High School Level

A new bill called Orlin's Law has been introduced in Congress after the death of 3-year-old Orlin Hernandez Reyes. According to Representative Pramila Jayapal, Orlin's mother was detained by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and deported to Honduras. She says she repeatedly asked ICE to let her take Orlin with her, but the request was denied. Orlin stayed in Florida with a relative, who was later charged with killing him. After Orlin's death, ICE's acting direct

On July 7, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents conducted a traffic stop involving Lorenzo Salgado Araujo, a 52-year-old Mexican citizen who had lived in Houston for about 35 years. According to ICE, Salgado Araujo tried to drive away during the operation and struck an officer with his vehicle. An ICE agent then shot him in the abdomen. He was taken to a hospital, where he later died. Salgado Araujo's family disputes ICE's account of what happened. They say h

A group of Mexican American teenagers in Houston has been meeting each weekend to support one another after the death of Lorenzo Salgado Araujo, a 52-year-old construction worker who was shot and killed by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents during a traffic stop on July 7 in the Magnolia Park neighborhood. Many of the teens say Salgado Araujo reminded them of their own fathers, uncles, and other family members. Because the incident happened in their own com

People immigrate to the United States for many reasons, including employment, education, family reunification, or seeking safety from violence. U.S. immigration laws determine who is allowed to enter, live, and work in the country legally. A legal immigrant is a person who has authorization from the U.S. government to live, work, or study in the country. This authorization may come through visas, permanent resident status (a green card), refugee or asylum programs, or other l

Understanding the legal-versus-illegal framework is only useful if it translates into action. Whether someone is directly affected by their immigration status, supporting a loved one who is, or simply wants to be a more informed advocate, there are steps that make a difference. Know your rights, and share them. Every person in the U.S., regardless of status, has constitutional protections, including the right to remain silent. The Immigrant Legal Resource Center recommends th

What is Prop. 187? California’s Proposition 187, more commonly known as the “Save Our State” initiative, was a 1994 ballot measure seeking to deny public education, non-emergency healthcare, and several social services to undocumented immigrants. Though it was approved by 59% of voters on November 8, 1994, it was quickly blocked by federal courts, who permanently voided the law as unconstitutional. Core Provisions The law outlined several key measures: Prohibited undocumented

What is DACA? Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals, more commonly known as DACA is an American immigration policy created in 2012 by the Barack Obama administration through the Department of Homeland Security. Why was DACA Created? Daca was created as a temporary executive action as a response to Congress’s failure to pass the DREAM Act. The DREAM was designed as a federal law to grant permanent legal status and a pathway to citizenship, whereas DACA is a temporary protecti

When discussions turn to public safety net programs like food assistance, healthcare, or housing, a central topic of debate is who can access these benefits and how they are used. A common myth is that anyone who moves to the U.S. can immediately sign up for government benefits. In reality, federal law sets strict rules regarding immigration status and safety net access. Undocumented residents are statutorily ineligible for federally funded safety net programs like SNAP, Medi

When discussing immigration in the United States, people often focus on economics, legal frameworks, and border security. However, one of the most vital and frequently overlooked dimensions of immigration is its connection to public health. Far from being a burden on health infrastructure, immigrants play a complex, critical role in keeping the nation healthy. Research reveals that immigrants form the backbone of the healthcare workforce, and their health trends offer unique

One of the most common reasons that people oppose immigration is because they believe that having more immigrants in the U.S. means that taxpayers’ dollars are primarily used for immigrants or that immigrants “take” the jobs of U.S. citizens. However, research on immigration’s role in the economy speaks otherwise. 1. Children of Immigrants Give Back Big When looked at in the long-term for the economy, immigrants do so much more to help the economy than hurting it. Children

What is TPS? Temporary Protected Status, commonly known as TPS, is a temporary immigration status provided to foreign nationals already present within the United States, whose home countries are unsafe due to armed conflict, natural disasters, or extraordinary conditions. This status provides deportation protection and work authorization to said individuals. How TPS Works Through the Department of Homeland Security, the U.S. government can designate a foreign country for TPS

