Foundations of U.S. Immigration Policy
The U.S. immigration system is built on four key principles:
- Family reunification: Allowing U.S. citizens and lawful permanent residents (LPRs) to sponsor relatives.
- Employment-based immigration: Admitting individuals with skills valuable to the U.S. economy.
- Humanitarian protection: Offering refuge to those fleeing persecution or disaster.
- Diversity promotion: Encouraging immigration from underrepresented countries via the Diversity Visa Lottery.
- Types of Immigration
- 1. Permanent Immigration (Green Card holders):
- Up to 675,000 immigrant visas are issued annually under various categories.
- Immediate relatives of U.S. citizens (spouses, parents, children under 21) are exempt from this cap.
- 2. Temporary Immigration (Non-immigrant visas):
- Includes tourists, students, and temporary workers.
- Some categories (like H-1B workers) have annual caps; others (like tourists) do not.
- 3. Humanitarian Programs:
- Refugees and asylum seekers are admitted based on annual quotas and eligibility.
- Other protections include Temporary Protected Status (TPS) and Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA)
Path to Citizenship
- Immigrants with permanent residency (Green Cards) can apply for citizenship after 3–5 years.
- Citizenship involves passing a civics test, demonstrating English proficiency, and taking the Oath of Allegiance.
- Current Landscape
- As of 2025, the U.S. hosts 53.3 million foreign-born residents, making up 15.8% of the population—the highest in its history.
- Immigrants and their U.S.-born children total 93 million people, or 28% of the population.
- An estimated 18.6 million undocumented immigrants reside in the U.S.
Lesson Learning 