Immigration 101

The U.S. immigration system is complex and can be difficult to understand. These resources provide key data points, historical information, and background on hot topics in immigration. Learn the basics about immigration.

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Fact Sheet
Temporary Protected Status: 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.

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All Immigration 101 Content

  • Blog

Perry Advocates for Enforcement-First Immigration Strategy in Presidential Launch

June 8, 2015

Former Texas governor Rick Perry announced his bid for the Republican presidential candidacy last week. His immigration rhetoric in the past several years has been one that focuses more on border...

  • Blog

What Graham’s Candidacy Brings to the GOP Presidential Field

June 5, 2015

Earlier this week, Lindsey Graham became the ninth candidate to announce his candidacy for the Republican presidential nomination. Attempting to distinguish himself from the other candidates,...

  • Blog

Where Pataki Stands on Immigration Policy

June 3, 2015

Former Republican New York Governor George Pataki recently entered the 2016 presidential race, highlighting what his national security and government reform agenda would be, but failing to mention...

  • Blog

Presidential Candidate O’Malley’s Immigration Record

June 1, 2015

On Saturday, former Maryland Governor Martin O’Malley became the third Democratic candidate to enter the 2016 presidential race. In his announcement, O’Malley said that “for the sake of our...

  • Blog

Santorum’s Immigration Policies Would Harm Immigrants and American Workers

May 28, 2015

Former Senator Rick Santorum (R-PA), who finished second in the 2012 Republican Presidential Primary behind Mitt Romney, will again seek to secure the party’s nomination in 2016. Santorum said at...

  • Blog

2016 Presidential Candidates Weigh-In on President Obama’s Immigration Action

May 12, 2015

Immigration policy has become a hot topic as the 2016 Presidential primary picks up steam. It is no surprise that the issue of Presidential authority over immigration has taken center stage in...

  • Blog

What GOP Presidential Hopefuls Fiorina, Carson, and Huckabee Have Said on Immigration

May 7, 2015

This week, three GOP candidates entered the 2016 race. Here’s what we know about their stance on current U.S. immigration policy: Carly Fiorina Fiorina announced on Monday that she is running in...

  • Blog

Bernie Sanders’ Immigration Policy Track Record

May 1, 2015

Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-VT) announced this week that he will run for President, becoming the first to challenge Hillary Clinton for the Democratic nomination. The Associated Press reports Sanders...

  • Blog

Ending Birthright Citizenship: (Still) Unconstitutional, Unwise, Unworkable, and Un-American

April 28, 2015

The House Judiciary Committee will hold a hearing entitled “Birthright Citizenship: Is It The Right Policy For America?” The hearing will question whether those born in America will automatically...

  • Blog

Marco Rubio’s Complex History with Immigration Policy

April 17, 2015

This week, Senator Marco Rubio (R-Florida) became the latest candidate to announce his 2016 presidential bid, which he did from the Freedom Tower in Miami, Florida. Known as the Ellis Island of...

  • Blog

Why Restricting Immigration Won’t Improve Work Opportunities for Natives

September 6, 2016

Serious economists know that immigrant and native-born workers cannot simply be swapped for one another like batteries. On average, immigrants and the native-born differ in terms of formal...

  • Blog

Why Restricting Immigration Won’t Improve Work Opportunities for Natives

September 6, 2016

Serious economists know that immigrant and native-born workers cannot simply be swapped for one another like batteries. On average, immigrants and the native-born differ in terms of formal...

  • Blog

The Fossilization of Donald Trump’s Views on Immigration Complete

September 1, 2016

Recent rumors that Donald Trump was considering “softening” his immigration policy positions were nothing but a ruse. In fact, what has happened in the past few days has been a hardening, and...

  • Blog

Why Going Home First to Get Legal Status (“Touchback”) Makes No Sense

August 30, 2016

No one is quite sure where Donald Trump stands on immigration anymore. More precisely, experts are trying to divine what Trump would do with the 11 million undocumented immigrants now living in...

  • Blog

Softening Rhetoric but No Immigration Policy Shift From Donald Trump

August 25, 2016

When it comes to immigration, Donald Trump is big on rhetoric and short on substance. This is why no one is quite sure what to make of Trump’s change in tone as to what should be done about the 11...

  • Blog

No Pivot Here: Donald Trump’s Rhetorical Tricks on Immigration

August 24, 2016

The media has swooned over a few vague statements made of late by presidential candidate Donald Trump. He has spent the past few days hinting that he may “soften” his immigration policy with...

  • Blog

Will a Questionnaire Catch a Terrorist? Donald Trump’s “Extreme Vetting” Plan

August 23, 2016

One of Donald Trump’s more recent, outrageous ideas having to do with immigration is to conduct what he calls “extreme vetting” of prospective immigrants to the United States. The basic idea is to...

  • Blog

Donald Trump’s Shortsighted Immigration Plans Won’t Secure the Homeland

August 16, 2016

As any serious national security expert will tell you, trying to find a potential terrorist by treating all immigrants or Muslims as security risks is far too vague to be effective. Accurate...

  • Blog

Lincoln v. Trump on Immigration

August 2, 2016

Although much has been written about how the party of Abraham Lincoln became the party of Donald Trump, one additional area where these two men parted ways is immigration. The world of today is...

  • Blog

Democratic National Convention Highlights the Need for Immigration Reform

July 29, 2016

Hillary Rodham Clinton accepted the nomination to serve as the Democratic Party’s pick for President Thursday night in Philadelphia, making her the first woman to ever top a mayor party ticket....

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