Middle School Level

Following the death of a 3-year-old boy named Orlin Hernandez Reyes, Representative Pramila Jayapal has introduced a new bill in Congress called Orlin's Law. The proposed legislation seeks to reform how immigration agencies handle parents with young children. According to Representative Jayapal, the bill was created after Orlin's mother was detained by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and deported to Honduras. Legal records and her attorney state that she repe

On July 7, officers from U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) conducted a traffic stop in Houston, Texas, involving Lorenzo Salgado Araujo. Mr. Salgado Araujo was a 52-year-old Mexican citizen and local construction business owner who had lived in Houston for approximately 35 years. During the incident, an agent shot Mr. Salgado Araujo, who was taken to a local hospital where he later died. Details surrounding what happened during the traffic stop are currently disp

In Magnolia Park, a neighborhood in Houston, Texas, a local community is coming together after the death of 52-year-old construction worker Lorenzo Salgado Araujo, who was shot and killed by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents during a traffic stop on July 7. In the weeks following the event, a group of Mexican American teenagers has been meeting every weekend to support each other. For these teens, the tragedy felt deeply personal. Many shared that Mr. Salg

People come to the United States for many reasons, including work, school, joining family, or escaping danger. The U.S. has immigration laws that decide who can legally enter, live, and work in the country. A legal immigrant is someone who has permission from the U.S. government to live, work, or study in the country. This permission can come through different types of visas, permanent residency (a green card), or other legal programs. An illegal immigrant is someone who is i

Learning about immigration laws only helps if you use that knowledge. Whether you or someone you know is affected by immigration status, or you just want to help others, there are simple things you can do. Know your rights and tell others about them. Everyone in the United States has basic rights, no matter their immigration status. For example, people have the right to stay silent if questioned. The Immigrant Legal Resource Center (ILRC) offers free "Red Cards" in many langu

What Was Proposition 187? Proposition 187, also called the "Save Our State" initiative, was a California ballot measure in 1994. It tried to stop undocumented immigrants (people living in the United States without legal immigration status) from receiving some public services, such as public education and non-emergency healthcare. On November 8, 1994, 59% of California voters approved the measure. However, it was never fully put into effect because federal courts ruled that it

What is DACA? DACA stands for Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals. It was started in 2012 by former President Barack Obama, who wanted to help young people who were brought into the United States without official immigration papers. What Does DACA Do? DACA does many things, including: Pauses a recipient’s risk of being sent away to a different country Gives people a work permit so they can get a job and pay taxes Lets people get a Social Security number and driver’s licens

When people discuss public safety net programs—like SNAP (food stamps), healthcare, or housing help—one major topic of debate is who gets to use these benefits and how they work. A common misconception is that anyone moving to the United States can immediately sign up for government benefits. In reality, federal laws set strict limits based on legal status. People living in the U.S. without official legal status are not eligible for federally funded safety net programs like S

When we talk about immigration, we usually hear about the workforce, laws, or politics. But there is another major topic that affects everyone every day: public health. Public health is all about keeping entire communities, schools, and cities healthy and safe from disease. Research shows that immigrants play a massive role in protecting America's health—both as healthcare workers and as members of our neighborhoods. Have you ever had to wait weeks to see a doctor, or visited

What is TPS? TPS stands for Temporary Protected Status. It is a humanitarian program created by the U.S. government to let people from specific countries live and work in the U.S. safely when it is too dangerous for them to return to their home country. How TPS Works TPS protects foreign citizens already living in the U.S. from being sent back to a place in crisis. TPS holders can get an official work permit to get a job and support themselves. However, it is never permanent.

