Immigration 101

Immigration 101

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.

Humayun Khan and America’s Debt to Foreign-Born Service Members

Humayun Khan and America’s Debt to Foreign-Born Service Members

Khizr and Ghazala Khan appeared at the Democratic National Convention in Philadelphia last week to honor their son Capt. Humayun Khan, who was killed in Iraq in 2004 while serving in the U.S. Army. The controversy that followed could not have been predicted with the Republican candidate attacking the… Read More

Texas Ends Attempt to Deny Birth Certificates to Children of Immigrants

Texas Ends Attempt to Deny Birth Certificates to Children of Immigrants

More than a year ago, Texas county officials began to require that foreign passports presented by parents seeking to obtain their child’s birth certificate include a valid U.S. visa. The state also ended its practice of accepting Mexican “matriculas” as a form of identification. As a result, many… Read More

Tim Kaine’s Views on Immigration Policy

Tim Kaine’s Views on Immigration Policy

Democratic Presidential Candidate, Hillary Clinton has named Senator Tim Kaine of Virginia as her Vice-Presidential running mate. Read More

Practical, Comprehensive Immigration Solutions Promote Public Safety

Practical, Comprehensive Immigration Solutions Promote Public Safety

Washington D.C. – Since the tragic murder of Kathryn Steinle in San Francisco this month, there has been a flood of criticism leveled against state and city policies that limit local involvement in immigration enforcement and questions raised about whether the federal government is doing enough to enforce the immigration… Read More

Tracking Hillary Clinton’s Promises on Immigration Reform

Tracking Hillary Clinton’s Promises on Immigration Reform

By 2050, minorities will become the majority in the United States. This is the first point Hillary Clinton made while speaking before the League of United Latin American Citizens (LULAC) in Washington D.C. this week.  In a pointed speech, which she spent much of criticizing her opponent… Read More

One Pennsylvania Town Illustrates the Difficult Immigration Debate Ahead

One Pennsylvania Town Illustrates the Difficult Immigration Debate Ahead

Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania is a manufacturing town that has seen hard economic times. After the coal mining industry disappeared, factories involved in shoemaking, dressmaking, ironwork and television manufacturing moved in. These industries tended to employ less-educated workers. However, these factories are no longer faring well, and local workers have lost… Read More

Donald Trump Poised for Record Loss of Latino Voters

Donald Trump Poised for Record Loss of Latino Voters

There are roughly 27.3 million eligible Latino voters in the United States (up from 19.5 million in 2008). So it should come as no surprise that, for any modern presidential candidate, winning over a sizeable share of the Latino vote is key to winning the election. That’s what George… Read More

Immigrant Workers Enhance and Expand the U.S. Economy

Immigrant Workers Enhance and Expand the U.S. Economy

Over the years, more and more economists have come to the conclusion that immigrant workers “complement” the native-born majority of the labor force by bringing different sets of skills and different demographic profiles with them, both of which enhance and expand the economy as a whole. Immigration restrictionists, in… Read More

Most Americans Reject Trump’s Nativist Agenda

Most Americans Reject Trump’s Nativist Agenda

Republican presidential contender Donald Trump may claim to speak in the name of the “American people,” but the fact is that most Americans continue to reject his nativist rhetoric of fear and hate. This is apparent from the results of a survey conducted by the Brookings Institution and Public… Read More

This Year's Celebrate America Creative Writing Contest Winning Entry

This Year’s Celebrate America Creative Writing Contest Winning Entry

The American Immigration Council’s 19th Annual Celebrate America Fifth Grade Creative Writing Contest winner is Eliana Jaffee from the Pardes Jewish School in Scottsdale, Arizona. The contest gives fifth graders the opportunity to learn more about immigration to the U.S. and explain, in their own words, why they are proud… Read More

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