Immigration 101
The U.S. immigration system is complex and can be difficult to understand. These resources provide key data points, historical information, and background on hot topics in immigration. Learn the basics about immigration. Immigration in the United States is complex and ever-evolving. Start here to understand the fundamental aspects of immigration policy, its history, and its impact on both individuals and the country at large. Learn commonly used terms about immigration law and how the U.S. immigration system is designed. Explore layered topics like how and whether immigrants can become citizens, as well as what individual protections look like under the law.
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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Birthright Citizenship in the United States
- Birthright Citizenship
- October 16, 2024
This fact sheet explains birthright citizenship, the Fourteenth Amendment, and its interpretations. Who is…
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Asylum in the United States
- Asylum
- August 27, 2014
Asylum seekers must navigate a difficult and complex process that can involve multiple government…
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Fear of Another 9/11 Continues to Drive US Immigration Policy 20 Years Later
The September 11th terrorist attacks not only led to the tragic deaths of 2,977 people, they fundamentally changed the nature of immigration law and policy in the United States. Since 9/11, the U.S. government has viewed every non-U.S. citizen seeking to enter the country as a potential threat. Foreign… Read More
The House Offers First Glimpse at Legalization for Millions of Immigrants Through Reconciliation
House Democrats began to mark up a budget reconciliation bill on September 10 that would provide a path to legal status for millions of undocumented immigrants in the United States. Although the bill will likely go through multiple changes before a final vote, the text provides an important marker… Read More
California Law Would Prevent Transfers From Local Law Enforcement to ICE Custody
Proposed legislation in California that would further limit the state’s involvement in immigration detention has made progress toward becoming law. The VISION Act would prevent transfers to U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) custody of people who are released from state or local custody. The bill passed the state assembly… Read More
President Biden is Overseeing a Historic Decline in Legal Immigration
The Biden administration predicts that it will fail to issue many of the legal permanent resident visas—also known as green cards—allotted this year for immigrants who have been sponsored by a U.S. employer or family member. The State Department estimates that roughly 100,000 visas for employment-based immigrants and 150,000… Read More
Felony Reentry Immigration Law Is Unconstitutional Due to Racist Origins, Judge Rules
A federal judge ruled for the first time in U.S. history that a provision of U.S. immigration law which makes it a felony for someone to reenter the United States after having been deported is unconstitutional because of its racist origins. Since 1929, U.S. immigration law has made it… Read More
Diversity Visa Lottery Winners Might Lose Chance to Come to the U.S. Due to Delays, Trump Policies
For the second year in a row, many winners of the diversity visa lottery face the prospect of losing their chance to come to the United States because the federal government can’t—or won’t—issue their visas in time. The 2020 lottery winners are still suffering the effects of restrictive Trump-era policies. Read More
Legalization Through “Registry”
This fact sheet provides information on a provision called “registry” that allows certain non-citizens who are long-term residents of the United States, but who are either undocumented or present in the country under some sort of temporary immigration status, to “register” for Lawful Permanent Resident (LPR) status. Read More
People of Color Made Up All of the United States’ Population Growth in the Last 10 Years
Demographers have known for decades that the United States is well on its way to becoming a predominantly multi-racial and multi-ethnic society. New data from the 2020 Census reveals how rapidly that transformation is taking place. Increasing numbers of people identify racially as either Asian or multi-racial. Growing numbers… Read More
America’s Ending in Afghanistan Must Ensure Safe Passage for Our Afghan Allies
Across centuries, Afghanistan has been a nation unconquerable. From the conquest of Alexander the Great to the United States military, insurgent forces have beat back the offensive from some of the world’s most powerful armies. Though the context may have been different across each of these historical periods, the most… Read More
The New CBP One App May Put Immigrants and Travelers’ Privacy at Risk
It is unquestionable that technology creates efficiencies. But efficiency should not come at the total expense of privacy. A new app from U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) toes that line between productivity and the need for users’ privacy. In October 2020, CBP launched a new mobile application to help… Read More
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