LEARN ABOUT IMMIGRATION
& tAKE aCTION
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Undocumented immigrants are critical to our economy. They deserve unemployment benefits. Read this article from Common Dreams. Did you know that the U.S. only admits a tiny portion of those who want to immigrate? Did you know that it can take from 14 to 50 years for a single unmarried child of a naturalized U.S. citizen to get a visa? Learn more in this New York Times article, "Do Politicians Realize How Difficult and Rare Immigrating to the U.S. Legally Actually Is?" |
Discover more about how the U.S. immigration system works (or fails to work) and actions you can take to help immigrants. LATEST ACTIONS Hunger Strike Support the hunger strike at the NW Detention Center in Tacoma! La Resistencia, Washington's leading organization for detainees, asks all to join in solidarity with hunger strikers until the strike ends. A rally is held each night at the Detention Center. For more information, check out the La Resistencia site. Help Refugees in Tukwila A humanitarian crisis is brewing in Tukwila. Dozens of immigrants and asylum-seekers are staying on the grounds of Riverton Park United Methodist Church in what has become a makeshift refugee camp. The City of Tukwila city staff recommends that for smaller donations (blankets, supplies, food, etc.) or offers to assist please contact RPUMC at [email protected]. School age children can benefit from contributions to the 2023 Spirit of Giving campaign. There is also a GoFundMe site for direct support to set up emergency winter shelter in hotels. Give All Refugees Opportunities Join with Amnesty International to ask President Biden to give opportunities to all who are seeking refuge in our country. Send a message now. Read more about "The Real Crisis at the Southern Border" from our September newsletter. Also read about legislation on immigration. If you have questions about immigration legislation or other immigration issues, send them to [email protected] with the word “Question” in the subject line. We will try to answer questions either by return email or in this newsletter. |
CHECK OUT THE NATIONAL IMMIGRATION LAW CENTER.
TAKE ACTION ON DACA & OTHER ISSUES.
TAKE ACTION ON DACA & OTHER ISSUES.
immigration FAQs
Why don't "illegal aliens" get in line and enter the U.S. legally?
(In most cases, there is no line.)
The immigration laws and regulations of the United States are designed to limit the number of people who can come here to live on a permanent basis. There are temporary nonimmigrant visas available but these too are of limited availability and most potential immigrants do not qualify.
So, why don’t they get in line? Because, for most, there is no line.
(In most cases, there is no line.)
The immigration laws and regulations of the United States are designed to limit the number of people who can come here to live on a permanent basis. There are temporary nonimmigrant visas available but these too are of limited availability and most potential immigrants do not qualify.
- The majority of permanent immigrants are sponsored by qualifying family members or employers. Family-based visas are limited to immediate family members of U.S. citizens or Legal Permanent Residents. Some of these visas are limited by quotas depending on the country of origin.
- Wait times for a visa to become available may be extreme. For example, siblings from Mexico can expect to wait more than 20 years for a visa to be issued.
- There are other more difficult options for permanent visas. For example, asylum is only granted for certain specific situations. Many asylum seekers are turned back at the border without being given an opportunity to apply even though U.S. and international law say that they must be heard.
- Even for those admitted as asylum seekers, more than 70% will be denied and deported. For citizens of the Northern Triangle countries who are now the majority of those seeking entry at our southern border, the denial rates are approximately 90%.
So, why don’t they get in line? Because, for most, there is no line.
See the complete frequently asked questions here including:
- Who is an immigrant?
- Who is lawful permanent resident?
- Who is a conditional permit resident?
- Who is a refugee, who is an asylee, and what is the difference?
- What are the application differences between asylees and refugees?
- What are the application differences between asylees and refugees--and what are their rights and responsibilties.
