Immigration Law Resources
Posted July 21, 2008. Updated by Mary Whisner Oct. 19, 2009.
Prepared by Leslie Street and Carissa Vogel, law librarianship interns (2008).
This research guide provides an overview of immigration law materials: general and secondary sources on immigration law as well as major laws, regulations, cases, and administrative decisions and material. For tips on researching asylum cases see Asylum Research.
For a good overview of the structure of immigration law regulation and enforcement, see Chapter 8 “Immigration Law” by Lourdes Fuentes and Ann Hemmens in Specialized Legal Research (Penny Hazelton, ed.). KF240.S63 1987 at Reference Area
Books
- Immigration Law and Procedure. KF4819.G6 at Reference Area & LexisNexis. Multi-volume treatise by Gordon, Mailman, and Yale-Loehr.
- Bender's Immigration and Nationality Act Service. KF4806.54.M38 1999 at Reference Area & LexisNexis
- Immigration Law and Defense, Immigration Project of the National Lawyers Guild. KF8925.E4 N37 1988 at Reference Area
- Immigration Law and the Family. KF4819.I36 1995 at Reference Area
- Immigration Fundamentals: A Guide to Law and Practice. KF4819.F725 1996 at Reference Area & LexisNexis
- Immigration Law and Crimes (under the auspices of the National Immigration Project of the National Lawyers Guild). KF4819.I472 1984 at Reference Area & Westlaw: IMLC
- Immigration Law Service, 2d. Westlaw: IMMLS2D
- Kurzban’s Immigration Law Sourebook: A Comprehensive Outline and Reference Tool. KF4819.3.K87 2008 at Reference Area
- Steel on Immigration Law, 2d ed. Westlaw: STEEL
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| Area of Law - By Topic > Immigration > Search Analysis, Law Reviews & Journals |
Topical Materials by Area of Practice > Immigration |
For other books in the Gallagher Law Library, search the Library catalog by these subjects:
- Aliens -- United States
- Deportation -- United States
- Emigration and immigration law -- United States
- Visas -- United States
Articles
Two specialized law reviews focus on immigration issues:
Georgetown Immigration Law Journal
- Print: Shelved by title, current issues at Reference Area; earlier years at Compact Stacks
- HeinOnline: Law Journal Library
- LexisNexis: Georgetown Immigration Law Journal
- Westlaw Database: GEOILJ
Immigration Nationality Law Review. HeinOnline: Law Journal Library
Immigration Law Review Articles, Combined
To find other law review articles, search LegalTrac.
Research Guides
- Lourdes Fuentes & Ann Hemmens, Immigration Law, in Specialized Legal Research (ch. 8) (Penny Hazelton, ed.). KF240.S63 1987 at Reference Area
- Georgetown's U.S. Immigration Law Research Guide
- GlobaLex Immigration Law Guide to Australia, Canada, and the U.S.
- Immigration Law on the Web
- University of Maryland's Immigration Policies and Procedures Guide
- Yale's Immigration Legal Services Research Guide
Statutes
United States Code Title 6, Chapter 1 – Homeland Security Organization. GPOAccess & Cornell Legal Information Institute- Sub IV – Directorate of Border and Transportation Security (Cornell)
- Part B: United State Customs Service
- Part D: Immigration Enforcement Functions
- Part E: Citizenship and Immigration Services
- Part F: General Immigration Provisions
Immigration and Nationality Act, 8 U.S.C. §§ 1101-1537. GPO Access & CIS website (conveniently gives both Act and U.S.C. citations)
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| U.S. Code Service--Immigration | FIM-USCA |
Regulations
Code of Federal Regulations. GPOAccess
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| Code of Federal Regulations--Immigration | FIM-CFR |
Administrative Decisions
Department of Justice, Board of Immigration Appeals Decisions
Federal Immigration Administrative Decisions, combined files
- LexisNexis: Federal Immigration Agency Decisions
- Westlaw: FIM-ADMIN
- LexisNexis: Board of Alien Labor Certification Appeals Decisions
- Westlaw: FIM-BALCA
Administrative Materials
Forms
- LexisNexis: Bender's Immigration Litigation Forms
- Westlaw: IMMOF, more than 180 official forms
Foreign Affairs Manual: Used by consular officers worldwide in making visa determinations
- LexisNexis
- Westlaw: FIM-FAM
- Print: KF4800.A15 I57, current issues at Reference Area; previous issues at Classified Stacks
- Westlaw: INTERREL
- Westlaw: FIM-BIAPRAC
- Westlaw: FIM-POLPRPC
- Selected operating instructions
- Westlaw: FIM-OI
U.S. State Department, Country Reports on Human Rights Practices: Includes reports about human rights issues by country and useful in determining country conditions for asylum claims.
