As Congress deliberates a new comprehensive immigration-reform bill, lawmakers are considering legislative proposals that would make it harder—in some cases impossible—for legal immigrants, and even U.S. citizens, to sponsor their relatives for legal residency.

Many Americans wonder why undocumented immigrants do not come to the U.S. legally or simply “get in line” to get residency (a “green card”).

In many cases, the most important moment in an asylum case is the instant in which a clerk randomly assigns an application to a particular asylum officer or immigration judge.

In our immigration law, our country has made it a priority for families to be together.

Nearly half of all the unauthorized migrants now living in the United States entered the country legally through a port of entry such as an airport or a border crossing point where they were subject to inspection by immigration officials, according to new estimates from the Pew Hispanic Center.

The United States has a 150-year history of regulating flows of citizens of other countries to its territory. Starting in 1906,

Much of US legal admissions policy was formulated in the 1960s, with some changes in the 1990s to reflect new realities.

The current debate regarding temporary workers can be informed by past experiences.

US immigration law establishes two systems of admissions of foreign nationals: permanent and temporary systems.

The 1986 Immigration Reform and Control Act (IRCA) was the first legislative attempt to comprehensively address the issue of unauthorized immigration.

Current immigration policies are completely out of sync
with the U.S. economy’s demand for workers who fill
less-skilled jobs, especially in the case of Mexican workers.

Given the extent to which undocumented immigrants already living in the United States are part of U.S.-based families, comprehensive immigration reform must include more than just a new temporary w

Who Is an Immigrant?