About the History Office

The History Office researches, writes, and preserves the history of the federal Immigration and Naturalization Services and encourages academic studies of the same. Agency historians welcome inquiries from scholars, students, and other researchers interested in the histories of USCIS, its predecessor the Immigration and Naturalization Service (INS), and all aspects of federal immigration and nationality policy.

If you are interested in conducting in-depth research on the history of USCIS, INS, or any topic related to the history of federal immigration and nationality policies, please first consult our Researching Topics and Events page.

The USCIS Historical Library outside Washington, D.C. welcomes researchers by appointment only. Please email us to schedule an appointment. For more information, see our About the Library page.