Immigration 101

The enforcement of immigration laws is a complex and hotly-debated topic. Learn more about the costs of immigration enforcement and the ways in which the U.S. can enforce our immigration laws humanely and in a manner that ensures due process.

Recent Features

Why Don’t Immigrants Apply for Citizenship?

There is no line available for undocumented immigrants and the “regular channels” do not include them.

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Temporary Protected Status: An Overview

This fact sheet provides an overview of how Temporary Protected Status designations are made, what benefits TPS confers, and how TPS beneficiaries apply for and regularly renew their status.

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How the United States Immigration System Works

U.S. immigration law is very complex. Here's basic information about how the U.S. legal immigration system is designed.

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All Immigration 101 Content

  • Blog

USCIS Changes How Processing Times Are Posted

January 6, 2017

United States Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) announced that beginning on January 4, 2017, it has changed how it posts processing times. Rather that listing weeks or months, it now...

  • Blog

DHS Secretary Nominee John Kelly’s Resume is Thin on Immigration

December 16, 2016

Earlier this month, President-elect Donald Trump selected retired General John Kelly to be his nominee for Secretary of the Department of Homeland Security (DHS). There is not much in the record...

  • Blog

Robots, Not Immigrants, Are Replacing U.S. Manufacturing Workers

December 15, 2016

There is significant evidence that immigrants boost the economy, create jobs, and bolster innovation. However, President-elect Donald Trump has repeatedly stated he wants to “put American workers...

  • Blog

What Was the U.S. Government’s Last Experience With a Muslim Registry?

December 14, 2016

Along the campaign trail, then-candidate Donald Trump promised a special registry and database tracking system for Muslims in the United States. Although his spokesperson later claimed that he “...

  • Blog

New American Undergraduates Are Key to Growth

December 5, 2016

The U.S. Department of Education recently released new data on university undergraduates that underscores the key role immigrants and their children play in our economy. New American...

  • Blog

What the Immigration Restrictionists’ Agenda Will Look Like for the Next Four Years

December 2, 2016

One does not have to look hard to find what the restrictionists’ immigration agenda will look like for the next four years. The groups and individuals leading the charge are not shy about sharing...

  • Blog

Thanksgiving Dinner Conversations Could Be Tough, But Are More Important Than Ever This Year

November 22, 2016

Let’s be honest. This is not the Thanksgiving blog we thought I’d be writing this year.  But here we are. Most of us are still reeling from the surprise election results just a couple of weeks ago...

  • Blog

The Ideological Roots of Donald Trump’s Immigration Team

November 15, 2016

As President-Elect Donald Trump names his choices for key positions in his administration, it is clear that he intends to include quite a few people who subscribe to fringe, alt-right, racist...

  • Blog

Understanding Donald Trump’s Latest Deportation Threat

November 14, 2016
Here's what's wrong with Donald Trump's claim that there are 2-3 million "criminal" immigrants in the country.
  • Blog

Immigrant Service Members to be Naturalized and Remembered on Veterans Day

November 11, 2016

This year on Veterans Day, over 40 naturalization ceremonies will take place and 7,500 veterans, service members, and military spouses will become the newest Americans. While that may seems like a...

  • Blog

The Trump Administration Loses Fight to Add Citizenship Question to the 2020 Census

January 16, 2019

A federal judge blocked the Trump administration’s plan to add a question on U.S. citizenship to the 2020 Census on Tuesday, ruling that the controversial move “violated the public trust” and...

  • Blog

How Rural Communities Are Embracing Immigrants and Thriving as a Result

January 15, 2019

Small and rural towns across America are increasingly faced with the opportunities and challenges that come with settling new immigrants. In nearly 3,000 rural American towns, the immigrant...

  • Blog

First International Agreement on Migration Lacks US Participation

December 13, 2018

For the first time, countries across the world recognized the importance of coordinated action to address the growing challenges of managing migration. On Monday, more than 160 United Nations...

  • Blog

Proposed ‘Public Charge’ Regulation Draws Hundreds of Thousands of Comments

December 11, 2018

On Monday night, the 60–day comment period for the Trump administration’s proposed public charge regulation drew to a close. More than 210,000 comments were submitted, with the majority of...

  • Advocacy

Comments Opposing "Public Charge" Plan

December 11, 2018
The American Immigration Council, with the American Immigration Lawyers Association, filed comments because a financial litmus test should never serve as a measure for who we welcome into our country.
  • Press Release

Government Data Reveals the Inner Workings of the U.S. Immigration Detention System

December 5, 2018
A report on immigration detention examines the United States’ complex, sprawling network of facilities used to detain immigrants. The report, “The Landscape of Immigration Detention in the United States,” reveals that detained individuals were commonly held in facilities operated by private entities and located in remote areas, far away from basic community support structures and legal advocacy networks.
  • Special Report

The Landscape of Immigration Detention in the United States

Publication Date: 
December 5, 2018
This analysis reveals that individuals detained by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement were commonly held in privately operated and remotely located facilities, far away from basic community...
  • Blog

The United States Could Solve Undocumented Immigration With a Better System

December 4, 2018

New estimates indicate that the number of undocumented immigrants in the United States continues a decade-long decline, standing at about 10.7 million as of 2016 (down from 12.2 million in 2007)....

  • Blog

What Matthew Whitaker’s Designation as Acting Attorney General Means for Immigration

December 3, 2018

Following Jeff Sessions’ resignation as Attorney General, President Trump named Matthew Whitaker to replace him—a move that has already inspired multiple lawsuits that contend the designation was...

  • Blog

How States Took Action on Immigration in 2018

November 27, 2018

States and localities continue exploring policies and positions on immigration to serve the needs of their communities and, at times, respond to the aggressive immigration agenda touted by the...

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