Immigration remains one of the most defining and analyzed facets of American social, political, and economic life. While political debates often rely on generalized narratives, demographic data provides a clearer, quantitative picture of modern migration trends. Analyzing foreign-born demographics—including population size, regional origins, geographic settlement, and push-pull factors—offers essential context for understanding how international migration shapes contemporary

Turn on the news at any given point in time, and you are almost guaranteed to see some news article or video depicting ICE agents treating people with seemingly unprompted violence, sometimes even leading to that person’s death. In justifying his harsh immigration policies in his second term, President Trump has vowed to focus deportation efforts and resources on “the worst of the worst”- people who have committed a violent crime. Some crimes that would result in that label a

In 1954, the United States government launched a law enforcement program called Operation Wetback. Led by the U.S. Border Patrol and military officers, its main goal was to find and deport undocumented Mexican immigrants living in the U.S., particularly in states like Texas, California, and Arizona. The word "wetback" was an offensive slur used to describe Mexican immigrants who entered the U.S. by crossing the Rio Grande river. Today, the name of the operation is recognized

In contemporary debates surrounding domestic labor policy, federal border management, and international trade, historical precedents play a central role in policy options. Among the most influential yet controversial guest worker initiatives in United States history is the Bracero Program. This agreement between the U.S. and Mexico fundamentally restructured agricultural labor economics, established long-term transnational migration corridors, and created legal frameworks tha

In modern-day debates over federal power, immigration reform, and national identity, historical precedent often dictates current legal arguments. One of the most significant yet frequently overlooked milestones in American legal and political history is the Chinese Exclusion Act of 1882. As the first federal statute to explicitly restrict immigration based on race and national origin, the Act reshaped the nation's legal landscape, shifted the powers of the federal government,

Currently, discussions surrounding national security, border control, and human rights frequently intersect with the country's history. Many widely circulated slogans encapsulate key viewpoints in these debates. While these phrases are often deployed in political rallies or social media campaigns, they are rooted in centuries of historical processes, including European exploration, colonial expansion, Indigenous displacement, and global migration patterns. The narrative of Am

Immigration visas are granted by the United States government to foreign nationals, as official travel documents granting the legal right to live and work in the country indefinitely. The primary pathways to obtain permanent relocation into the United States are family-sponsored visas, employment based visas, and humanitarian programs. Family-Based Visas Family reunification is the most common pathway to permanent residency in the United States. Family-based visas are obtaine

The overarching acts of Congress, judicial precedents, and executive boundaries that dictate how U.S. immigration policy is handled. INA (Immigration and Nationality Act): The foundational, primary text of U.S. immigration law. Enacted by Congress in 1952 and heavily amended in subsequent decades, the INA consolidates almost all federal immigration statutes, legal quotas, and enforcement parameters into a single comprehensive body of law. APA (Administrative Procedure Act): A

The legal mechanisms, formal charging documents, and administrative court structures used by the executive branch during removal proceedings. Deportation (removal) / Removal proceedings: Deportation (legally called as removal) is the formal expulsion of a non-citizen from the United States. "Removal proceedings" refers to the formal administrative trial held in a specialized court to determine whether a non-citizen is legally subject to expulsion or qualifies for a form of le

Entry with Inspection: Entering the United States through a designated, legal Port of Entry, where the individual presents valid travel documents to a Customs and Border Protection (CBP) officer and is officially inspected, admitted, or paroled into the country. Entry without Inspection (EWI): The act of entering the United States avoiding detection, such as crossing a land border secretly between official checkpoints. EWI is a violation of federal law and severely limits an

These terms describe the legal mechanisms and contracts required when a third party—such as a relative, corporation, or attorney—gets involved in someone's immigration process. Sponsorship (income requirement) / Affidavit of support: An Affidavit of Support is a contract signed by an immigrant's sponsor. The sponsor must submit tax documents proving their income meets federal poverty guidelines, promising to financially maintain the immigrant so they will not become a public

These terms govern the administrative processes through which an individual shifts from one legal classification to another. Adjustment of Status / 245(a): The administrative procedure that allows an eligible non-citizen already physically present in the United States to upgrade their status to lawful permanent residency. Section 245(a) of the INA (Immigration Nationality Act) dictates that this generally requires the applicant to have entered the country via a lawful admissi

