Is the Tacoma court really inside the detention center?
Yes. EOIR says the court sits in a DHS-controlled detention facility, the Northwest ICE Processing Center, and sends visitors to ICE's facility page for entry information. The addresses differ by one suite: EOIR gives the court as Suite 3, and ICE gives the facility as 1623 E J Street, Suite 2, Tacoma, WA 98421-1615. Everything else about arrival follows from this. You enter a detention building, not a courthouse, even if you are only filing a paper or watching a hearing. If your notice names the Seattle court instead, go there; the two are not interchangeable.
What do I need to get through the lobby?
Bring valid photo identification: EOIR says everyone must have it. All visitors must check in and sign in with the lobby officer, and everyone is screened in the lobby by metal detector, with manual inspection of items and extra screening if needed. ICE's facility page says anyone who refuses a reasonable search will not be admitted. It bars firearms and weapons from the whole facility, and electronic devices, including phones, from secure areas. So plan on being without your phone, and write down your A-number and any contact you need. EOIR also bars food and drinks unless the judge permits them. Ask the court before the day if you have a concern about your ID.
How do I get there without a car, and is there parking?
EOIR is frank about this. The facility is in the industrial area near downtown Tacoma, street parking is limited, and there is no public transit in the immediate area. The closest point it names is Tacoma Dome Station, about one mile from the detention center, and it links to the Sound Transit page for that station. Plan the last mile yourself, on foot or by a ride, and leave spare time. An individual merits hearing can run long, so a short street spot may not suit it. EOIR gives no parking lot, and we do not name one. Public hours are 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., and the window runs 8 a.m. to 4 p.m.
My relative is held here. Is attending court the same as visiting?
No. Hearings are generally open to the public with no advance notice needed, but that does not give you a family visit. ICE's page says family visits are non-contact and daily, with check-in by 8:45 a.m., 2:45 p.m. or 8:15 p.m. Later arrivals are admitted but do not get a full hour. Visits depend on an odd or even date and the person's classification. To locate someone, call the facility at 253-779-6000 with the full name, date and country of birth. Court questions go to 253-779-6020. Release questions belong in our guide to the immigration bond hearing. Facility rules can change, so call before driving in.
How do I confirm a date or find the judge's link?
A relative usually needs the A-number from the detained person's papers: 1-800-898-7180 and acis.eoir.justice.gov both run on it, and an 8-digit number takes a leading 0. Our guide covers finding a hearing. The court is on 253-779-6020 and Tacoma.Immigration.Court@usdoj.gov. EOIR's directory, updated October 29, 2026, lists 7 names: Assistant Chief Immigration Judge Theresa Scala, Matthew Davidhizar, Tammy Fitting, Charles Floyd, John Odell, Joshua D. Rosen and Traci Winder, each with a Webex link and code for 1-415-527-5035. The court page, updated October 8, 2026, shows Davidhizar as a temporary judge. EOIR's Administrative Control List names Alaska, Idaho and Montana corrections departments and Oregon prison sites under Tacoma, but that describes records, not a person's hearing. Lawyers file through ECAS.