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.

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.

READ MORE

Fact Sheet
Temporary Protected Status (TPS): 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.

READ MORE

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.

READ MORE

All Immigration 101 Content

  • Fact Sheet

The Three- and Ten-Year Bars

Publication Date: 
October 28, 2016
This Fact Sheet provides background on the three- and ten-year bars and waivers, and explains the recent regulatory changes.
  • Fact Sheet

Public Education for Immigrant Students: Understanding Plyler v. Doe

Publication Date: 
October 24, 2016
This fact sheet provides an overview of the Supreme Court’s decision in Plyler v. Doe and subsequent efforts by states and localities to avoid compliance with the decision.
  • Fact Sheet

Did My Family Really Come “Legally”?

Publication Date: 
August 10, 2016
Many people assume that their family immigrated to the United States legally, or did it “the right way.” In most cases, this statement does not reflect the fact that the U.S. immigration system was...
  • Special Report

Giving the Facts a Fighting Chance: Addressing Common Questions on Immigration

Publication Date: 
December 14, 2015

Americans pride themselves on belonging to a nation of immigrants. In fact, many Americans celebrate not only the traditions of the United States, but the traditions of the countries from which...

  • Special Report

Learning from Our Past: The Refugee Experience in the United States

Publication Date: 
November 25, 2015
This report provides background on the refugee experience in the United States, including welcoming and exclusionary responses, the impacts of these disparate reactions, and lessons to consider in...
  • Special Report

The Criminalization of Immigration in the United States

Publication Date: 
July 13, 2015
For more than a century, innumerable studies have confirmed two simple yet powerful truths about the relationship between immigration and crime: immigrants are less likely to commit serious crimes or...
  • Special Report

New Americans in the Voting Booth: The Growing Electoral Power of Immigrant Communities

Publication Date: 
September 23, 2014
Together, New Americans, Latinos, and APIs are the fastest growing segments of the electorate. In the coming years, politicians who alienate these voters will find it increasingly difficult to win...
  • Fact Sheet

Unauthorized Immigrants Today

Publication Date: 
August 19, 2014
Unauthorized immigrants include adults and children, mothers and fathers, homeowners and people of faith, most of whom are invested in their communities.
  • Special Report

Stepping Up: The Impact of the Newest Immigrant, Asian, and Latino Voters

Publication Date: 
September 3, 2013
This analysis of immigration trends and the demographic composition of U.S. House districts shows that numerous congressional districts have emerging electorates who have many reasons to care deeply...
  • Special Report

Tackling the Toughest Questions on Immigration Reform

Publication Date: 
July 29, 2013
Despite significant public support for immigration reform among members of the public in both parties, many of the most basic facts about immigrants and immigration remain misunderstood.
  • Blog

Lawsuits Prompt Immigration Agencies to Publish Critical Documents in Their FOIA Libraries

December 1, 2023

Last September, U.S. Customs and Border Protection agreed to publish past versions of the Department of Homeland Security’s Privacy Impact Assessments on CBP One, the app that allows asylum...

  • Blog

Map the Impact: Immigrants Make Up Over 18% of the Total US Population Growth

November 13, 2023

Written by Robin Lundh, Research Manager and Anna Shepperson, Research Associate. Immigration—long central to the American experience—has dominated news coverage in recent years. Between 2016 and...

  • Blog

Department of Labor Report Highlights Severity of Child Labor in the US and Worldwide

November 2, 2023

The Department of Labor (DOL) recently issued its yearly Findings on the Worst Forms of Child Labor report, examining 131 countries’ efforts to abolish child labor in 2022 and the obstacles those...

  • Blog

Spotlight on the Changing Demographics of Hispanic Americans

September 28, 2023

By Karen Aho and Robin Lundh of the American Immigration Council Today, Hispanic Americans form the largest ethnic group in the United States. The value of Hispanic Americans to the makeup of the...

  • Blog

New Board of Immigration Appeals Decision Sets Roadblock for Cubans, Others Seeking Green Cards 

September 28, 2023

A recent Board of Immigration Appeals (BIA) decision bars certain recently arrived noncitizens from becoming lawful permanent residents. In Matter of Cabrera-Fernandez, the BIA held that the...

