allowed.

Making Telephone Calls:

Telephones are available in the housing area, recreation and other areas within the confines of the facility for detainees to use. Telephone calls are debit or collect calls, and made at the expense of the detainee or the person called.

All calls made from the detainee phone system are subject to monitoring.

In case of a verified emergency, access to telephones will be available. Routine telephone calls to attorneys are not considered to be emergencies.

Pre-paid phone cards may be purchased by the detainee upon admittance to the facility – thereafter, purchased Monday through Friday for use with the phones located in the dormitories. These cards may be used for all calls, local, national and international long distance calls. The cost of the card will be deducted from the detainee personal account. Only facility purchased cards may be used in facility phones – detainees cannot use personal phone cards. International, national and local collect calls may be made on these phones as well.

Consular and Attorney Phone Calls:

Detainees can call their consulates or embassies free of charge, as well as several pro bono (free) legal organizations. Those numbers are updated as necessary.

Calling a Detainee:

Detainees cannot receive incoming calls. If you need to get in touch with a detainee to leave an urgent message, you must call (212) 337-9540 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 and advised to return your call as soon as possible.

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