Although it may seem like most immigrants in the U.S. are Hispanic and Latino, there are immigrants from all around the world. Less than 50% of all immigrants are Latino or Hispanic. In 2012, there were over 40 million immigrants in the United States and only 18 million were Hispanic.
Unfortunately, plenty of Hispanic and Latino immigrants are not aware of the immigration laws leading to many broken families. The following are some USA immigration laws you need to know.
1. Family-Based Immigration
Under Family-Based Immigration, a foreign citizen seeking to live permanently in the U.S. requires an immigrant visa. Generally, to be eligible for an immigrant visa, the individual must be sponsored by an immediate relative who is at least 21 years of age and is either a U.S. Citizen or U.S. Lawful Permanent Resident. There are two types of Family-Based Immigration Visas:
- Immediate Relative: These visas are based on close familial relationships with a U.S. citizen, such as spouse, child, or parent
- Family Preference: These visas are geared towards more distant, familial relationships that falls under a specified relationship with a Lawful Permanent Resident
If your spouse, child, or sibling is a legal citizen of the United States, you may be eligible for a green card to live in the United States. Thousands of people receive lawful permanent residence in the U.S every year to join their family members.
In Donald Trump’s administration, however, new policies have been proposed and you need a US immigration lawyer to help you understand them.
The administration suggests that family-based immigration be an option only to minor children and spouses. Other family members may get green cards through a skills-based point system.
Under Biden’s administration, the U.S. is looking to increase and expand access to family-based green cards in a variety of ways.
2. You Can Get Temporary Permissions
Few people who need to come to the United States under special or unusual circumstances may do so by obtaining temporary permissions. The permissions give unauthorized immigrants the chance to stay in the US. It is usually available to immigrants who have no way of obtaining permanent residence. There are two programs associated with Temporary Permissions.
Temporary Protected Status (TPS) and Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) are some of the most common programs under Temporary Permissions. TPS gives immigrants permission to work and live in the United States because disasters such as war and hurricanes make it impossible to go back to their countries.
3. Refugee Admissions
If you are a refugee seeking to flee persecution from your country, you can immigrate to the U.S. The country admits thousands of refugees from various countries every year.
Even though Trump froze refugee admissions when he first came into power, admission from most countries was resumed. Immigrants from 11 nations that are considered ‘high risk’ were admitted.
The Biden Administration raised the number of refugees the nation could admit to 62,500 in fiscal year 2021. The Biden Administration further raised the refugee cap to 125,000 for fiscal year 2022.
4. Deportation Is a Real Threat
Most illegal immigrants in the U.S did not get into the country illegally. Most people become illegal immigrants by staying in the country after their visitor or Business Visas expire. It is, therefore, no surprise that most of them have lived in the U.S for more than ten years.
Millions of them use fake Social Security Numbers to get employment. Even though they may pay their taxes and social security as the law requires, they are still eligible for deportation as it is a criminal offense to use a fake Social Security Number.
5. Valuable Skills Can Help You Qualify for Immigration
There are multiple visa types that you can take advantage of if you have the right skills. These visas include Employment-Based Green Cards, H-1B Visas and EB-2 Visas.
Employment-based immigration helps employees with exceptional skills to immigrate into the United States. Temporary visa classifications allow you to work in specific fields for a temporary period. In most cases, your employer must petition for you.
There are plenty of visas for temporary workers depending on your skill and type of employment. Permanent employment-based immigration allows you, your minor children, and your spouse to move to the U.S. It is available to various people including; those in professions with advanced degrees or exceptional skills in business, science, or art, and those who invest $500,000 to $1 million to offer full-time employment to at least 10 U.S workers.
USA immigration can provide you with plenty of opportunities. It is, therefore, important to learn about all the laws to ensure that you get the best from your stay in the country.
Need more information? Check out our article on Top US Immigration Lawyers Near You That Will Review Your Case And Get You The Help You Need Now. Also, feel free to contact us for US immigration lawyer free consultation!