The United States is frequently called a "nation of immigrants," a title rooted in centuries of global migration. Except for Native Americans, who inhabited the continent first, nearly every person in the U.S. can trace their heritage to people who moved here from other parts of the world. Today, tens of millions of immigrants live, work, and study across the country. Examining current demographic data helps clarify who today's immigrants are, where they come from, and how th

If you watch the news, you might see stories or videos showing U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents using physical force against people during arrests. In some cases, these encounters have resulted in severe injuries or even death. To support harsh deportation policies, President Trump promised to focus government resources on "the worst of the worst"—meaning individuals who have committed violent crimes such as homicide, sexual assault, kidnapping, or robber

In 1954, the U.S. government launched a large-scale immigration enforcement campaign called Operation Wetback. Managed by the U.S. Border Patrol and military officers, the goal was to locate and deport undocumented Mexican immigrants living in the United States, especially across states like Texas, California, and Arizona. The word "wetback" was a derogatory term used to describe Mexican immigrants who entered the U.S. by crossing the Rio Grande river. While recognized today

During World War II, the United States faced a major challenge: millions of American farmworkers left their agricultural jobs to fight overseas or work in defense factories. With crops at risk of rotting in fields across the country, the U.S. government faced a severe labor shortage that threatened the nation's food supply. To solve this problem, the U.S. government signed a diplomatic agreement with Mexico in 1942 called the Guest Worker Agreement, commonly known as the Brac

If you look at the U.S. Constitution today, it promises equal protection under the law for everyone. But throughout American history, lawmakers have sometimes passed regulations that contradicted those ideals. One of the most significant examples of this was the Chinese Exclusion Act of 1882—the first federal law in U.S. history to explicitly ban a specific national and racial group from immigrating to the country. In the mid-19th century, thousands of immigrants left China t

If you turn on the news or scroll through social media today, you will likely see intense debates about immigration, national borders, and who belongs in the United States. During these discussions, two popular slogans often pop up: "We are all immigrants" and "No one is illegal on stolen land." To truly understand what these statements mean (and why people use them) we have to look back at the history of exploration across the North American continent. Long before European s

An immigration visa is an official permission slip for a person to live in a new country. Permanent immigration visas allow someone to stay in a country for as long as they want. There are a few different ways that someone can get an immigration visa. Family Based Visa The first way is known as a family-preference visa. This is for people who have a close family member, such as a spouse, parent, or sibling, who is already a citizen or permanent resident of the United States.

The overarching acts of Congress, historical frameworks, and executive guidelines that dictate how immigration functions on a large scale. INA (Immigration and Nationality Act): The primary body of law governing U.S. immigration. Passed by Congress in 1952, it compiles all the nation's immigration statutes and rules into one massive legal framework. APA (Administrative Procedure Act): A federal law that governs the way government agencies propose and establish new regulations

The legal processes, courts, and mechanisms used when the government seeks to remove someone from the country. Deportation (removal) / Removal proceedings: "Deportation" (legally called removal) is the formal expulsion of a non-citizen from the United States. "Removal proceedings" is the official administrative court trial where a judge determines whether a person must be deported or has a legal right to stay. Currently in Removal Proceedings: The legal status of an individua

These terms describe some of the guidelines governing who is allowed into the country, how they enter, and the penalties for breaking immigration rules. Entry with Inspection: Entering the United States through a legal, designated Port of Entry, where the traveler presents valid documents to a border officer and is officially permitted to enter. Entry without Inspection (EWI): Entering the United States avoiding detection, such as crossing a border secretly between official c

These terms reference legal framework required when an outside entity—like a family member, employer, or lawyer—helps an immigrant. Sponsorship (income requirement) / Affidavit of support: An "Affidavit of Support" is a legally binding contract signed by a sponsor. The sponsor must prove their income meets federal requirements, promising the government that they will financially support the immigrant so they will not need public financial assistance. Employer-Based petition:

These terms deal with the process of changing your legal status. Adjustment of Status / 245(a): The process of applying for lawful permanent resident status (a Green Card) while already physically present inside the United States. Section 245(a) is the specific part of the law that outlines the rules for this transition, usually requiring a legal entry into the country. 245(i): An older, specific exception in the law that allows certain undocumented immigrants who missed dead

