Los Angeles County has two federal detention facilities — one active, one recently closed. If someone you know has been arrested on federal charges in the Central District of California, here’s where they are and how to reach them.
Metropolitan Detention Center Los Angeles (MDC LA)
The only active dedicated federal detention facility in Los Angeles County.
| Address | 535 N. Alameda Street, Los Angeles, CA 90012 |
|---|---|
| Phone | (213) 485-0439 |
| Managing Agency | Federal Bureau of Prisons (BOP) |
| Security Level | Administrative (all levels) |
| Population | ~938 (capacity ~1,000+) |
| Opened | 1988 |
MDC LA is a short-term pretrial facility located in Downtown LA adjacent to the federal courthouses. It houses:
- U.S. Marshals Service (USMS) detainees — the vast majority. Anyone arrested on federal charges in the Central District of California (the largest federal judicial district in the country by population) is typically brought here pretrial.
- Federal Bureau of Prisons (BOP) inmates — serving short federal sentences, holdovers, or administrative transfers.
- Occasional overflow holds from other federal agencies.
Finding an Inmate at MDC LA
Use the BOP Inmate Locator at bop.gov/inmateloc. You can search by name or BOP register number. Visiting rules and current information are available at bop.gov/locations/institutions/los.
FCI Terminal Island — Closed as of Late 2025
Federal Correctional Institution Terminal Island was a low-security federal prison in San Pedro, Los Angeles County, that operated for decades as the main long-term federal prison in the area.
| Address | 1299 Seaside Avenue, San Pedro, CA 90731 |
|---|---|
| Managing Agency | Federal Bureau of Prisons (BOP) |
| Security Level | Low security |
| Status | Closed — operations suspended late November 2025 |
Terminal Island was shut down due to severe infrastructure failures — crumbling concrete in underground steam tunnels and structural decay requiring an estimated $110+ million in repairs. As of early 2026, BOP has announced plans for permanent closure. All inmates were transferred to other BOP facilities, with priority given to keeping them near their release districts.
Do not attempt to visit or send mail to Terminal Island — the facility is not operational. Check bop.gov for any updates.
ICE Immigration Detention in Los Angeles
There are no dedicated ICE detention facilities currently operating inside Los Angeles County or the City of Los Angeles. The Los Angeles ICE Field Office (300 N. Los Angeles St., Room 7631) oversees the region, but immigration detainees are held at:
- Adelanto ICE Processing Center — San Bernardino County (~100 miles away)
- California City Detention Facility — Kern County
- Occasional temporary holds at LASD county jails under contract
Finding an ICE Detainee
Use the ICE Online Detainee Locator at locator.ice.gov. You can search by name and country of birth, or by Alien Registration Number (A-Number).
What About Mira Loma?
Mira Loma Detention Center (45100 N. 60th St. West, Lancaster, CA) was historically used for ICE immigration detention under an LASD contract. It stopped accepting immigration detainees around 2013. As of 2026, it is not active as a federal or ICE detention facility.
Federal Courthouse Holding Cells (Same-Day Only)
The U.S. Marshals Service maintains secure holding areas inside both downtown federal courthouses for defendants appearing for hearings. These are not detention facilities — they hold defendants only for same-day court appearances, after which detainees are transported back to MDC LA.
- Edward R. Roybal Federal Building & U.S. Courthouse — 255 E. Temple St., Los Angeles, CA 90012
- First Street U.S. Courthouse — 312 N. Spring St., Los Angeles, CA 90012
Key Contacts
- BOP Inmate Locator: bop.gov/inmateloc
- MDC LA main: (213) 485-0439
- ICE Detainee Locator: locator.ice.gov
- Central District CJA (federal public defender): cacd.uscourts.gov
