The Office of Immigration Litigation is responsible for virtually all civil litigation arising under the immigration laws, including court of appeals petitions for review of final removal orders, citizenship and visa disputes, matters pertaining to legalization and employer sanctions under the Immigration Reform and Control Act, Pub.L. No. 99-603 (Nov. 6, 1986), 100 Stat. 3359, and cases arising under the enforcement reforms of the Illegal Immigration Reform and Immigrant Responsibility Act, Pub. L. No. 104-828, 110 Stat. 3009 (September 30, 1996). The Criminal Division retains jurisdiction over criminal cases, overlapping jurisdiction over certain other denaturalization cases (such as those relating to Nazi persecutors or other human rights abusers), and certain other civil matters bearing on criminal law enforcement, per 28 C.F.R. § 0.45(k). The Civil Rights Division has responsibility for discrimination claims under the 1986 reforms.

[updated December 2020]