Administrative agencies create a variety of materials. These can include opinions, rulings, orders, and guidance. These materials are not collected on a government-wide basis, and how these documents are published and collected can vary from agency to agency. The following boxes contain information on how to find decisions and guidance from the Board of Immigration Appeals, USCIS Administrative Appeals Office, Board of Alien Labor Certification Appeals, Office of the Chief Administrative Hearings Officer, and Customs & Border Protection.
For more information on administrative agency materials, consult our Administrative Law Research Guide:
The Board of Immigration appeals reviews the decisions of immigration courts and issues both precedent and non-precedent decisions. These can be found on Westlaw, Lexis, HeinOnline, and at the Executive Office for Immigration Review.
For information on unpublished BIA decisions, consult a librarian.
We highly recommend consulting the The Board of Immigration Appeals Practice Manual, which is available on the Executive Office for Immigration Review site and Westlaw.
The USCIS Administrative Appeals Office handles appeals of the denial of certain immigration benefits. More information can be found on the Administrative Appeals Office site.
The Board of Alien Labor Certification Appeals (BALCA) primarily hears appeals brought by employers whose applications to certify non-U.S. citizens to work in the U.S. have been denied
The Office of the Chief Administrative Hearings Officer, located in the Department of Justice, reviews certain employment-related immigration court decisions. Additional information can be found on this DOJ Fact Sheet.
The Customs Bulletin and Decisions "provides a weekly compilation of decisions, rulings, regulations, notices, and abstracts concerning customs and related matters of the U.S. Customs and Border Protection, U.S. Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit, and U.S. Court of International Trade." More information can be found on the CBP site.
