Welcome to
the Immigration legal page. This page provides information on laws, regulations and
interpretations controlling immigration and the work of the
immigration-related bureaus of the Department of Homeland Security. You can learn
how immigration laws are made and how
regulations are developed. You can explore agency and judicial interpretations
of those laws. You can also find handbooks and guides used by immigration
officers in performing their mission as well as guides created to help you through the immigration process.
The mission of the Office of the General Counsel is to provide legal
advice to immigration officials concerning issues that arise in conjunction
with their performance of their official duties. (8 CFR 100.2(a)(1) and 103.1(b)(1).) There have been rare cases in which a
particular program is of such general interest and importance that
the Office of General Counsel has rendered a formal legal
opinion. As a matter of policy, we have determined that providing
legal opinions to private parties in matters that may come before
immigration officials is inappropriate. For this reason, we are unable to express
an opinion on the issues submitted by the public.