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
- July 9, 2026
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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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… 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… 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… Read More
ICE’s Warehouse Purchases Herald New Model for Immigration Detention
ICE is rapidly reshaping the U.S. immigration detention system by purchasing and converting commercial warehouses into large-scale detention facilities. Backed by an unprecedented $45 billion funding boost, this new “reengineered” model aims to dramatically expand capacity and centralize operations—raising significant concerns about mass detention, oversight, and the future of immigration enforcement. 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… Read More
Capture of Maduro Proves Trump Has Used Venezuelans as Political Pawns in Immigration Policy
With the capture and prosecution of Venezuela’s President Nicolas Maduro, the United States’ convoluted—and often contradictory—policies toward Venezuelan immigrants have been thrown into stark relief. And Venezuelans living in the United States continue to feel the whiplash. Over the past five years, Venezuelans fleeing political persecution or economic… Read More
Whistleblower Report Reveals USCIS Is Circumventing Court Order on Immigrants’ Access to their Records
A whistleblower report published today in Government Executive shows how U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) is circumventing a court order that requires the agency to provide immigrants with their immigration records within the legal timelines. The revelations state that USCIS has adopted certain practices leading the… Read More
New Report: Trump’s Mass Deportation Agenda Will Deepen the Childcare Crisis
Washington, D.C., Dec. 11, 2025 — A new report from the American Immigration Council warns that the U.S. childcare system (already stretched thin by rising costs, staffing shortages, and high demand) is facing catastrophic disruption under President Donald Trump’s mass deportation agenda. The loss of even a fraction of the… Read More
Immigrant Workers and the Childcare Crisis
Immigrant childcare workers are vital to America’s economy, yet aggressive immigration enforcement and rising costs threaten access to affordable care. Learn why protecting this workforce is essential for families and businesses. Read More
America's story is an immigrant story.
