Before You Visit Otay Mesa: Confirm Hours and Restrictions to Avoid a Wasted Trip

Call Otay Mesa before you travel to confirm current visitation hours and restrictions. Schedules and rules shift due to COVID and other operational issues, and day-to-day conditions affect what's allowed. A two-minute phone call beats driving out only to learn visits are canceled or requirements changed.

For detainee information at Otay Mesa Detention Center, call (619) 671-8700. The published phone hours are Monday through Friday, 7:30 a.m. to 4 p.m., so plan your call within that window.

• ✓ Detainee’s first name, last name (including any hyphenated names)
• ✓ Any aliases the person may use
• ✓ Date of birth
• ✓ Country of birth
• ✓ If it’s urgent: detainee’s full name and A-number, plus your name and a phone number where you can be reached

Here's something that surprises families: detainees at Otay Mesa can't receive incoming calls. If you need to get an urgent message to someone, call the main number and leave the detainee's full name, A-number, and your contact information - staff will pass the message along. For non-urgent communication, the facility points families to the GettingOut service, where you can send messages through tablets available to detainees.

ICE detention standards require a minimum visit duration of 30 minutes. That said, space, scheduling, staffing, and security needs shape how visits actually run day to day - so even when visits are offered, they may be tightly scheduled. Another reason to confirm the current setup before you arrive.

When you call, ask what you can bring and what must stay in your car. As a reference point, ICE detention standards limit personal photos to 10 pictures total, each 5" x 7" or smaller - but don't assume that's exactly how Otay Mesa handles it on the day you visit. Get the current answer from the facility before you pack anything.

Practical Checklist

• ✓ Call (619) 671-8700 Monday–Friday, 7:30 a.m.–4 p.m.
• ✓ Confirm the current visitation hours before you leave home
• ✓ Ask whether there are any current COVID or operational restrictions that could affect your visit

• ✓ Have the detainee’s biographical details ready (full name including hyphenated names, any aliases, date of birth, and country of birth)
• ✓ Ask what identification visitors must present so you don’t show up with the wrong ID

• ✓ Ask what personal items are allowed or limited during visitation
• ✓ Specifically ask about photo limits (ICE standards commonly cap it at 10 photos, 5" x 7" or smaller) and whether Otay Mesa is following that right now

• ✓ Don’t plan on calling the detainee directly - detainees can’t receive incoming calls
• ✓ If you need to leave an urgent message, ask the staff member what details they need (at minimum: detainee’s full name and A-number, plus your name and phone number)
• ✓ Ask what communication options are available for non-urgent messages (the facility notes tablet-based, non-confidential messaging)