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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New Report Sheds Little Light on Deportation Debate
A new report from the Center for Immigration Studies (CIS) sheds little light on the ongoing debate around who does and does not get deported from the United States. The report would have us believe that the federal government is knowingly letting tens of thousands of violent… Read More
New Report from Center for Immigration Studies on Deportation Data Misleads and Misinforms
Washington D.C. – Today the Center for Immigration Studies (CIS) released a new report that makes a range of false claims about deportation data. Following is a statement from Benjamin Johnson, Executive Director of the American Immigration Council, in response to “Catch and Release: Interior Immigration Enforcement in 2013” “A… Read More
How the Broken Immigration System Hurts Farmworkers Who Pick Our Crops
By Adrienne DerVartanian, Director of Immigration and Labor Rights of Farmworker Justice. Like many Americans and aspiring Americans, Juan (a pseudonym to protect his identity) has high hopes for immigration reform. Juan came to the United States from Mexico in 1995. Over the past 18 years, he has… Read More
Report Documents Dramatic Shift in State Immigration Policies
For more than 100 years, the federal government has had authority over U.S. immigration policies while states possessed only limited power to regulate the “lives and livelihoods” of immigrants living within their borders. However, the past decade has seen an increase in immigration-related legislation including anti-immigrant laws, which have… Read More
Nuevo Informe Examina Peso de Casos de Inmigración en Tribunales Federales
Mientras que el gobierno de Obama afirma que sus esfuerzos en la aplicación de las leyes de inmigración se centran en la aprehensión de delincuentes y terroristas peligrosos, las estadísticas federales indican que una gran cantidad de tiempo, esfuerzo y dinero se dedica a detener y deportar inmigrantes… Read More
New Report Analyzes Immigration Cases Clogging Federal Courts
While the Obama administration claims that its immigration-enforcement efforts are focused on the apprehension of dangerous criminals and terrorists, federal statistics indicate that a great deal of time, effort, and money are devoted to locking up and deporting immigrants who aren’t a threat to anyone. In fact, a… Read More
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 about how the U.S. legal immigration system is designed. Read More
Fremont’s Anti-Immigrant Ordinance Out of Step with Other Cities in Nebraska
Last week, the residents of Fremont, Nebraska voted to keep a 2010 anti-immigrant housing ordinance on the books. While the small town, with a seven percent foreign born population, has chosen to continue down its current path of exclusion, other places in Nebraska are pursuing inclusive strategies… Read More
¿Es Cierto Que los Inmigrantes Están Destinados a Darle la Espalda al Partido Republicano?
El último pronóstico catastrófico sobre la política inmigratoria viene de la mano de un informe publicado por el grupo conservador Eagle Forum. En el mismo, los autores advierten a los sectores conservadores sobre el terrible impacto que la llegada de nuevos inmigrantes tendrá en el futuro… Read More
Are Immigrants Really Destined to Give the GOP the Cold Shoulder?
The latest catastrophic forecast on immigration policy comes in the form of a report released by the conservative Eagle Forum warning Republicans about the presumed dire impact that the arrival of new immigrants through legal channels will have on the GOP’s electoral future. While this idea is far from… Read More
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