Immigration 101

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

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

This fact sheet explains birthright citizenship, the Fourteenth Amendment, and its interpretations. Who is…

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Asylum in the United States

Asylum seekers must navigate a difficult and complex process that can involve multiple government…

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John McCain’s Legacy on Immigration

John McCain’s Legacy on Immigration

The United States Senate and Republican Party lost one of their biggest champions for bipartisan immigration reform and most vocal critics of President Trump’s immigration policies when Senator John S. McCain III (R-AZ) passed away at the age of 81 last week. While McCain will largely be remembered for his… Read More

USCIS’ Wait Times for Citizenship Have Doubled

USCIS’ Wait Times for Citizenship Have Doubled

The average wait time on a U.S. citizenship application was about five months in 2014. Today, the average time a green card holder will wait for their citizenship application to be processed by U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) is 10 months. With the increased wait… Read More

White House Residents Directly Benefit from America's Generous Immigration System

White House Residents Directly Benefit from America’s Generous Immigration System

America’s generosity is reflected in our immigration system. Throughout our nation’s history (with some shameful exceptions), we have allowed individuals to come to the United States to reunite with family members and offered safety and protection to those who need it most. Yet the Trump White House publicly opposes these… Read More

How Long Does It Take USCIS to Issue a Green Card?

How Long Does It Take USCIS to Issue a Green Card?

How long does it take to process an application for permanent residence in the United States, or a “green card?” You might be surprised by how difficult it is to find a reliable answer to this common question. U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS)—the agency that adjudicates applications for permanent… Read More

It Is Legal to Seek Asylum

It Is Legal to Seek Asylum

As thousands of asylum-seeking parents were separated from their children in recent months, the Trump administration actively portrayed them as law breakers who must be prosecuted and punished for coming to the United States. Left out of the narrative is one well-established fact: it is legal to seek asylum. The… Read More

14,000 Become U.S. Citizens to Celebrate Fourth of July

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

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

Read This Year's 'Celebrate America' Creative Writing Contest Winning Entry

Read This Year’s ‘Celebrate America’ Creative Writing Contest Winning Entry

The American Immigration Council is proud to announce the winner of the 21st Annual Celebrate America Fifth Grade Creative Writing Contest. This contest encourages educators to incorporate lessons on U.S. immigration into their classrooms and gives fifth graders the opportunity to explain, in their own words, why… Read More

The Immigrant Success Story: How Family-Based Immigrants Thrive in America

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

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

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