When a Manhattan immigration lawyer takes on a new case, the first step is to sort out which agency your notice came from. The building at 26 Federal Plaza houses USCIS, ICE and an immigration court, which belong to different systems and have different consequences. Manhattan also has two other immigration courts, at 290 Broadway and 201 Varick Street. The office of Lu Xin Law Offices is in Flushing. We have no office in Manhattan, and Manhattan matters are handled by the Flushing office. The information below is current as of November 6, 2026.
A Manhattan Immigration Lawyer Starts With the Notice: The Floors at 26 Federal Plaza
- USCIS New York Field Office: 3rd floor, Room 3-120. Under USCIS's August 2026 ZIP code table, Manhattan ZIP codes are assigned here, including 10013 in Chinatown. Green card and naturalization interviews fall into this category.
- ICE Enforcement and Removal Operations office: 9th floor, Room 9-110.
- Immigration court: 12th floor, Room 1237, part of the Department of Justice's EOIR. Visitors use the main entrance on the Broadway side, between Duane and Worth Streets, and go through security on entering. Public hours are 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.
The same building does not mean the same case. USCIS belongs to the Department of Homeland Security and decides applications. Immigration court belongs to the Department of Justice and handles removal proceedings. ICE handles enforcement and supervision. Going to the wrong floor can cost you, so when you get a letter, read the letterhead first, then the floor, the time, and whether it is in person or by video.
The other two immigration courts
- Broadway court: 290 Broadway, 15th floor.
- Varick court: 201 Varick Street, 5th floor, Room 507.
Do not go by memory to decide where to go. First check by entering your A-number in EOIR's Automated Case Information system. If you received written notice and fail to appear, the judge may order you removed in absentia (8 U.S.C. §1229a(b)(5)). For how hearings work, see master calendar and individual hearings in immigration court.
An ICE check-in is different from a USCIS interview
An ICE check-in is a supervision procedure, not an approval procedure. Federal court rulings from 2026 record that ICE has four holding rooms on the 10th floor of this building. The government has said the 5th floor is used mainly for family check-ins, but the court also recorded cases of single adults being taken to the 5th floor for processing.
On September 24, 2026, the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York, in Barco Mercado v. Mullin, granted a permanent injunction and certified a class of immigrants who are now or will in the future be held by ICE at 26 Federal Plaza. The case addresses detention conditions and access to attorneys, and does not decide whether any individual will be taken into custody. We did not find court docket records showing whether there was an appeal or a stay after the ruling, so the docket on the day you check controls.
If you have a removal order, an old arrest record or a missed hearing, get an assessment before you check in. Before leaving home, leave your A-number, your notice and your attorney's phone number with a family member. If someone is taken into custody, the family should note the time and place, and the attorney can then decide the next step. The Southern District of New York's website has published updated procedures for immigration habeas petitions. When a petition is needed, whether an attorney can represent you depends on whether the attorney is admitted to that court.
How this differs from Queens and Bethpage
- Living in Flushing: ZIP code 11354 is assigned to the Queens office, at 31-00 47th Avenue, 5th floor, Room 5001, Long Island City.
- Working in Manhattan: A company address does not usually determine where your personal interview is held. It depends on your home address and the notice.
- Asylum Interviews: The New York Asylum Office in Bethpage (1065 Stewart Avenue) covers Queens, Brooklyn, Nassau and other counties. Manhattan and the Bronx are assigned to the Newark Asylum Office in New Jersey.
So a person who lives in Queens goes to Long Island City for an ordinary interview and to Bethpage for an asylum interview. A person who lives in Manhattan goes to 26 Federal Plaza for an ordinary interview but must go to New Jersey (Newark, 100 Mulberry Street) for an asylum interview. USCIS has stated that, beginning April 20, 2026, neither the Bethpage nor the Newark office offers in-person inquiries. For fuller addresses and jurisdictions, see New York Immigration Guide.
What to check before going to 26 Federal Plaza
- Which agency the notice letterhead names, and whether the floor is the 3rd, 9th or 12th.
- Whether the notice says 26 Federal Plaza, 290 Broadway or 201 Varick Street.
- Your moving records. USCIS requires noncitizens to report a new address within 10 days after moving. If you move from Manhattan to Queens, the office for your personal interview may also change from 26 Federal Plaza to Long Island City, and if your address is not updated, notices may be lost in the mail.
- If you have an arrest record, first show your attorney the court disposition documents.
Contact us
Lu Xin Law Offices is located at 36-09 Main Street, Suite 5-D5, Flushing, New York, and has an office at 14 65th St, West New York, New Jersey. We have no office in Manhattan, and Manhattan cases are handled by the Flushing office. Attorney Curran (Michael R. Curran) is licensed in New York and New Jersey. Immigration is a federal matter. Whether an attorney can appear in immigration court depends on whether the attorney is registered with EOIR, and whether an attorney can represent you in the Southern District of New York federal court depends on whether the attorney is admitted to that court. You can ask about this before you engage an attorney. To ask about Manhattan immigration matters, call 347-618-3386. For our services, see Immigration Legal Services.
FAQ
I work in Manhattan. Do I go to 26 Federal Plaza for my green card interview?
Not necessarily. USCIS assigns offices by ZIP code, and for individual cases it usually depends on your home address. People who live in Flushing are generally assigned to the Queens office, but the notice controls.
Is an ICE check-in the same as a USCIS interview?
No. Both may be at 26 Federal Plaza, but the agency, the floor and the consequences differ. USCIS is on the 3rd floor, and the ICE Enforcement and Removal Operations office is on the 9th floor.
Do you have an office in Manhattan?
No. Our office is in Flushing, with another office in West New York, New Jersey. Immigration matters in Manhattan are handled by the Flushing office.
Sources: uscis.gov, uscis.gov, uscis.gov, ice.gov, justice.gov, justice.gov, justice.gov, acis.eoir.justice.gov, law.cornell.edu, nysd.uscourts.gov, uscis.gov, courthousenews.com. The information above is current as of November 6, 2026. Immigration rules and fees may change, so check the latest official requirements before you file.
Attorney Advertising. This article is general information and is not legal advice on any particular case. Eligibility, procedures and outcomes depend on the facts of each case, the applicable law and the decision of the government agency.