When you begin a research project, it is usually helpful to begin with secondary sources. Starting with secondary sources aids greatly in finding more specific information and primary sources later. Secondary sources also provide a useful plain-language description of how the law operates in a particular area. In addition to what you will find on this page, other secondary sources (including study aids) can be found on our Immigration Law Treatise Finder. The following resources on our website might also be useful:
Both Lexis and Westlaw have landing pages that gather together all of their immigration-related secondary sources:
If you are in the very early stages of your research and need a quick (but not very in-depth) overview to get you oriented on the law, consider beginning with a legal encyclopedia. The following links go to the index for each of the two major legal encyclopedias -- American Jurisprudence 2d (Am Jur 2d) and Corpus Juris Secundum (CJS) -- specifically, to the entry that is given in each index for "immigration":
A non-comprehensive list of immigration treatises. Also refer to the Practice Materials section below, as many other treatises and texts are listed there.
Additional immigration law titles can be found by searching our catalog using the following subject headings:
Both Lexis and Westlaw include selected immigration law journals in full text. Coverage varies by journal, but note that older materials may not be available on these platforms. We strongly recommend not limiting your journal research to only these platforms; other databases should also be included in your research plan. For more on finding journal articles, consult our Articles for Legal and Non-Legal Research research guide.
A non-comprehensive list of immigration forms and practice materials. Also refer to the Treatises section above, as many there may also be very useful for those practicing immigration law.