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Immigration can be a touchy subject. Americans are encouraged to avoid stereotyping and to never put labels on anybody. Having said that, the United States government places immigrants into four basic statuses. If you or a loved one are thinking of moving to the United States either temporarily or permanently, you should be familiar with the four basic categories of immigrants.
Undocumented Immigrants
The Statue of Liberty might specifically ask for the poor, tired, huddled masses yearning to breathe free, but the United States Citizenship and Immigration Services has other ideas. In reality, a person must have a good reason for wanting to Immigrate to the U.S., and if they do not, they may not be able to enter the country legally. Thousands of immigrants cross the United States border illegally every year. If a person is caught trying to come over the border illegally, they may be arrested and incarcerated.
When President Biden took office, many people in South and Central America rushed to the American border thinking that they would be allowed to cross. Although Biden’s policies may be looser than Trump’s, there are still steps one must follow to enter the country legally.
People who are discovered to be in the country illegally can be deported or given an undocumented status.
Some undocumented immigrants who arrived in the country as children are protected by the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals. This program allows qualifying individuals to stay in the country for an additional two years and assists them in acquiring a work permit. Although the Trump Administration tried to end this program or greatly limit it, President Biden reinstated it by executive order when he took office.
Some undocumented immigrants may be able to obtain temporary protected status. This status is granted to persons for whom it may be dangerous to go back to their country of origin.
It would not be cost-effective to deport every illegal immigrant in the United States back to their own country. However, a person cannot apply for a green card for three years if they have been in the US Illegally for over six months. This leaves many undocumented workers in a state of flux.
Temporary Visitor Status
When a person is only coming to the United States for a short period of time, they will be issued a temporary visa. They may be traveling for business or pleasure, but they will be expected to leave the country whenever their visa expires. A temporary visa can last for several years.
Lawful Permanent Resident
When a person is in possession of a Green Card, they are considered to be a lawful permanent resident. There are several different types of green cards a person can get. Some green cards are issued when a business sponsors a worker. Family-related green cards are issued to the spouses of underage children of legal permanent residents. There your humanitarian-based green cards that are given to people with Refugee status. There are also green cards that are issued to people who are from countries with a low immigration rate to the United States.
United States Citizens
If one of your parents is a United States citizen, you can obtain automatic citizenship when you enter the country. You will not have to go through the normal immigration process.
If you have had your green card for at least five years, you can begin the process of becoming a United States citizen. You will want to contact a Miami immigration lawyer to assist you with paperwork and with Gathering evidence that you are qualified.
America is a nation of immigrants, and it has brought people of many different nationalities to its shores over the years. If you do things right, you can enjoy all the privileges that citizenship offers.
