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.
How the United States Immigration System Works
- How the Immigration System Works
- June 23, 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 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. The… Read More
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 take place… Read More
Employment-Based Visa Categories in the United States: An Overview
Current U.S. immigration law provides several paths for foreign workers to enter the United States for employment purposes on a temporary or permanent basis. This fact sheet provides basic information about how the employment-based U.S. immigration system works. Read More
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 citizens… Read More
Council and Just Futures Law File FOIA Request Seeking Information on USCIS’ Implementation of “Anti-Americanism” in Adjudicating Benefit Applications
Following the issuance of two executive orders in the early days of the second Trump administration, U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) announced on April 9, 2025 that it would begin considering “anti-Semitic activity” on social media as grounds for denying immigration benefit requests. Shortly thereafter, USCIS claimed also to… Read More
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 should come… Read More
From Imprisonment and Torture in Iran to Endless Detention in the US
The Trump administration has gone to war in Iran. And among the many rationales given is that, by “being beat to hell,” the Iranian regime will be weakened enough for a grassroots revolution to topple it.“When we are finished, take over your government. It will be yours to… Read More
And The Oscar Goes To … Immigrants
One-fifth of the Oscars awarded Sunday—or five out of the 25 categories—went to immigrants. A sixth, for cinematography, went to the child of an immigrant. Autumn Durald Arkapaw, who has discussed how her Filipino background helped shape her vision, is also the first woman in Academy Awards history to… Read More
ICE’s Warehouse Purchases Herald New Model for Immigration Detention
In July 2025, Congress did something unprecedented: it gave U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) a total of $45 billion dollars to be spent on immigration detention, more than a decade of normal funding in one big pot of cash. Now ICE’s ultimate plan for that funding has become clear… Read More
Mission Creep: AI Surveillance at DHS Crosses Dangerous Line Into Tracking Americans
The artificial intelligence (AI) tools built to guard America’s borders are now extending their policing powers into America’s neighborhoods. What began as AI-powered immigration enforcement confined primarily to our southern border is rapidly becoming something else: a quiet expansion of government surveillance into everyday life. Facial recognition, biometric scanning, and… Read More
