Someone in the U.S. who is not a Citizen is either an Immigrant or a Nonimmigrant How would someone gain citizenship?

1.By being BORN in the U.S. 2.By being born to a U.S. citizen parent or having your parent become a citizen (before you turn 18) 3.Naturalization (more about this process later) Three Ways to Citizenship

Immigrants Immigrants settle in a country intending to stay there permanently and become citizens. Some categories of immigrants are: 1.Lawful permanent residents 2.Refugees 3.Asylees

Lawful Permanent Residents Lawful permanent residents have permission to remain in the US for as long as they choose and remain crime free. They must renew their green card every 10 year. Lawful

What is the difference between a refugee and an asylee? A refugee receives permission to come to the U.S. from outside of the country. Refugees are resettled with the help of a refugee resettlement agency. An asylee is already in the U.S. and once here applies for protection. Asylees have to prove that they have reason to fear persecution in their home country.

Non-immigrants Students Temporary Workers Visitors Others may be in the United States temporarily. Their visas allow them to stay only for a limited amount of time.

Undocumented Immigrants Undocumented immigrants may have entered the U.S. without showing a visa or green card. They may be here with expired papers. They do not have documents that allow them to stay in the U.S.

Can anyone who wants to become a citizen become one? No, first somebody has to have a green card. Then how do you get a green card? Only a few ways, and not everybody is eligible for one. Here are the four ways:

Family Roughly 70% of immigrants come to be reunited with family. U.S. citizen adults can sponsor family members (spouse, parent, child or sibling). Lawful Permanent Residents can sponsor their spouse and any unmarried children.

A note about Family Reunification – The WAIT The length of the wait depends on: –whether the sponsor is a citizen or Lawful Permanent Resident –what country the relative is from –type of relationship (ex: spouse comes sooner than a brother) A lawful permanent resident who wants to bring her husband and 2-year-old daughter from Mexico will have to wait approximately 5-6 years. For a citizen to sponsor his brother from the Philippines it will take

Employment Roughly 15% of immigrants come to fill positions where there is a shortage of U.S. workers (ex: nurses, computer engineers). Every year there are some visas that are given to professionals with advanced degrees and skilled workers. The employer must prove that they can’t find a worker domestically. There are very few visas offered to unskilled workers though there are many businesses that have a shortage of these workers. Available jobs without available visas cause a rise in undocumented immigration.

Fleeing Persecution Roughly 15% of immigrants come as refugees fleeing persecution. The U.S. accepts refugees and asylees who are fleeing persecution based on race, ethnicity, nationality, religion, gender, political opinion or membership in a social group.

Diversity Visa Lottery Each year there is a green card lottery to welcome immigrants from countries from which the U.S. receives immigrants at lower rates. The applicant must have a high school diploma or have a specific ability/trade. Their immediate family can come too. There will be visas given out in the lottery. People from countries that have sent more than 50,000 people in the last 5 years are not eligible. This includes Mexico, El Salvador, China, the Philippines, England, India and other nations. The chance of winning is

Lawful Permanent Residents may become U.S. Citizens Eligible immigrants may choose to go through the process of to become a U.S. citizen.

To become a Naturalized Citizen You Must: Have a green card (5 years). Be physically present in the U.S. for 2.5 years. Pay an application fee of nearly $400. Pass the citizenship test. Pass the interview in English. Swear to the judge you will follow the laws of the U.S. Be of good moral character.

The Immigration Debate Immigration is a front-page news story. The debate centers around: -The present undocumented population -Future immigration flows -The costs and benefits of immigration -The cultural impact of immigration -Family reunification -Border security -Knowing who’s within our borders

Fact: Immigrants contribute positively to our nation. Fill Labor Needs Pay Taxes Add Diversity Share New Ideas Enrich the Culture Offset an Aging Population Strengthen our Global Connections