Pathways to Citizenship
(80+ visa categories – Law Enacted in 1965)

  1. Family Visas
    1.  Majority of immigrants/year
    2. Cascading priority of family members (No aunts, uncles, cousins)
    3. Only 10,000 from each country of origin per year
  2. Professional/Work Visas
    1. 518,000 in 2022
    2. Work visa is for 3 years and can be renewed
    3. ​Priority for professional workers
    4. Limited by country of origin
  3. Diversity Visa (55K/year)
  4. Humanitarian Visas
    1. Special Immigrant Visas - (SIV) – Afghan and Iraq, only for those who assisted the US while troops were there
    2. * Refugee - 125,000 (adjusted annually)
    3. Persecution is defined by the United Nations
    4. Persecuted based on race, religion, nationality, political opinion, or membership in a social group
  5.  Asylum-seekers
    1. Based on US law and international treaties the US
    2. Any person on US soil may request asylum anywhere in the country
    3. The US promises not to put any asylum seeker in prison
    4. The US promises not to return them to harm
    5. An Immigration Judge hears each case
    6. Food, shelter, clothing and basic needs are provided at US expense until the  hearing takes place (currently can be many years)

Temporary (Legal) Visitors in the U.S.
(100+ visa categories and Executive Orders)

  • Travel and Business Visas (est. 7 million/year)
  • Student or Exchange Visas (est. 800,000/year)
  • Special Work Visas (H1B, H2A, H2B) (180,000 + special additions/year)
* 1990 - Temp. Protected Status (355K) – 16 countries
* 2012 - DACA (700K) – Executive Order 
  • Humanitarian Parole - DHS Secretary (legal limbo after 2 years)
    • 2021/2022: Afghanistan (70K) , Ukraine (100K) , Venezuela (24K)
    • 2023: Nicaragua, Cuba, Haiti (360K/year)
Migration Trends and Title 42

Increased (worldwide) Migration : economics, conflicts, politics and climate
US/MX Border – Trends since mid 1900’s
At first -  single Mexican men seeking income
Now we see Mexicans, Central Americans and other countries of origin
​Now families fleeing to escape repression and poverty
Title 42 (3/20) = CDC order - no asylum requests at Ports of Entry (for anyone)                               Expulsion of Mexicans, Guatemalans, Hondurans, El Salvadorans         
US immigration laws, international treaties, and criminal laws broken by Title 42:                 
(1) asylum requests taken from anywhere,                 
 (2) we will not return people back into harm, and                
 (3) border crossers are charged with federal crime                          

Biden’s Latest Policies to Reduce
Congestion at the Border

  • Title 42 Expanded (1/23) Cubans, Nicaraguans, Haitians (Venezuela 10/22) 
  • US will expel 30,000/month into MX if crossed illegal
  • Initial surge of border crossers from these countries
  • Parole applications to U.S. from home countries (not at the border):
  • 30,000/month accepted into the US (from Cuba, Nicaragua, Haiti) 
  • Must have US fiscal sponsor, passport and flight to the US
  • Don’t go to Panama, Mexico, or the US w/o legal permission (or no parole)
  • CBP One = on-line processing of exceptions to Title 42 and appointments at Ports of Entry post-Title 42
  • Increased use of Expedited Removal (deportation) for crossers
  • Transit Ban – (public comment) No asylum if you didn’t apply en route.