26 Federal Plaza in New York City is the Jacob K. Javits Federal Building, a 45-story complex on Foley Square in Lower Manhattan that serves as the city’s main hub for federal agencies, including USCIS, the immigration court, the FBI’s New York Field Office, an IRS Taxpayer Assistance Center, and a Social Security office. Since May 7, 2025, every adult visitor must show a REAL ID-compliant driver’s license, a U.S. passport, or another approved form of identification to get through the front door, and almost every service inside requires a scheduled appointment.1Department of Homeland Security. ID Requirements for Federal Facilities
Which Agency and Floor You Need
The Javits Building packs a lot under one roof, and knowing your floor before you arrive saves time when the morning security line is long. Check your appointment or hearing notice for the exact room number.
USCIS (Room 3-120, 3rd Floor)
U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services runs a major field office on the third floor, handling green card interviews, naturalization ceremonies, employment authorization, and case-specific appointments that can’t be resolved online or by phone. USCIS does not take walk-ins. Without a scheduled appointment or an interview notice, you won’t get past reception.2U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services. Field Offices
Immigration Court (Room 1237, 12th Floor)
The New York Federal Plaza Immigration Court, run by the Executive Office for Immigration Review, is one of the busiest immigration courts in the country, with more than two dozen judges. Hearings are open to the public with limited exceptions. If you have a hearing here, enter through the main entrance on Broadway between Duane and Worth Streets.3Executive Office for Immigration Review. New York – Federal Plaza Immigration Court This is a separate agency from USCIS, even though both deal with immigration.
FBI, IRS, and Social Security
The FBI’s New York Field Office is on the 23rd floor and covers the five boroughs and eight surrounding New York counties.4Federal Bureau of Investigation. New York – FBI The IRS Taxpayer Assistance Center handles in-person help with billing disputes, identity verification, and other issues; bring a government-issued photo ID and a copy of the return in question, and book an appointment for priority service.5Internal Revenue Service. Contact Your Local IRS Office The Social Security Administration also maintains a regional presence for retirement and survivors benefits, SSI, disability, and work-incentive programs.6Social Security Administration. Services – Regional Headquarters
Court of International Trade
The James L. Watson Court of International Trade is attached to the main tower at 1 Federal Plaza and hears customs and international trade disputes with nationwide jurisdiction.7United States Court of International Trade. Court of International Trade It’s part of the Javits complex, not a standalone courthouse, which trips up some visitors.
ID and Security Screening
Federal Protective Service officers manage entry, and screening is more thorough than at a typical office building. Plan on at least 30 minutes before your appointment, more during morning peaks.
For ID, adults 18 and older need a REAL ID-compliant state license, a U.S. passport, or another approved document. If your license has a star or another REAL ID marker in the corner, you’re set. If it doesn’t, bring your passport. Keep your appointment or hearing notice out for security as well.1Department of Homeland Security. ID Requirements for Federal Facilities
Every visitor walks through a metal detector, and bags go through X-ray. Weapons, explosives, and incendiary devices are illegal in any federal facility. Mace and stun guns count as dangerous weapons under federal law and can’t come inside, even if your state allows you to carry them elsewhere. Each facility’s security committee can also ban otherwise legal items it treats as a threat, such as sporting equipment. Food and beverages are usually allowed but may be visually inspected or X-rayed, and some buildings prohibit them outright.8Homeland Security. FAQ Regarding Items Prohibited from Federal Property Cameras and recording devices are prohibited inside the immigration court and other restricted areas; cell phones generally clear screening, but keep the camera closed once you’re upstairs.3Executive Office for Immigration Review. New York – Federal Plaza Immigration Court
Hours and Appointments
The immigration court is open Monday through Friday, 8:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., with filings accepted from 8:30 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. It closes on federal holidays and occasionally for weather.3Executive Office for Immigration Review. New York – Federal Plaza Immigration Court Other agencies follow standard federal business hours, roughly Monday through Friday, 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., though individual public windows may close earlier.
The consistent rule across the building is that appointments matter. USCIS turns walk-ins away. The IRS strongly prefers scheduled visits. Immigration court expects you to arrive with your hearing notice in hand. Showing up hoping to sort something out on the spot almost always ends in a wasted trip.
Getting to Federal Plaza
Public transit is the practical way in. Street parking near Foley Square is essentially nonexistent, and nearby private garages typically charge $25 to $60 per day. Several subway lines drop you within a short walk:
- 4, 5, 6 trains to Brooklyn Bridge–City Hall, the closest stop and about two blocks south of the building.
- J, Z trains to Chambers Street, a few blocks west.
- R, W trains to City Hall.
- 2, 3 trains to Chambers Street, then north on West Broadway to Duane Street and east toward the plaza.
- A, C trains to Chambers Street, then two blocks north on Church Street to Duane and two blocks east.
If you’re headed to the Court of International Trade, that court recommends the 4, 5, 6 to Brooklyn Bridge–City Hall as the most direct route.9United States Court of International Trade. Directions to the Court Local bus routes from multiple boroughs also converge on Foley Square.
Don’t Confuse It With Nearby Courthouses
Federal Plaza sits in a cluster of federal buildings, and mixing them up can cost you a hearing. The Thurgood Marshall U.S. Courthouse at 40 Foley Square, steps from the Javits Building, is the seat of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit and handles federal appeals, not trials or immigration matters.10United States Court of Appeals 2nd Circuit. United States Court of Appeals 2nd Circuit The Daniel Patrick Moynihan U.S. Courthouse houses the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York, which hears federal civil and criminal trials for Manhattan, the Bronx, Westchester, and five other counties.11United States District Court Southern District of New York. Daniel Patrick Moynihan United States Courthouse Both are separate buildings from 26 Federal Plaza. Read the address on your paperwork before you leave.