Because demand to move to the U.S. is higher than the number of available visas, immigrants must navigate complex waiting systems. Priority date: An applicant's official "place in line." When a sponsor files immigration paperwork, the day the government receives it becomes the priority date. The applicant must wait until that date becomes "current" before progressing. Visa bulletin categories: A monthly report published by the Department of State. It categorizes visas by coun

On June 30, the Supreme Court ruled 6-3 to protect birthright citizenship. This major decision confirmed that the U.S. Constitution guarantees citizenship to anyone born on American soil, regardless of their parents' immigration status. The case, Trump v. Barbara, centered on the meaning of the 14th Amendment. It began as a lawsuit filed by three families against President Trump's Executive Order No. 14160, which attempted to block automatic citizenship for children born in t

These are the paperwork, forms, and identification numbers used by federal agencies to track and authorize immigrants. A-number (alien registration number): A unique seven-, eight-, or nine-digit identification number assigned by the government to non-citizens. It functions like a permanent student ID number for an individual's entire immigration file. Employment Authorization Document (EAD): A plastic photo ID card commonly known as a work permit. It serves as official proof

These are the official legal statuses and travel documents issued by the government to allow people to enter or stay. Immigration: The act of permanently moving from one's native country to settle in a foreign country. Immigration status: An individual's legal standing in the eyes of the government (e.g., student status, tourist status, or permanent resident status). This status dictates what the person is legally allowed to do, such as whether they can work or how long they

These terms describe special programs and laws designed to protect vulnerable people fleeing dangerous situations in their home countries. Asylum: Legal protection granted by the U.S. government to a person who has fled their home country because they have suffered persecution, or have reason to fear they might be persecuted due to their race, religion, nationality, political opinions, or membership in a specific social group. Temporary Protected Status (TPS): A temporary hum

The U.S. Constitution creates the powers of the federal government while also limiting those powers. Even though the federal government has the authority to enforce immigration laws and regulate who enters the United States, it must still follow the Constitution and respect the rights it guarantees. Some constitutional rights, such as voting in federal elections, belong only to U.S. citizens. However, many other protections apply to everyone within the United States, includin

If you follow 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 argued about groups in the government. This isn't for no reason. To understand why ICE exists and why people have such strong feelings about it today, we have to look back at history. Specifically, we have to look at the agency that came before it: the INS (Immigration and Naturalization Service). The story of how the IN

If you scroll through social media, watch the news, or listen to your parents discuss current events, you will hear a lot of talk about immigration. For many middle school students, these conversations can feel like they only matter to adults or to people who are currently trying to move to the United States. But the truth is, what happens with immigration shapes our schools, our local businesses, and the culture we enjoy every single day. Here is why current immigration even

Becoming a citizen of the United States means gaining important rights—like the right to vote in elections, run for public office, and travel with a U.S. passport. It also means promising to support and defend the laws and Constitution of the country. There are four main legal pathways to U.S. citizenship. 1. Citizenship by Birth (Jus Soli) This is the most common way people become U.S. citizens, and it happens automatically. The Rule: Under the 14th Amendment of the U.S. Con

These terms define a person's legal identity and relationship to the U.S. US Citizen: A person who owes complete allegiance to the United States and is entitled to all its constitutional rights and protections. Citizens are either born in the U.S. (or to U.S. citizen parents while abroad) or go through the legal process of naturalization. Lawful Permanent Resident (LPR): An immigrant who has been officially authorized by the government to live and work in the United States pe

Instead of just one agency handling everything, the U.S. government splits the responsibilities of immigration procedures among three major cabinet-level departments. The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) The DHS is the largest department involved in immigration. It handles the hands-on, daily operations of managing the U.S. borders and processing paperwork inside the country. Three specific agencies inside the DHS divide up this work: U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Se