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.
Freedom of Information Act and Immigration Agencies
This Practice Advisory provides a broad overview of the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA), including how to make a FOIA request and how to appeal an inadequate response. Read More
Tracking the Biden Agenda on Legal Immigration in the First 100 Days
This report analyzes the most significant changes to the legal immigration system made by the Biden administration during its first 100 days in office, and makes recommendations to foster a fair and efficient system. Read More
Supreme Court Considers the Future for Thousands of People With TPS
The U.S. Supreme Court heard argument this week on the question of whether certain people with Temporary Protected Status (TPS), and who have developed strong connections with their communities that have made them eligible for more permanent status, may get their green card. The outcome of the case,… Read More
Biden Begins to Restore Temporary Protected Status. Which Countries Could Get TPS Next?
By the end of the Trump presidency, Temporary Protected Status (TPS) was all but destroyed. The former administration had attempted to end crucial protections for the hundreds of thousands of vulnerable people who benefited from the status. Now, just a short time into the Biden administration, those protections are being… Read More
The House Passes Historic Dream and Promise Act and the Farm Workforce Modernization Act
The U.S. House of Representatives passed two immigration bills on March 18, signaling that Congress might finally enact major immigration reform for the first time in over three decades. These bills—the Dream and Promise Act and the Farm Workforce Modernization Act—both offer pathways to U.S. citizenship for many immigrants with… 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
What You Need to Know about Temporary Protected Status for Venezuela
The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) announced on March 8 that Venezuelan nationals present in the United States would be eligible to apply for Temporary Protected Status (TPS). The TPS designation provides immigration status to many Venezuelans for the next 18 months. At least 200,000 Venezuelans… Read More
Coalition Letter Urging USCIS to Implement Emergency Stopgap USCIS Stabilization Act
The American Immigration Council joined other organizations in urging U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services to fully implement the provisions of the Emergency Stopgap USCIS Stabilization Act, which was signed into law in October 2020. Read More
Trump’s Citizenship Test Scrapped by USCIS Over Politicization and Complexity Concerns
Individuals hoping to become a naturalized American citizen will take a different civics test beginning this week, as U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) reverts back to a previous version of the test. USCIS has scrapped a 2020 version of the U.S. citizenship test implemented during the final months… Read More
Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA): An Overview
This fact sheet provides an overview of Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) and prior attempts to dismantle the initiative, as well as its current status. Read More
