How the Immigration System Works
The U.S. immigration system operates under an intricate set of rules that outline who can enter, reside in, and become a citizen of the United States. It includes various pathways like family-based immigration, employment visas, and refugee and asylum status, each with its own criteria and application processes. Several federal agencies, including the Department of Homeland Security and the State Department, oversee the system and enforce immigration laws and policies, handle applications, and manage border control. Learn more by exploring the resources below.
How the United States Immigration System Works
- How the Immigration System Works
- June 24, 2024
U.S. immigration law is very complex, and there is much confusion as to how it works. This fact sheet provides basic information…
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14,000 Become U.S. Citizens to Celebrate Fourth of July
Coinciding with the Fourth of July each year, naturalization ceremonies turn immigrants into new American citizens. This Independence Day, U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) will welcome over 14,000 new citizens nationwide. These new citizens will be naturalized in approximately 175 ceremonies across the country—at a… Read More
Re-Definition of ‘Public Charge’ Could Drastically Slash Family Immigration
The Trump administration is quietly attempting to revamp the U.S. immigration system by circumventing Congress and changing the nation’s immigration policies through new federal regulations. The administration has always favored a significant reduction in legal immigration and has pursued that goal through multiple avenues: admitting fewer refugees, cutting Temporary… Read More
The Immigrant Success Story: How Family-Based Immigrants Thrive in America
Through analysis of data from the decennial census and administrative data from the Immigration and Naturalization Service, this special report examines the earnings gains over time of all immigrants, as well as the earnings gains experienced by family-based immigrants compared to employment-based immigrants. Read More
The Immigrant Success Story
Some confusion exists regarding the economic aspects of family-based immigration. To help unpack those aspects, this report focuses on one of them—namely, the earnings of family-based immigrants. Read More
Canadian Lawsuit Challenges the United States’ Designation as a Safe Country for Asylum Seekers
The United States has historically been viewed as a nation that welcomes refugees fleeing from violence and persecution in their home countries. Yet, the Trump administration recently reiterated its proposal that Central American refugees seeking asylum in the United States should instead seek refuge in Mexico. As these debates… Read More
Trump Administration Refugee Admissions Fall Drastically Short of Six-Month Benchmark
Six months into fiscal year 2018, the Trump administration has admitted roughly 10,520 refugees, a number so low that it may be impossible to reach the 45,000 target set by the administration last fall. If admissions continue at this slow pace, the United States may barely reach 20,000 refugee… Read More
The Invisible Wall That President Trump Has Already Built
Legal immigration and the number of foreigners visiting the United States has taken a serious hit within the last year, as the Trump administration makes changes to policies and procedures without any Congressional action or approval. These actions have already had a disturbing, cumulative effect as the administration begins to… Read More
The Military’s Strategic and Recruitment Goals Fail When Immigrants Can’t Serve
The United States Armed Forces has long valued the contributions of immigrants—from the War of 1812 to the ongoing conflicts in the Middle East, U.S.-born and immigrant soldiers have fought alongside one another with no concern for nationality or immigration status. Yet, within the first several months of the Trump… Read More
How Anti-Immigrant Rhetoric Turns Immigrants Into Criminals
It has been well established for decades that the vast majority of immigrants are not criminals by any stretch of the imagination. Yet, immigrants who have committed no violent offense are often subjected to a different kind of violence doled out by the U.S. immigration-enforcement system. Young undocumented immigrants… Read More
How the Diversity Visa Lottery Honors American Values
Americans value diversity and family. That is why our immigration system generally reflects those values. The U.S. diversity visa lottery, which was enshrined into law in 1990, was created to encourage legal immigration to the U.S. from countries other than those where immigrants usually migrate from, thus creating a… Read More
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