Is Otay Mesa the same as the San Diego immigration court?
No. Both have San Diego street addresses, so they are easy to mix up. This court is at 7488 Calzada de la Fuente, the address ICE also lists for the Otay Mesa Detention Center. EOIR's page, updated October 8, 2026, says the court sits in a DHS-controlled detention facility. The San Diego Immigration Court is downtown at 880 Front Street, Suite 4240, with a different phone number. Go only where your latest notice says, and use our guide to confirming a hearing date and court when a relative's location is unclear.
What security should I expect at the Otay Mesa facility?
EOIR sends visitors to ICE's page for entry details, because the building is under DHS control. ICE's page, updated August 6, 2026, says all visitors are subject to a pat-down, inspection of belongings and a metal scan. Firearms and weapons are prohibited, and phones and radios are barred from secure areas. That comes on top of EOIR's own screening. EOIR's Policy Manual warns that people attending hearings at detention facilities must be present at the scheduled time despite any extra security restrictions. ICE's page states no ID rule for general visitors, so ask the facility on 619-671-8700. EOIR's fact sheet also tells visitors to check with facility managers in advance.
Can my family come to the hearing or visit?
These are separate questions. EOIR says hearings are generally open to the public without advance notice, but in a detention building access also depends on the facility. For visits, ICE's page reads: "Currently there are no contact or social video visit for family & friends due to the pandemic." The same page calls family visits non-contact and labels its schedules pre-pandemic, so this line may be out of date. Call 619-671-8700 before making the trip. That line gives detainee information Monday to Friday, 7:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. (7:30–16:00). ICE's detention directory lists other facilities.
Where do I send papers for an Otay Mesa case?
The postal address differs from the street address. EOIR lists mail at P.O. Box 438150, San Ysidro, CA 92143-8150, while the window is at the facility. Public hours end when the window closes. ICE says applications for relief from removal, and others the judge requests, go straight to the court. EOIR's control list, updated October 1, 2026, also names the Yuma Sector Centralized Processing Center and the San Diego Sector Pogo Row soft-sided facility under Otay Mesa. Under 8 CFR 1003.11, papers go to the court with administrative control of the record, so someone held at either site should ask this court where to file. Asylum.Clock.Otay.Mesa@usdoj.gov takes only asylum EAD clock requests, the requests about the day count for a work permit.
Where do I park, and which judges are listed here?
EOIR says visitor parking signs are posted, and it lists no transit information. ICE's page says public parking at the facility is available at no charge. Neither page names a bus or trolley route. EOIR's page lists three immigration judges: Eugene H. Robinson, Mark D. Sameit and Nickolaus Schlegel. That shows who EOIR places at the court, not who has a particular case. For someone in custody, the immigration bond hearing guide covers release, and the master calendar hearing guide covers the first hearing.