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.

Federal Court Delivers Major Blow to Trump Detention Policy of Jailing Immigrants With No Hearing, No Explanation 

Federal Court Delivers Major Blow to Trump Detention Policy of Jailing Immigrants With No Hearing, No Explanation 

WASHINGTON, D.C., July 3, 2026 — On July 2, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit ruled that people facing immigration detention have the right to meaningful due process protections and must be afforded a bond hearing within 90 days. The decision deals a major blow to… Read More

Birthright Citizenship: The 14th Amendment Lives On

Birthright Citizenship: The 14th Amendment Lives On

Thanks to the 14th Amendment to the Constitution, Team USA has made it to the Round of 16 at the 2026 World Cup. Team USA’s leading scorer, Folarin Balogun, was born in July 2001 to a Nigerian British mother who happened to be visiting New York City when she… Read More

SCOTUS Rules Trump's Attempt to End Birthright Citizenship Is Unconstitutional 

SCOTUS Rules Trump’s Attempt to End Birthright Citizenship Is Unconstitutional 

The U.S. Supreme Court issued a crucial ruling today affirming that children born within the territory of the United States are U.S. citizens.   The opinion, authored by Chief Justice Roberts and joined by Justices Kagan, Sotomayor, Barrett, and Jackson, invalidates the Trump administration’s Executive Order 14156, which sought to exclude certain children born in the United States… Read More

2026 ‘Celebrate America’ Creative Writing Contest Winner: A Classroom Full of the World

2026 ‘Celebrate America’ Creative Writing Contest Winner: A Classroom Full of the World

Written By: Aneri Kakrania, 5th grade student from San Diego, CaliforniaMy backpack felt bigger than me that day, Filled with pencils, hope, and words to say. The morning sun was warm and bright, As I walked to school in the golden light. My parents… Read More

World Cup Immigration Questions Answered: ICE, Visa Denials, and Iran

World Cup Immigration Questions Answered: ICE, Visa Denials, and Iran

“We want to unite the world, and we will unite the world next year…So again, everyone will be welcome, be positive and you will see it will be a great, great celebration of the greatest FIFA World Cup ever.” – FIFA President Gianni Infantino… Read More

New USCIS Memo May Force More Green Card Applicants to Apply from Abroad, Causing Chaos and Confusion

New USCIS Memo May Force More Green Card Applicants to Apply from Abroad, Causing Chaos and Confusion

Update: The text and headline of this post were updated on June 1, 2026, to reflect recent statements made by USCIS. On May 21, U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) issued a policy memorandum (PM-602-0199) concerning green card applications filed within the United States. While the Trump… Read More

New Dashboard Reveals Insights Into USCIS Backlogs and Processing Trends

New Dashboard Reveals Insights Into USCIS Backlogs and Processing Trends

The U.S. immigration system is broken — it’s a phrase heard often in discussions about the state of immigration in the U.S. Now, a new interactive dashboard from the American Immigration Council allows anyone with an internet connection to better understand our dysfunctional system of legal immigration.  … Read More

Data: Eligible Immigrant Voters Play a Key Role in Elections in Hundreds of Swing Districts

Data: Eligible Immigrant Voters Play a Key Role in Elections in Hundreds of Swing Districts

Analysis of 284 congressional districts highlights immigrants’ role in shaping close races  April 16, Washington DC — A new analysis from the American Immigration Council finds that millions of immigrant voters who are U.S. citizens are a central part of the electorate across 284 congressional districts where elections will… Read More

Supreme Court Expresses Skepticism at Trump’s Effort to Eliminate Birthright Citizenship

Supreme Court Expresses Skepticism at Trump’s Effort to Eliminate Birthright Citizenship

Over 150 years ago, with the embers of the Civil War still smoldering, members of Congress gathered to write the 14th Amendment. In its very first clause they wrote a single, straightforward sentence: “All persons born or naturalized in the United States, and subject to the jurisdiction thereof, are… Read More

More Sunshine Is Needed on Immigration Agencies

More Sunshine Is Needed on Immigration Agencies

Legal filings recently revealed that the federal agency that runs immigration courts has just two attorneys responsible for processing complex public records requests. Two lawyers to handle requests for information about a system that decides the fate of hundreds of thousands of immigrants every year. This revelation… Read More

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