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.
What Is Next for Trump’s Health Care Ban?
A federal judge temporarily blocked the Trump administration’s health care ban on Saturday, one day before it was scheduled to go into effect. The ban would have barred entry for any prospective immigrant who could not prove they would be covered by… Read More
Congress Debates Current Policies That Make Life More Difficult for Immigrant Service Members and Their Families
At a House Judiciary Immigration Subcommittee Hearing on Tuesday, Congress heard testimony from experts about the impact of recent immigration policies affecting foreign-born military members, veterans, and their families. The witnesses addressed a myriad of policy changes surrounding the naturalization of service members and the separation of military families. Policy… Read More
USCIS Changes Policy on Fee Waivers, Potentially Deterring Thousands of Citizenship Applications
The cost of filing an application for citizenship—usually a hefty $725—has long been a barrier for some immigrants. Now, a change to the naturalization process may leave even more people priced out of becoming a U.S. citizen. U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) recently announced a… Read More
How States Expand Access to Driver’s Licenses Ahead of Real ID Deadline
Beginning in December, all New Yorkers will be able to apply for a driver’s license—regardless of immigration status. The Driver’s License Access and Privacy Act, or “Green Light” bill, passed the New York Senate in June. Oregon passed a similar bill, the Equal Access to Roads Act, that month. It… Read More
The Trump Administration Wants to Return to a Pre-Civil Rights Immigration System
The ideology of President Trump is about more than limiting how many immigrants enter the United States each year; it’s about turning back the clock on U.S. social history. A recent analysis by law professor Robert Tsai explores how President Trump’s ideology—labeled “Trumpism”—is the latest installment… Read More
In Historic Ruling, Thousands of Immigrants Waiting for Their Immigration Records Can Now Challenge Agency Delay
A federal court in San Francisco certified two nationwide classes of immigrants and attorneys challenging extreme agency delays in producing immigration case files. Plaintiffs allege that U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) and U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) have a system-wide practice of failing to… Read More
How Trump’s New Healthcare Ban Threatens the Legal Immigration System
President Trump invoked the same legal authority used for the Travel Ban to impose a sweeping new ban on legal immigration last week. Under the new ban, which analysis suggests could block as much as two thirds of all immigrants from coming… Read More
Deporting Immigrants Does Not Lower Crime, According to Study
The mass deportation of immigrants from the United States under the Secure Communities program has had no appreciable impact on local crime rates. Why? Because most of the immigrants being deported do not have serious criminal records. That is the simple yet powerful conclusion of a recent study… Read More
The National Park Service Warns Border Wall Construction Could Destroy 22 Archaeological Sites
In the Trump administration’s rush to build a wall along the U.S.-Mexico border, 22 archaeological sites could be damaged or entirely destroyed. This warning comes from an internal National Park Service report that details how new border fencing, bulldozers, excavators, and Border Patrol four-wheelers could irrevocably harm ancient… Read More
Trump Administration Considers Lowering the Refugee Cap to Zero
The Trump administration is considering decreasing the maximum number of refugees accepted into the United States to 10,000 and as possibly low as zero, administration officials confirmed last week. Each year, the president determines the refugee cap or ceiling, the maximum number of people who can… Read More
All gifts are matched dollar for dollar
No one should face the immigration system alone
