Foreign nationals who violate American immigration laws can be formally removed from the country. Deportation rates have increased during the past decade with stricter ICE enforcement at the southern border, and programs such as DACA face an uncertain future. There are several reasons you can be deported, such as: Deportation is not always handled in ..read more

Naturalization is the process by which foreign nationals become United States citizens. Naturalized citizens enjoy the same rights and freedoms as natural-born American citizens. Acquired citizenship pertains to individuals born in the United States or those born outside of the United States to American parents. All others seeking citizenship must apply to the U.S. Citizenship ..read more

Family-based immigration allows families of American citizens and green card holders to reunite and live in the United States. Family-based visas account for nearly 70 percent of legal immigration every year. Family-based immigration allows American citizens and green card holders sponsor family members to migrate and reside with them in the United States. Family-based visas ..read more

The final portion of the citizenship and naturalization process is taking the citizenship test administered by the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS). Upon passing, candidates become American citizens. Those who fail have the option of retaking the test at a later date, though candidates can only do so one time. Those who fail a ..read more

The United States is welcoming to immigrants from other nations, issuing over 200,000 visas each year. Obtaining a visa and other forms of residence is a privilege that comes with certain rules to be followed. Violating the terms can result in being removed from the United States through deportation, including those who hold permanent resident ..read more

With immigration laws, sometimes change is the only constant. There is a lot going on for 2023 and keeping up with the changes might not be easy. At the end of December 2022, Congress passed the FY (fiscal year) 2023 Omnibus Spending Bill to fund immigration operations. It reauthorized E-Verify and some other immigration programs ..read more

The U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) offers assistance to foreign nationals affected by unforeseen circumstances, such as natural disasters, while living in the United States or abroad. The USCIS identifies unforeseen natural disasters as earthquakes, hurricanes, tsunamis, droughts, floods, or wildfires, among others. Immigration agencies understand that natural disasters and other catastrophes may affect ..read more

For the last 18 months, Karen Roberts, a Mexican native who has lived in the United States for most of her life, has been stranded in Mexico due to her immigration status. The wife of U.S.-born LaMar Roberts, and mother of their five children, was only meant to be on a four-day trip to Mexico ..read more

The Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program was initiated in 2012 by former President Barack Obama as a measure to protect “Dreamers” – the nearly one million undocumented immigrants who were brought into the United States as children. The DACA program protects Dreamers from being deported, many to countries they have never resided in ..read more

The Diversity Visa Program, also known as the Diversity Lottery or DV Lottery, offers up to 50,000 immigrant visas to foreign nationals residing in countries with the lowest immigration rates to the United States. The program, spearheaded by the State Department’s Immigration and Nationality Act, is considered a “lottery” as recipients are randomly chosen from ..read more