Immigration Benefits and Relief
The immigration laws and regulations provide some avenues to apply for lawful status from within the U.S. or to seek relief from deportation. The eligibility requirements for these benefits and relief can be stringent, and the immigration agencies often adopt overly restrictive interpretations of the requirements. Learn about advocacy and litigation that has been and can be undertaken to ensure that noncitizens have a fair chance to apply for the benefits and relief for which they are eligible. Providing avenues for legal status, protection, and family reunification is vital to ensuring humanitarian protection for immigrants. We are leading policy changes that open more opportunities like asylum, visas for victims of crime or human trafficking, and relief for long-term residents. Explore the resources below to learn more.
Temporary Protected Status (TPS): An Overview
This fact sheet provides an overview of how Temporary Protected Status designations are made, what benefits TPS confers, and how TPS beneficiaries apply for and regularly renew their status. Read More
New BIA Ruling on Advance Parole Narrows Legal Immigration Options for DACA Recipients and Others
The Board of Immigration Appeals (BIA) has overturned a 14-year-old precedential decision, limiting an important pathway to permanent residence for certain long-residing noncitizens, including Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) recipients. For years, “advance parole” has allowed some undocumented noncitizens—who previously entered the United States without authorization—to… Read More
The Dream Act: An Overview
This fact sheet provides an overview of the most recent version of the Dream Act and similar legislative proposals. Read More
New Data: U.S. Welcomes High-Skilled Workers, but Path to Permanent Residence Is Growing More Uncertain
Record Backlogs, Visa Shortages, and Increasing Scrutiny Are Straining the Employment-Based Immigration System WASHINGTON, D.C., August 18 — The United States continues to rely on high-skilled workers from around the world to stay globally competitive in key industries including technology, engineering, and health care. However, new data… Read More
From Petition to Permanent Residence: A Decade of USCIS Filing, Processing, and Backlog Trends
New analysis of USCIS data finds record I-140 backlogs, rising denial rates, growing visa wait times, and longer processing delays across the employment-based green card system. Read More
Undocumented Students in U.S. Higher Education
This fact sheet looks at the population of undocumented students in higher education institutions across the country. Read More
Curtailing the Ability to Work
Recent federal policy changes under the Trump administration could restrict work authorization for immigrants, asylum seekers, TPS holders, parolees, and DACA recipients. Read More
USCIS Filing Trends: New Data Shows Immigration Processing Falling Further Behind
Processing at U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) has continued to slow, the latest data from the American Immigration Council’s USCIS Immigration Filing Trends Dashboard shows. The updated data for fiscal year 2026 shows a broad slowdown in immigration processing, with fewer applications being processed, persistently large… Read More
The Biggest Changes to Student Visas in Generations: What You Need to Know
On July 17, 2026, the Trump administration unveiled the latest move in its broader efforts to reshape America’s legal immigration system. This time, it was a regulation that will lead to the greatest changes in the student visa process in 50 years, as well as changes to visas for… Read More
Dream and Promise Act: A Chance for Congress to Protect Millions from Job Loss, Mass Deportation
Congress has a chance to take steps to protect hundreds of thousands of immigrants who are facing the likely prospect of job loss, arrest, and deportation after a Supreme Court decision last month empowered the Trump administration to dissolve the critical protections for nearly any reason. Beginning July… Read More
America's story is an immigrant story.
