How to Leave an Urgent Message for Someone at Otay Mesa Detention Center
You can't call someone directly at Otay Mesa Detention Center. If you need to get urgent information to them, your fastest option is calling the facility during phone hours and leaving a message with the details staff require.
This procedure is for time-sensitive situations: a death in the family, a serious family emergency, or critical medical information. It's not meant for routine case questions or everyday updates. The goal is straightforward. Give staff the details they need so they can pass a message to the detainee.
For urgent-message requests at Otay Mesa Detention Center, call (619) 671-8700. The facility’s phone hours for detainee information are Monday through Friday, 7:30 a.m. to 4 p.m., so try to call within that window to avoid delays.
When you reach staff, tell them you need to leave an urgent message for a detainee. Have these details ready: the detainee's full name, their A-number (alien registration number), your own name, and a phone number where you can actually be reached. The facility's process is that the detainee will be given your message.
- ✓ Detainee’s full name (include first, last, and any hyphenated names)
- ✓ Any aliases the detainee may use
- ✓ Date of birth
- ✓ Country of birth
- ✓ A-number (alien registration number), if you have it
- ✓ Your name
- ✓ Your callback phone number
Once you leave the information, staff will pass the message along to the detainee. Since you're calling the general detainee-information line (Monday through Friday, 7:30 a.m. to 4 p.m.), focus on clarity: full name, A-number, and a callback number that will actually reach you.
Detainees at Otay Mesa cannot receive incoming calls. You can't dial the facility and ask to be connected to someone directly. That's exactly why leaving an urgent message through the facility number is the documented option for time-sensitive situations.
For non-urgent updates, detainees also have tablets. You can use the GettingOut service to send non-confidential messages. Just know that anything sent this way should be treated as non-private. When the message truly can't wait, stick with the phone procedure above.
Pre Call Checklist
- ✓ Call (619) 671-8700 Monday through Friday, 7:30 a.m. to 4 p.m.
- ✓ Have the detainee’s identifying info ready (full name, aliases, date of birth, country of birth, A-number if known)
- ✓ Have your name and a reliable callback phone number ready
Note: The facility doesn't specify how quickly messages are delivered, whether you'll get confirmation of delivery, or any limits on message content and confidentiality. If those details matter for your situation, ask when you call.
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