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 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…
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Birthright Citizenship in the United States
- Birthright Citizenship
- September 8, 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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Our Latest Research on DACA
Recent attention has turned to the question of the 800,000 young people who have received DACA status since the program’s creation in 2012. To help paint a more complete picture of the impact of winding down DACA, New American Economy has completed research into several factors that deserve examination and… Read More
Welcoming Week Opens Its Arms to Immigrants Across the Country
Each year, a series of events and community gatherings take place across America that bring both the foreign- and native-born together to build inclusive communities. These “Welcoming Week” activities are hosted by local governments and community groups working to create a nation of neighbors. This year, the series of… Read More
Trump Administration Issues New Visa Sanctions on Four Countries, In Retaliation for Their Stance on Deportation
Following through on a directive from President Trump made during his first week in office, the State Department on Monday invoked a rarely-used law to impose visa restrictions on Cambodia, Eritrea, Guinea, and Sierra Leone, declaring each country “recalcitrant” for refusing to accept the return of immigrants that… Read More
Economic Impact of Dreamers is Tremendous, Says South Carolina Lawyer
In 1980, when Marie-Louise Ramsdale was 10 years old, her father, a metallurgical engineer, got a job in America and relocated the family from Britain to South Carolina. Ramsdale suffered from culture shock — “I had no idea what pizza was,” she says — but settled in quickly, thriving at… Read More
CNN: The big decision on Dreamers: What Congress should do
One outcome of President Trump’s surprise budget deal with Democrats is a potential December showdown over the fate of the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program and its hundreds of thousands of young beneficiaries. All eyes will turn to Congress — where, admittedly, a major immigration deal has eluded… Read More
Florida Dreamer: Americans Do Not Understand How Complicated Immigration Process Is
In 2000, Juan Escalante’s parents fled the violence of their native Venezuela. His mother and father, owners of a small print shop, were subject to targeted carjackings and death threats. Finally, enough was enough. They wanted safety for their three young children. So, in search of a better life, they… Read More
Post Independent: Editorial: The smart, American thing to do: Protect Dreamers
First, we offer thanks and praise to Cory Gardner and Michael Bennet, Colorado’s U.S. senators, for signing on as co-sponsors of the latest version of the Dream Act. The bill, backed by four Republican and six Democratic senators, would establish permanent residency and a path… Read More
Washington Post: Distinguished persons of the week
President Trump and Attorney General Jeff Sessions this week chose to use the beneficiaries of the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program as fodder in their battle for the hearts of angry white nationalists. Their phony legal deadline — no lawsuit had been filed — concocted by Republican governors… Read More
Dreamer Counsels Long Island Students to Dream — and Work Hard
In 2012, Carolina Perez was on the verge of getting a bachelor’s degree in psychology and sociology at Hunter College, in New York City, but she was depressed about her prospects. Born in Chile, Perez came to the United States with her family when she was 11 years old. Once… Read More
Washington Post: White House claims ‘dreamers’ take jobs away from blacks and Hispanics. Here’s the truth.
It’s a long-running talking point spouted by Trump administration members and the president himself: Undocumented immigrants are taking jobs away from black and Hispanic Americans. Hours after President Trump dismantled an Obama-era program that had granted 800,000 young undocumented immigrants permission to live and work in the United States, White House Press… Read More
America's story is an immigrant story.