Due to statutory caps that limit the number of visas issued annually, the immigration system uses a complex chronological waiting queue. Priority date: The date an applicant establishes their official place in the immigrant visa waiting line. It is determined by the date a relative’s petition or an employer’s labor certification is formally received and logged by the government. Visa bulletin categories: A monthly publication released by the Department of State that breaks do

On June 30, the Supreme Court ruled to preserve birthright citizenship in a 6-3 overall decision, establishing that the Constitution guarantees citizenship for all people born in the United States, regardless of their parent’s immigration status. In Trump v. Barbara, the Court examined the meaning of the 14th Amendment. The case arose as a class action lawsuit filed by three families—Barbara, a Honduran asylum seeker; Susan, a Taiwanese student on a visa; and Mark, a Brazili

These are the regulatory documents, official identification systems, and tax tracking numbers used by federal agencies to monitor non-citizens. A-number (alien registration number): A unique, permanent seven-, eight-, or nine-digit identification number assigned by the federal government to non-citizens upon the creation of their primary immigration file. It tracks the individual across all stages throughout their life. Employment Authorization Document (EAD): A physical phot

These terms describe the formal documents through which people from other countries gain permission to enter or remain in the United States. Immigration: The process of permanently relocating from one's country of origin to settle, work, and establish long-term residency in a foreign nation. Immigration status: The legal standing of a non-citizen under federal regulations (e.g., B-2 tourist, F-1 student, or LPR). This status dictates an individual's legal boundaries, such as

These programs, visas, and statutes are designed to provide a safe haven, legal protections, or status to vulnerable individuals fleeing persecution, crime, or systemic crises. Asylum: A form of legal protection granted to foreign nationals already physically present in the U.S. (or at a Port of Entry) who can prove a well-founded fear of persecution in their home country based on race, religion, nationality, political opinion, or membership in a particular social group. Temp

The U.S. Constitution establishes the powers of the federal government, while also creating the limitations placed on those powers. The authority granted upon the federal government to regulate entry into the United States is not unlimited. Rather, it is controlled by the Constitution, to which it must adhere to the rules and protections established in order to protect the people under the United States jurisdiction. While some rights, such as voting in federal elections, are

If you keep up with the news or scroll on social media, you will quickly realize that ICE (Immigration and Customs Enforcement) is one of the most talked about and controversial agencies, if not THE most. To understand why ICE operates the way it does, you have to look back to its predecessor: the INS (Immigration and Naturalization Service). The story of how the INS became ICE represents a major shift in how the United States views immigration. In this shift, the U.S. went f

Open your FYP on Tiktok or scroll on Reels, turn on the news, or listen to political debates, and one topic is guaranteed to appear: U.S. immigration policy. For many high school students, these conversations can feel distant—especially if you were born in the U.S. and hold citizenship. It is easy to assume that immigration policy only affects those actively navigating the legal system. In reality, federal and state immigration events have a direct, profound impact on your da

Acquiring U.S. citizenship is a legal transition that alters an individual's relationship to the state by granting them full constitutional protections, the right to vote in federal elections, access to a U.S. passport, and protection from deportation. Under federal law and the U.S. Constitution, there are two primary categories of citizenship: citizenship at birth and citizenship after birth. Within these categories lie four distinct legal pathways. 1. Birthplace Citizenship

These terms define a person’s precise legal identity and relationship to the United States under the Immigration and Nationality Act (INA). US Citizen: An individual who owes permanent allegiance to the United States and is entitled to all constitutional rights, protections, and privileges. Citizenship is acquired by birth within the U.S. (jus soli), birth abroad to U.S. citizens (jus sanguinis), or through the statutory process of naturalization. Lawful Permanent Resident (L

In the U.S. Government, there are three main departments that handle immigration procedures. These three departments are the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), the Department of State (DOS), and the Department of Justice (DOJ). The DHS consists of 3 smaller sub-units: ICE, CBP, and USCIS. For some historical context, the DHS was established in 2002 after 9/11 for the purpose of centralizing national security. Today, however, its main purpose is overseeing the majority of