  • Blog

What Does the Looming Government Shutdown Mean for Our Immigration System?

September 28, 2023

After weeks of failed negotiations on spending, Congress has less than a week left to avert a potential government shutdown. Members of the House Republicans’ Freedom Caucus have refused to pass...

  • Blog

A Snapshot of Undocumented College Students in the United States

September 8, 2023

The school year has started, and many college students are returning to campuses nationwide, including undocumented and DACA-eligible students. Data from the 2021 American Community Survey (ACS)...

  • Blog

USCIS Updates Key CSPA Interpretation to Protect Some Immigrant Youth, But Backlogs Continue to Cause Hardships

September 5, 2023

On August 24, 2023, U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) announced a new update to its policy manual clarifying a previous policy change aimed at expanding green card eligibility...

  • Blog

The Ghost of Public Charge Keeps Scaring Immigrant Families Away From Public Benefits

August 25, 2023

When the Trump administration proposed an overhaul of federal policy regarding when immigrants could be denied green cards or visas based on use of public benefits – the public charge rule – it...

  • Blog

States Continue to Lead on Inclusive Immigration Policies: A 2023 Midyear Review of State Legislative Sessions

July 31, 2023

With most state legislatures having adjourned for the year, states—once again—continue to lead the way for welcoming immigrants and refugees. The American Immigration Council tracked over 1,000...

  • Blog

Houston Celebrates Over 2,200 New Citizens in Historic Naturalization Ceremony

July 25, 2024

Naturalization is viewed by many as the end point of an immigrant’s journey—the finish line—and for good reason. The path to naturalization can take many years and requires immigrants to navigate...

  • Blog

Kamala Harris’ Opportunity to Reframe the Immigration Conversation

July 23, 2024

The American Immigration Council does not endorse or oppose candidates for elected office. We aim to provide analysis regarding the implications of the election on the U.S. immigration system. As...

  • Blog

Why Are Border Crossings at Their Lowest Level in Four Years?

July 19, 2024

Border crossings are at their lowest in four years. Is the Biden administration’s executive action working as intended—or is there another factor at play? Apprehensions at the U.S.-Mexico border...

  • Blog

Immigrants Are Key to Filling US Labor Shortages, New Data Finds

July 2, 2024

Almost one in every seven people in the United States is an immigrant, according to the American Immigration Council’s new analysis of the 2022 American Community Survey. The updated state-level...

  • Fact Sheet

How the United States Immigration System Works

Publication Date: 
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 about how the U.S. legal immigration system is designed.
  • Blog

Border Patrol’s 100th Anniversary Offers Chance to Look Back at Its Disturbing Origins

June 7, 2024

The U.S. Border Patrol turned 100 years old on May 28. Its troubled origins and history form the backdrop for contemporary concerns about the agency, including impunity for abuses against migrants...

  • Blog

Are More Undocumented Immigrants Living in the US Now? Here’s What the Numbers Say

June 7, 2024

According to a new report from the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, about 11.0 million undocumented immigrants were living in the United States in 2022—a 4.6% increase from 2020. This is...

  • Blog

Biden’s New Changes to the Asylum Process: What You Need to Know

June 5, 2024

On June 4, President Biden issued a sweeping order under section 212(f) of the Immigration and Nationality Act claiming that allows him to “suspend the entry” of most migrants who cross the border...

  • Fact Sheet

An American Immigration Council Analysis of the President’s 212(f) Proclamation and Interim Final Rule Restricting Asylum

Publication Date: 
June 5, 2024
On June 4, the Biden administration issued a presidential proclamation and an Interim Final Rule restricting access to asylum for people crossing into the United States without legal status. The...
  • Press Release

New Data Analysis: Immigrants Driving Opportunity, Prosperity in the U.S., Including in Swing States

June 5, 2024
A new analysis of 2022 U.S. census data highlights how, amidst the Biden administration's recent actions to limit asylum access along the U.S.-Mexico border, and in the context of ramped-up anti-immigrant rhetoric during this year’s presidential campaign, immigrants are helping make the United States a more prosperous and economically booming country.

Most Read

  • Publications
  • Blog Posts
  • Past:
  • Trending