Summary
Highlights
Immigrants do not typically 'take' jobs from Americans but often fill roles Americans are unwilling to do. They contribute significantly to the economy by growing the job market and preventing outsourcing. Immigrants, particularly in Silicon Valley, are key drivers of business creation due to their entrepreneurial spirit.
A visa is a stamp allowing temporary entry to the US, with 24 non-immigrant and 30 immigrant types. A green card signifies permanent residency. A refugee is vetted for two years outside the US due to persecution, while an asylum seeker is already in the US or at a border, fearing persecution in their home country.
Legally immigrating from the Mexican border without applying for asylum is nearly impossible. Expats are typically US workers on temporary assignments abroad; if they remain, they become immigrants. Many countries now welcome American immigrants, often due to their financial contributions and skills.
Marrying for a green card requires genuine love, not just convenience, to avoid marriage fraud. The immigration service scrutinizes marriage cases, especially those with apparent disparities. Initial green cards for spouses of US citizens are conditional for two years, requiring proof of cohabitation and commingled assets afterwards.
Over a million Americans live in Mexico, the top destination for US emigrants. Following a layoff, H-1B visa holders have a 60-day grace period to leave the US, change their status, or find a new sponsoring employer to avoid deportation.
Green cards can be revoked for crimes within five years, extended stays outside the US, or misrepresentation. Citizenship can also be revoked for lying on applications. The idea of a '$5 million golden card' for residency, similar to the existing EB-5 visa program ($1 million investment), already exists internationally and attracts wealthy investors.
'Chain immigration' is a derogatory term for family-based immigration, which has been a core part of US immigration since 1952. Undocumented immigrants commit crimes at a lower rate than US citizens. Undocumented immigrants generally cannot vote in federal or state elections, despite occasional instances of illegal voting by a very small number of individuals.
ICE can arrest individuals without a warrant within a 100-mile zone of US borders or if they positively identify someone violating immigration law. They need a warrant to enter a home unless in active pursuit. Deportation conditions can be inhumane, as seen in cases where individuals are sent to war-torn countries. Immigrants, even those facing deportation, have due process rights. Legal immigrants can also be deported for various reasons, including unlawful acquisition of residency or committing crimes.
Immigrants face increased risk of arrest at court hearings due to ICE practices. US citizens have been mistakenly deported and must contact US embassies for assistance. Debt remains a responsibility even after deportation, tied to a social security number.
The US combines 'jus soli' (citizenship by birthplace) and 'jus sanguinis' (citizenship by blood). Revoking birthright citizenship would create a stateless class of individuals. Assimilation, the adoption of a new culture, is distinct from integration into society and can take generations.
The USCIS is moving towards online filing, but paper records still dominate at ICE. F1 student visas can be revoked for various reasons, including criminal charges or poor academic performance. Historically, immigration peaks have often been met with anti-immigrant sentiment, a pattern the US has eventually overcome.
Undocumented immigrants contribute billions in taxes annually through income, food, rent, and property taxes. Halting immigration would severely impact the US economy, hindering growth, innovation, and family reunification, proving its continuous necessity.