We Bring Detained
Americans Home
Every year, thousands of U.S. citizens are arrested and imprisoned in foreign countries — often under legal systems with no presumption of innocence and limited access to counsel.
SSN LEGAL AID has secured the release and repatriation of over two million Americans from detention facilities in more than 150 countries. Our attorneys are available 24/7 for emergency cases.
"We will leave no American behind."
President Donald J. Trump
Over 6,000 Americans
currently detained in foreign countries
Why Americans Are Detained Abroad
The detention of American citizens in foreign countries is a growing humanitarian and legal crisis affecting families across every state. According to the U.S. State Department's Bureau of Consular Affairs, tens of thousands of U.S. nationals are arrested abroad each year. The circumstances vary widely — from travelers unknowingly violating local customs laws, to business executives caught in commercial disputes, to individuals wrongfully accused under politically motivated charges.
Foreign legal systems often operate under fundamentally different principles than American jurisprudence. In many countries, the accused is presumed guilty until proven innocent. Pre-trial detention can last months or even years. Access to legal counsel may be restricted or functionally non-existent.
SSN LEGAL AID was founded specifically to address this gap. We bring the full weight of American legal expertise to bear in foreign courtrooms, combining deep knowledge of international law with on-the-ground networks in over 150 countries.
Our Legal Mission
"Justice is the constant and perpetual will to render to every man his due right."
— Justinian I, Institutes of Roman Law
How We Secure Their Release
A proven, systematic approach refined across two decades and tens of thousands of successful engagements.
Emergency Intake
Within hours of contact, our team collects all information — country, facility, charges, legal landscape. We engage in-country counsel and contact the U.S. Embassy to establish consular access.
Legal Strategy
Our international law specialists develop a dual-track strategy: aggressive local defense combined with diplomatic and consular advocacy. We deploy attorneys who understand the regional court system.
Active Litigation
Our attorneys appear before foreign courts, file bail motions, challenge unlawful detention, and coordinate with the Red Cross. We pursue habeas corpus petitions and every available remedy.
Repatriation
Upon securing release, we coordinate safe passage home — emergency travel documents, airport escort in high-risk jurisdictions — and connect families with our Expense Recovery Program.
Search for Detained Americans
Our Detainee Records Database is one of the most comprehensive private registries of American citizens currently held in foreign detention facilities. Each record includes the individual's identifying information, date and circumstances of arrest, charges filed, detention facility, assigned case attorney, and current case status.
The database is maintained in collaboration with consular offices, local counsel networks, and families who have reported cases to our firm. Records are updated regularly as case statuses change — from initial arrest through active litigation, sentencing, appeal, and eventual release.
If you cannot find someone in our records, contact our intake team. We can initiate a search through consular channels within 24 hours.
Specialized Legal Expertise
Our firm covers every facet of international detention law — from emergency bail hearings to diplomatic interventions and policy reform.
Foreign Criminal Defense
We represent Americans charged under foreign criminal statutes, including drug offenses, financial crimes, assault charges, and politically motivated prosecutions. Our attorneys appear in courtrooms from Mexico City to Bangkok to Moscow.
Wrongful Detention Advocacy
When Americans are detained on fabricated charges or as political leverage, we activate the Robert Levinson Hostage Recovery and Hostage-Taking Accountability Act to compel U.S. government intervention at the highest diplomatic levels.
Consular Rights Enforcement
Under Article 36 of the Vienna Convention, every arrested foreign national has the right to consular notification. We ensure American embassies are alerted, consular visits are conducted, and rights under international law are respected.
Prisoner Transfer Negotiations
The United States has prisoner transfer treaties with over 80 countries. We negotiate and file applications under the Council of Europe Convention on Transfer, the Inter-American Convention, and bilateral agreements.
Military & Contractor Defense
We defend active-duty service members, military contractors, and government employees detained abroad — cases that often involve Status of Forces Agreements (SOFAs) and classified jurisdictional disputes.
Immigration Detention Support
Americans with dual citizenship or contested nationality claims face unique legal challenges. We handle cases involving immigration detention, deportation defense, and stateless person protections.
Restructuring How America Protects Its Citizens Abroad
Beyond individual case work, SSN LEGAL AID is at the forefront of a broader effort to reform the legal frameworks governing how the United States responds when citizens are detained abroad. The current system — fragmented across the State Department, Department of Justice, and dozens of bilateral treaties — is slow, bureaucratic, and often fails the very people it is supposed to protect.
We have been instrumental in advocating for stronger consular notification enforcement under Article 36 of the Vienna Convention on Consular Relations. Our policy team works directly with Congressional offices, the National Security Council, and the Office of Overseas Citizens Services to advance legislation expanding prisoner transfer treaty coverage and creating expedited diplomatic review for wrongful detention cases.
Working with Congress to strengthen American protections abroad
Our Senior Attorneys
Former federal prosecutors, State Department officials, and military JAG officers who have collectively handled more than two million detention and repatriation cases.