- Print: JC571.U48 at Reference Area & Classified Stacks
- Current information (after 2001)
- Archival information (before 2001)
- LexisNexis: Country Reports on Human Rights Practices
- Westlaw: FIM-COUNTRY
Visa Bulletin: Useful for determining wait times for visa backlogs.
- Search for "Visa Bulletin" and the year for specific Bulletins
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| Area of Law - By Topic > Immigration > Find Administrative Materials |
Topical Materials by Area of Practice >
Immigration > Federal Administrative Materials |
Cases
Current Awareness
Newsletters
Interpreter Releases. Weekly. KF4800.A15 I57 at Reference Area. FIM-BIAPRAC
Bender's Immigration Bulletin. Published two times per month. LexisNexis
Immigration Law Today. American Immigration Lawyers Association; monthly. KF4802 .A54 at Reference Area & Westlaw: IM-CURRENT
Blogs & Web-Based Services
Bender's Immigration Bulletin Daily Edition (free on web)
Immigration Daily. Free email newsletter with searchable archive. Parent company is a publisher and CLE provider. Also sponsors Greg Siskind's Blog.
More immigration law blogs:
- ABA directory
- Blawgsearch. Expanded View shows latest three headlines from each blog.
Legislative updates
- LexisNexis: Immigration Legislation Updates
- Westlaw: IM-CURRENT and IM-BILLTXT
For information about researching legislative materials, see the Federal Legislative History guide.
General News Sources
News from assorted journals, magazines, newsletters, newspapers, transcripts, and wire services
- Westlaw: IMM-NEWS
Federal Agencies
U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS)
Parent agency that oversees the three major immigration agencies.
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U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS)
Website includes forms, frequently asked questions, laws (current and historical), and regulations. - U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE)
Maintains information for foreign students and provides the portal to the Northwest Detention Center. - U.S. Customs and Border Patrol (CBP)
Provides reports about border security and travel information and maintains a newroom.
U.S. Executive
Office for Immigration Review
Provides links to Immigration Courts nationwide,
including the
Seattle Immigration Court.
U.S. State
Department
Includes links to laws, policies, and regulations; a
directory of U.S. embassies and consulates; and Visa Services.
U.S. Department of
Labor
Maintains O*Net Online, that includes occupational descriptions needed for certain types of immigration petitions
and links to statutes and regulations on labor certification and immigration.
- Board of Alien Labor Certification Appeals
A database of en banc review decisions.
Organizations
National Immigration Law Center
- Provides analysis of proposed legislation and advocacy work to promote the rights of low-income immigrants
- Provides training and conferences throughout the U.S.
- Maintains a newsletter about immigrants' rights
American Immigration Lawyers Association
- A source for important news, information, and developments
- Provides access to some cases and administrative agency materials
- Provides practice-based materials for immigration law practitioners, including information on practice management and professionalism
- Maintains AILA InfoNet, a members-only database, with USCIS bulletins, letters, and other information
- Also provides information on AILALink, a fee-based comprehensive immigration law database
Statistics
Syracuse University, Transactional Records Access Clearinghouse (TRAC) reports on immigration: Covers aggravated felonies and deportation, border protection, criminal convictions and prosecutions, criminal enforcement, DHS enforcement priorities, the immigration courts, immigration inspections, and related topics.
U.S. Department of Homeland Security, Immigration Statistics, includes individual statistical reports and the Yearbook of Immigration Statistics (1996-date). JV6461.S8 at Classified Stacks
State Laws
Immigration State Laws Pending
National Conference of State Legislatures, Immigrant Policy