Legal Authority

Immigration law in the United States is a fascinating patchwork of Federal law, regulation, and case law from the Board of Immigration Appeals, Federal Circuit Courts, the Supreme Court, and the secret off-the-menu item of Attorney General-authored decisions. Try to keep up.

This is not legal advice. This is a wildly incomplete, evolving knowledge base of case law and relevant statutes that may, or may not, come up frequently in immigration proceedings and processes.

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24 authorities

Matter of A-B-

27 I&N Dec. 316 (A.G. 2018)

Overturned

asylumparticular social group

Matter of H-A-A-V

29 I&N Dec. 233 (BIA 2025)

Current

asylumpre-termissionpretermitprima facie eligibility

Matter of K-E-S-G

29 I&N Dec. 145 (BIA 2025)

Current

asylumparticular social groupcognizability

Matter of A-L-S-

29 I&N Dec. 794 (BIA 2026)

Current

bondflight riskcustodydetention

Niz-Chavez v. Garland

593 U.S. 155 (2021)

Current

notice to appearstop-time rulecancellation of removalNTA

Matter of Buri Mora

29 I&N Dec. 111 (BIA 2024)

Current

cancellation of removal42Bhardship

Matter of Josefina ARAMBULA-BRAVO, Respondent

28 I&N Dec. 388 (BIA 2021)

Current

notice to appearNTAparole

Matter of C-A-R-R-

29 I&N Dec. 13 (BIA 2025)

Current

asylumI-589abandonmentpre-termissionpretermit

Matter of M-A-M-

25 I&N Dec. 474 (BIA 2011)

Current

competencymental competencyprocedural safeguards

INA § 237(a)(1)(B)

INA § 237(a)(1)(B); 8 U.S.C. § 1227(a)(1)(B)

Current

deportabilityremovabilityimmigration statusoverstay

INA § 212(a)(7)(A)(i)(I)

INA § 212(a)(7)(A)(i)(I); 8 U.S.C. § 1182(a)(7)(A)(i)(I)

Current

inadmissibilityentry documentsimmigrant visaadmission

Matter of M-A-F-

26 I&N Dec. 651 (BIA 2015)

Current

asylumI-589REAL ID Actcredibilityone-year filing deadlinenew asylum application

Matter of Graciela QUILANTAN, Respondent

25 I&N Dec. 285 (BIA 2010)

Current

admissionadjustment of status245(a)procedural regularitywaved through

Matter of Monreal

23 I&N Dec. 56 (BIA 2001)

Current

cancellation of removal42Bhardshipexceptional and extremely unusual hardshipqualifying relative

Mendez Rojas v. Wolf

305 F. Supp. 3d 1176 (W.D. Wash. 2018); No. 2:16-cv-01024-RSM

Settlement approved (2020)

asylumone-year filing deadlinenoticeclass action

Matter of M-S-

27 I&N Dec. 509 (A.G. 2019)

Review current treatment

bonddetentionexpedited removalcredible fearparole

Matter of Acosta

19 I&N Dec. 211 (BIA 1985)

Partially superseded

asylumparticular social groupimmutabilitypersecution

Matter of Zambrano

17 I&N Dec. 639 (BIA 1981)

Historical; review current applicability

visa petitionmarriageforeign divorcerecognition of divorce

Rodriguez de Palucho v. Garland

49 F.4th 532 (6th Cir. 2022)

Review current treatment

asylumprivate-actor persecutiongovernment protectiongang violence

Velasquez v. Sessions

866 F.3d 188 (4th Cir. 2017)

Review current treatment

asylumnexusfamilycustody disputeparticular social group

Pereira v. Sessions

585 U.S. 198 (2018)

Current, but see Niz-Chavez.

notice to appearstop-time rulecancellation of removalcontinuous physical presencestatutory interpretation

Matter of A-K-R-

29 I&N Dec. 839 (BIA 2026)

Current

continuanceright to counselgood causenotice to appear

Matter of L-A-B-R- et al., Respondents

27 I&N Dec. 405 (A.G. 2018)

Current

continuancegood causecollateral reliefcase management

Matter of Lozada

19 I&N Dec. 637 (BIA 1988)

Overturned or superseded

ineffective assistance of counselmotion to reopenmotion to reconsiderdue process