Immigration law in the United States is governed by a single federal framework under the Immigration and Nationality Act — there are no state immigration systems. The rules for who may enter, work, study, or remain are set at the federal level and applied uniformly across all 50 states.

The Department of Homeland Security, through USCIS, CBP, and ICE, administers immigration benefits, enforcement, and removal proceedings. Immigration courts operate under the Executive Office for Immigration Review; the Board of Immigration Appeals handles appellate review of removal cases.

Visa categories — family-based, employment-based, humanitarian, and nonimmigrant — are defined by federal statute. Citizenship and naturalization requirements are federal, as are asylum and refugee protections.

What does vary by state is the local legal environment: processing times at USCIS service centers, the courts and field offices serving your jurisdiction, and whether local law enforcement cooperates with federal immigration agencies.

An immigration attorney familiar with both the federal framework and the courts serving your area brings the most relevant expertise. Use the state selector below to find immigration lawyers by jurisdiction.