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

Five Things We Know About Jeb Bush’s Views on Immigration

June 16, 2015

Former Florida governor Jeb Bush officially entered the 2016 Republican presidential race yesterday in Miami. The launch featured a moment when Bush addressed immigration advocates in the crowd...

  • Blog

What You Need to Know About Chafee’s Immigration Record

June 9, 2015

Lincoln Chafee, a former Republican Senator (turned Democrat) and Governor from Rhode Island announced presidential bid for the Democratic nomination for President of the United States last week....

  • 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...

  • Press Release

NAS Report Finds Immigration a Win for the U.S. Economy

September 21, 2016
The National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine (NAS) immigration report takes a comprehensive look at the fiscal and economic impact of immigration.
  • Blog

Immigration Policy Fifteen Years After 9/11

September 12, 2016

Fifteen years ago on September 11, 2001, it appeared that comprehensive immigration reform was imminent. The prior week, President Vicente Fox of Mexico visited the U.S. and spoke to President...

  • Blog

How USCIS Calculates Processing Times and How It Could Be Improved

September 7, 2016

When people think about immigration reform, they usually think about legalization, enforcement, and updating the legal immigration system. However, there are other upgrades to the immigration...

  • 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...

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