Legal Services: Laws & Policies

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Here are some links to the laws and policies governing immigration and naturalization in the U.S.

Immigration and Naturalization Laws, Regulations, and Guides
This page, maintained by U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services, contains links to immigration laws and regulations; policy guidance and operating manuals and memoranda; administrative and Board of Immigration Appeals decisions; and othe legal information.

• The Immigration and Nationality Act
  The U.S. immigration law, maintained on the Web site of U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services. Hypertext version; periodically updated.


• Title 8, Code of Federal Regulations (8 CFR)
  U.S. immigration regulations, maintained on the Web site of U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services. Hypertext version; periodically updated.


• The Federal Register
  Maintained by the National Archives and Records Administration/Government Printing Office, this page allows you to search for the latest proposed, interim, or final immigration regulations.

Board of Alien Labor Certification Appeals (BALCA) Decisions
The U.S. Department of Labor's Office of Administrative Law Judges library immigration collection.

Virtual Law Library
Web site maintained by the Executive Office for Immigration Review, containing links to Board of Immigration Appeals (BIA) decisions, the BIA Practice Manual, immigration legislation and regulations, a roster of accredited representatives, circuit court opinions, and other resources.

Detention Standards
This document contains U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement policy pertaining to immigration detainees.

Exercising Prosecutorial Discretion
This 2000 memorandum from the former Immigration and Naturalization Service describes the principles with which the Immigration Service exercises prosecutorial discretion and the process to be followed in making and monitoring discretionary decisions.