Regulations 101

A regulationAn official rule created by a government agency to explain how a law will be carried out and enforced. Regulations have the force of law and provide details that may not be included in the law passed by Congress. is a mechanism through which a federal agency carries out and enforces the laws Congress has passed.

At RegsChange, we focus on immigration-related administrative actionsSteps a government agency takes to carry out, change, or enforce laws and policies — including creating rules, changing forms, or setting fee or fine amounts.. If you are interested in learning more about the legislative processThe steps used to create a federal law. that occurs before an agency creates a regulation, click here. Once Congress passes a law, it may give a federal body, such as the Department of Homeland Security (DHS)A federal department that works to keep the United States safe. It oversees border security and immigration services and enforcement agencies, including ICE and USCIS., Immigration and Customs & Enforcement (ICE)A federal agency within DHS that enforces immigration laws., United States Citizenship & Immigration Services (USCIS)A federal agency within DHS that manages immigration processes, including citizenship, green cards, work permits and immigration applications., the United States Department of State (DOS)The federal department responsible for U.S. foreign policy, diplomacy, passports, visas, and relationships with other countries., or the Internal Revenue Service (IRS)The federal agency responsible for collecting taxes and enforcing tax laws in the United States., among others, the authority to determine how that law will be implemented and enforced as applied. Agencies do this by creating or updating regulations (also known as "rules"), forms, and/or changing applicable fees or fines. Sometimes a new law, court decision, agency policy, or operational need may also require those actions. Depending on the action being taken, different procedures and opportunities for public input may apply.

In this section, we explain the life cycle of a regulationAn official rule created by a government agency to explain how a law will be carried out and enforced. Regulations have the force of law and provide details that may not be included in the law passed by Congress., a form changeAn update to a government-issued form, such as changing questions, instructions, or required information., and a fee increaseA rise in the amount of money people must pay for a government service, application, permit, or benefit., including where and when members of the public or organizations or businesses, like you, can participate in the process.