DOJ Office of Immigration Litigation

The Office of Immigration Litigation (OIL) is housed within the Department of Justice’s Civil Rights Division. OIL oversees all civil immigration litigation and is responsible for coordinating national immigration matters before federal district courts and circuit courts of appeals. OIL also provides support and coordination to federal agencies involved in the immigration system. The office is divided into the appellate, district court and enforcement sections. Cases handled by OIL shape the climate in which refugees may seek asylum. For example, cases litigated by OIL have set precedents that permit refugees to seek asylum if they fled a country due to oppressive reproductive health policies—for example, countries that have mandated sterilization or restricted the number of births per family.