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…

Birthright Citizenship in the United States

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

Asylum in the United States

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

Census Bureau Asked 250,000 Households About Their Citizenship Status, Despite Court Ruling

Despite losing at the Supreme Court, the Trump administration still managed to ask nearly a quarter of a million U.S. households about the citizenship status of their household members. That’s because the administration had already started mailing out its 2019 Census Test—a nationwide test used to inform the upcoming 2020… Read More

Statement for the House Judiciary Committee, Subcommittee on Immigration and Citizenship Hearing “Policy Changes and Processing Delays at U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services.”

The statement highlights the Council’s concerns regarding systemic U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services delays in responding to Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) requests. Read More

Trump Administration Rejects More Student Visas From Muslim-Majority Countries

Hosting foreign students is a vital way the United States builds better relations with other countries. Many foreign students go on to become government, business, and academic leaders in their home countries. The opinion they form of the United States during their student years stays with them throughout their lives. Read More

Changing Patterns of Interior Immigration Enforcement in the United States, 2016 -2018

To better understand the changing interior enforcement trends under the Trump administration, this report analyzes individual-level data on immigration enforcement outcomes. Read More

Supreme Court Rules Against Citizenship Question on 2020 Census

In a rebuke to the Trump administration, the Supreme Court ruled against adding a question on citizenship to the 2020 U.S. Census form—for now. Critics feared the question may discourage immigrant, mixed-status, and minority households from participating in the Census, resulting in widespread undercounting and dramatic shifts in political representation. Read More

The Changing Face of Undocumented Immigration

Undocumented flows are declining, more people are coming from Central America and Asia, and more arrive on valid visas. Read More

New Diversity Visa Requirements Impose Major Obstacles for Applicants

The U.S. State Department announced a new rule last week that changes the Diversity Visa Program, a lottery system that grants 50,000 foreign nationals the opportunity to apply for an immigrant visa number. Applicants must come from an underrepresented country that has… Read More

USCIS Processing Delays to be Investigated by Government Accountability Office

Applications for permanent residence and other immigration benefits are taking longer than ever to process. U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS), the agency responsible for adjudicating these applications, has a backlog at “crisis levels.” While USCIS processing delays have increasingly been a problem, the backlog is reaching new highs… Read More