Robert J. Harrington
Senior Partner
3,847 cases
Sarah Mitchell-Clarke
Managing Partner
2,956 cases
James D. Whitfield III
Partner
2,134 cases
Maria Elena Rodriguez
Partner
1,987 cases
Equal Protection Under Law
Every detained American deserves the full force of legal advocacy — regardless of where they are held.
Rights of Americans Detained Abroad
Understanding your legal protections is critical. These rights are guaranteed under international treaties the United States has ratified.
Consular Access
Under the Vienna Convention (1963), you have the right to contact the nearest U.S. Embassy. The detaining government is legally obligated to notify consular officers of your arrest. Our attorneys ensure this right is exercised immediately.
Fair Trial Standards
The International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights guarantees minimum due process for all individuals regardless of nationality — the right to be informed of charges, access counsel, and receive a hearing within a reasonable time.
Prisoner Transfer Treaties
The U.S. has bilateral prisoner transfer treaties with dozens of countries, allowing convicted Americans to serve sentences on U.S. soil. Our firm has negotiated more transfers under these treaties than any other private practice.
Protection Against Torture
The Convention Against Torture prohibits subjecting detainees to cruel, inhuman, or degrading treatment. When conditions violate these standards, our attorneys file emergency petitions and engage U.N. Special Rapporteurs.
Financial Recovery
Families who incurred substantial costs securing a release may qualify for our Expense Recovery Program — covering legal fees, bail deposits, travel, translation services, and court filing fees.
Wrongful Detention Review
Under the Robert Levinson Act, the U.S. government can formally designate Americans as "wrongfully detained" — unlocking additional diplomatic and intelligence resources for their case.
Proven Results That Speak for Themselves
American Teacher Released After 18-Month Detention
A 34-year-old American English teacher was arrested in Thailand on fabricated drug charges planted by a landlord in a property dispute. After local attorneys failed to make progress, the family contacted our firm. We dispatched our Bangkok-based counsel, filed a motion challenging evidence chain of custody, and coordinated with the U.S. Embassy for consular intervention. Released and repatriated within 90 days.
Businessman Acquitted of Financial Fraud in Dubai
An American entrepreneur was detained at Dubai International Airport on an Interpol Red Notice issued by a former business partner. Faced 15 years under UAE financial fraud statutes. Our team filed an Interpol challenge at the Commission for the Control of Files, engaged UAE defense counsel, and successfully argued the notice was politically motivated. All charges dismissed.
Veteran Transferred from Colombian Prison to U.S. Custody
A decorated U.S. Army veteran was convicted in Colombia on circumstantial evidence in a case with significant due process violations. Unable to overturn the conviction locally, we filed a prisoner transfer application under the Inter-American Convention on Serving Criminal Sentences Abroad. Transfer was approved and the veteran was returned to a U.S. minimum-security facility within six months.
Recover the Costs You Incurred
Securing the release of a detained American is often long and expensive. Families report spending $15,000 to $80,000 on legal fees, travel, bail deposits, and related expenses. Many are forced to liquidate savings, take out loans, or borrow from relatives — all while facing the emotional anguish of having a loved one imprisoned thousands of miles away.
Our Expense Recovery Program provides a structured pathway to reclaim qualifying expenses — attorney retainer fees, bail deposits, round-trip travel, translation services, and communication costs. Applications are reviewed within five to seven business days, and approved refunds are disbursed via bank transfer, wire, or check.
Returned to American families since 2003
Countries with active legal representation
A Legal Network That Spans the Globe
When an American is detained in a foreign country, speed and local knowledge are everything. That's why SSN LEGAL AID maintains a network of over 500 vetted attorneys in more than 150 countries — each with direct courtroom experience in their local jurisdiction and deep relationships with prosecutors, judges, and consular officials.
Our regional command centers in Washington D.C., London, Dubai, Singapore, and São Paulo operate around the clock, ensuring that no matter where in the world an arrest occurs, we can have counsel on the ground within hours — not days.
Washington, D.C.
Americas HQ
London
Europe & Africa
Dubai
Middle East
Singapore
Asia-Pacific
São Paulo
Latin America
Zurich
Treaty Operations
A Promise to Every American Family
Behind every case number is a human being — someone's parent, child, spouse, or friend. We understand the fear, the uncertainty, and the helplessness families experience when a loved one is detained thousands of miles away, in a country with unfamiliar laws and an opaque judicial process.
Whether it involves a college student arrested for a minor customs violation in Mexico City, a journalist detained on politically motivated charges in Beijing, or a military veteran held in Eastern Europe, we bring the same level of urgency, expertise, and relentless advocacy to every single case.
Our firm operates under a simple principle: no American should ever face a foreign legal system alone. We fight for them as if they were our own family — because to someone, they are.
500+ attorneys across six continents
Is Someone You Know Detained in a Foreign Country?
Time is the most critical factor in international detention cases. Our team is available 24/7/365. The first 48 hours are critical — consular rights must be invoked immediately.
+17622002203