Immigration Law Resources

Updated June 20, 2014.
Prepared by Leslie Street and Carissa Vogel, law librarianship interns (2008); updated by Mary Whisner (2009).

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. Multi-volume treatise by Gordon, Mailman, and Yale-Loehr.
KF4819.G6 at Reference Area & LexisNexis.

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

LexisNexis� Westlaw
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

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Articles

Two specialized law reviews focus on immigration issues:

Georgetown Immigration Law Journal

Immigration Nationality Law Review. HeinOnline: Law Journal Library

LexisNexis� Immigration Law Review Articles, Combined

Westlaw  Immigration Law - Law Reviews, Texts and Bar Journals (IM-TP)

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 Clinic Research Guide

Yale's Immigration Legal Services Research Guide

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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
United States Code Title 8, Aliens and Nationality. GPOAccess & Cornell

Immigration and Nationality Act, 8 U.S.C. �� 1101-1537. GPO Access & CIS website (conveniently gives both Act and U.S.C. citations)

LexisNexis�  Westlaw
U.S. Code Service--Immigration FIM-USCA

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Regulations

Code of Federal Regulations. GPOAccess

LexisNexis� Westlaw
Code of Federal Regulations--Immigration

Code of Federal Regulations & Federal Register--Immigration

Bender's Immigration Regulations Service

FIM-CFR

FIM-FR

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Administrative Decisions

Department of Justice, Board of Immigration Appeals Decisions

Federal Immigration Administrative Decisions, combined files

Board of Alien Labor Certification Appeals (BALCA)

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Administrative Materials    

Forms

Foreign Affairs Manual: Used by consular officers worldwide in making visa determinations

Interpreter Releases: Provides the text of decisions of the Board of Immigration Appeals and a digest, 1923-date.
  • Print: KF4800.A15 I57, current issues at Reference Area; previous issues at Classified Stacks
  • Westlaw: INTERREL
Board of Immigration Appeals Practice Manual: Information on the procedures, proceedings, and decisions of the BIA. Policy and Procedure Memorandum from U.S. Citizen and Immigration Service: Provides guidance for dealing with applications and petitions. CIS (formerly INS) Operating Instructions

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.

Visa Bulletin: Useful for determining wait times for visa backlogs.

  • Search for "Visa Bulletin" and the year for specific Bulletins
LexisNexis� Westlaw
Area of Law - By Topic >
Immigration >
Find Administrative Materials
Topical Materials by Area of Practice > Immigration >
Federal Administrative Materials

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Cases

LexisNexis� Westlaw
Federal Immigration Cases FIM-CS

Current Awareness

Newsletters

Interpreter Releases. Weekly.
KF4800.A15 I57 at Reference Area & Westlaw: 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.

ImmigrationProf Blog

More immigration law blogs:

Legislative updates

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

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Federal Agencies 

U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS)
Parent agency that oversees the three major immigration agencies.

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.

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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

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State Laws

LexisNexis� Immigration State Laws Pending

National Conference of State Legislatures, Immigrant Policy

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