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.
New Report Reveals the Impact of COVID-19 Across the US Immigration System
The American Immigration Council's latest report examines major changes to the U.S. immigration system in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic and the unique challenges the pandemic has created for noncitizens and government agencies. Read More
Board of Immigration Appeals Green Lights Major Errors on Notice to Appear Forms
The U.S. government rejects an immigrant’s entire application for a visa or immigration benefit over a single blank field on a form. Applications can be rejected if a box is left unchecked or has a missing line—say, for an apartment number when the applicant lives in a house, or… Read More
What You Need to Know About President Trump’s Latest Ban on Immigration
At a time when our country is united in the fight against the coronavirus, President Trump is seeking to divide us by turning to a familiar target—immigrants. The president first threatened a full ban on immigration via a tweet Monday night. On Wednesday, he issued a somewhat narrower ban… Read More
Trump’s Immigration Ban Does Not Keep Us Safer or Solve our Economic Challenges
President Donald Trump signed an executive order to temporarily suspend immigration to the United States. The order applies to many individuals currently outside the United States who do not yet have immigrant (permanent) visas. Read More
There’s No Need to Panic Over Trump’s New Denaturalization Office
The Trump administration is creating a new office of attorneys tasked with stripping immigrants of their U.S. citizenship. The task force will investigate and prosecute people it suspects fraudulently obtained citizenship by lying or omitting information on their applications. The Denaturalization Section will be housed in… Read More
Tent Immigration Courts Are Still Not Fully Open to the Public
Asylum seekers subject to the Migrant Protection Protocols—or the “Remain in Mexico” program—in Laredo and Brownsville, Texas attend their court hearings in tents known as “port courts.” The government announced these secretive courts would finally be opened last week, but the public still does not have full access. For the… Read More
4 Ways USCIS’ Proposed Fee Increase Fails to Solve the Agency’s Problems
U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services’ (USCIS) recent proposal to increase most of their fees has been met with strong opposition. The proposal drew widespread attention, garnering nearly 10,000 comments. The agency claims the new fees will help reduce the growing application backlog. Read More
3 Ways Our Immigration System Can Eliminate Barriers to Becoming a US Citizen
When people who immigrate to the United States are enabled to become U.S. citizens, everyone benefits. Citizenship allows people to have more stable lives by granting access to better work, housing, health care, and education. This leads to a stronger, safer, and more prosperous country for foreign- and native-born Americans… Read More
The Trump Administration Wants to Return to a Pre-Civil Rights Immigration System
The ideology of President Trump is about more than limiting how many immigrants enter the United States each year; it’s about turning back the clock on U.S. social history. A recent analysis by law professor Robert Tsai explores how President Trump’s ideology—labeled “Trumpism”—is the latest installment… Read More
New Public Charge Rule Imposes Wealth Test on Newcomers
The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) published the final version of its new “public charge” regulation on Monday morning. The rule would make it easier for the government to deny a green card or visa to immigrants it believes are likely to receive certain public benefits… Read More
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