Purpose: The purpose of this paper is to explore theoretical connections between educational leadership for social justice and support for immigration. The authors seek to identify strengths, weaknesses and opportunities for further study and improved practice. Design/methodology/approach: This is a theoretical research paper that introduces, evaluates and expands two frameworks for understanding leadership and immigration. Findings: Findings suggested that there is a need for educational leadership scholars to more purposefully investigate issues related to social justice and immigration. Originality/value: This study offers a novel theoretical perspective on leadership, social justice and immigration.