Immigration Law

Welcome

The School of Government develops resources in the area of immigration law to assist state and local government agencies and officials. Areas of focus for training and publication in this area include immigration law and procedure, immigration consequences of a criminal conviction, federal preemption of state and local immigration laws, and immigrant eligibility for public benefits. This site contains links to School of Government publications, legislative updates, and resources in this area.

New Resources

Immigration Impacts on North Carolina (Special Issue: Popular Government, Vol. 74, No. 3, Spring/Summer 2009)

From the co-editors: Over the last two decades, newcomers to North Carolina have included large numbers of immigrants from many countries, but particularly from Latin America and Asia. Immigration is generally regulated at the federal level, but its impact is increasingly felt at state and local levels. Ten years ago, Popular Government offered an indepth examination of immigration (see the Fall 1999 issue). Much has changed since then, yet immigration still is a heated and complex topic, often at the forefront of governments’ and citizens’ concerns. This issue of Popular Government explores some of the ways in which state and local governments and communities have responded to North Carolina’s growing immigrant population. The articles address (1) the growing involvement of county sheriffs and other local law enforcement agencies in the enforcement of federal immigration law, and the costs and the benefits of that involvement; (2) local governments’ authority to enact immigrations laws and policies, and the extent to which such measures run afoul of federal law; and (3) immigrants’ access to primary, secondary, and higher education, and the corollary issue of teaching students—both U.S. citizens and immigrants—whose limited proficiency in English presents a barrier to their academic achievement. We hope that these articles will assist local and state policy makers, administrators, and communities as they respond to the challenges and the opportunities posed by North Carolina’s changing demographics.

Law Enforcement's Role in U Visa Certification (June 2009)
In a question and answer format, this bulletin provides law enforcement and other government officials with guidance related to U visa certification for noncitizen crime victims who have been helpful in the investigation or prosecution of the crime.