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• FY2020 Refugee Ceiling and Allocations [November 7, 2019]

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  From the Document: "On November 1, 2019, President Donald Trump issued a Presidential Determination setting the FY2020 refugee ceiling at 18,000. The refugee ceiling is the maximum number of refugees that can be admitted to the United States in a fiscal year. From the start of FY2020 until the signing of the Presidential Determination, no refugees could be admitted to the United States. The FY2020 refugee ceiling of 18,000 is the lowest in the history of the U.S. refugee admissions program. The Trump Administration has reduced the refugee ceiling each year, setting it at 45,000 for FY2018 and 30,000 for FY2019. These ceilings are much lower than in previous years. Actual refugee admissions in FY2019 totaled 30,000"

  Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service

  Bruno, Andorra

  2019-11-07
• Unauthorized Childhood Arrivals, DACA, and Related Legislation [November 6, 2019]

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  From the Introduction: "This report considers House and Senate measures on unauthorized childhood arrivals that have seen legislative action since 2001, focusing in particular on legislation considered in the 115th and 116th Congresses. It also discusses the related Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) initiative and DACA-related data. The material is presented chronologically to trace the development of legislative proposals on unauthorized childhood arrivals and highlight the interplay between legislative action on these measures and developments related to the DACA initiative."

  Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service

  Bruno, Andorra

  2019-11-06
• Unauthorized Alien Students: Issues and 'DREAM Act' Legislation [Updated January 20, 2015]

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  From the Introduction: "Immigration reform has been hotly debated in recent years. Although many component issues are controversial, the question of legalizing large numbers of unauthorized immigrants in the United States has been a focal point of debate, galvanizing both support for and opposition to reform proposals. Historically less controversial has been legislation known as the 'DREAM Act' that proposes a more targeted legalization program to enable certain unauthorized students to obtain legal immigration status. The name DREAM Act derives from the bill title, Development, Relief, and Education for Alien Minors Act, but it refers more broadly to a class of measures to provide immigration relief to unauthorized alien students, whether or not particular bills carry that name. [...] Bills to legalize the status of unauthorized alien students were again introduced in the 112th Congress. Some of these bills were similar to the measure approved by the House in the 111th Congress, while others included more traditional DREAM Act elements."

  Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service

  Bruno, Andorra

  2015-01-20
• Unauthorized Childhood Arrivals: Legislative Activity in the 115th Congress [March 22, 2018]

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  "Unauthorized childhood arrivals is a general term used to describe foreign nationals who as children were brought to live in the United States by their parents or other adults. Sometimes referred to as Dreamers, they represent a subset of the larger unauthorized alien population in the United States. Many observers view them more sympathetically than other unauthorized aliens because they do not consider them responsible for their unlawful status, and they support establishing a process for them to obtain legal immigration status. Others, however, argue that unauthorized childhood arrivals should not be afforded any special treatment under the immigration system."

  Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service

  Bruno, Andorra

  2018-03-22
• H-2B Visa and the Statutory Cap: In Brief [Updated May 14, 2019]

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  From the Introduction: "FY2019 is the fourth year in a row that Congress has enacted a special provision to allow for the issuance of H-2B [non-agricultural] visas beyond the annual statutory cap of 66,000 in response to high levels of demand for the visa. For FY2016, Congress exempted certain H-2B workers from the statutory cap. For the three past fiscal years, Congress has authorized the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) to make additional H-2B visas available subject to certain conditions. For FY2017 and FY2018, DHS used this authority to make an additional 15,000 H-2B visas available each year. For FY2019, DHS is making an additional 30,000 H-2B visas available."

  Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service

  Bruno, Andorra

  2019-05-14
• Iraqi and Afghan Special Immigrant Visa Programs [Updated March 29, 2019]

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  From the Document: "Congress has enacted a series of legislative provisions since 2006 to enable certain Iraqi and Afghan nationals to become U.S. lawful permanent residents (LPRs). These provisions make certain Iraqis and Afghans who worked as translators or interpreters, or who were employed by, or on behalf of, the U.S. government in Iraq or Afghanistan, eligible for 'special immigrant' visas (SIVs). Special immigrants comprise a category of permanent employment-based admissions under the Immigration and Nationality Act (INA). While the special immigrant category is unique, it does bear some similarities to other admission categories that are authorized by other sections of the INA, including refugees and Amerasian children."

  Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service

  Bruno, Andorra

  2019-03-29
• Refugee Admissions and Resettlement Policy [March 6, 2014]

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  "A refugee is a person fleeing his or her country because of persecution or a well-founded fear of persecution on account of race, religion, nationality, membership in a particular social group, or political opinion. Typically, the annual number of refugees that can be admitted into the United States, known as the refugee ceiling, and the allocation of these numbers by region are set by the President after consultation with Congress at the start of each fiscal year. For FY2014, the worldwide refugee ceiling is 70,000, with 68,000 admissions numbers allocated among the regions of the world and 2,000 numbers comprising an unallocated reserve. An unallocated reserve is to be used if, and where, a need develops for refugee slots in excess of the allocated numbers. The FY2014 regional allocations are, as follows: Africa (15,000), East Asia (14,000), Europe and Central Asia (1,000), Latin America/Caribbean (5,000), and Near East/South Asia (33,000). Overseas processing of refugees is conducted through a system of three priorities for admission. 'Priority 1' comprises cases involving persons facing compelling security concerns. 'Priority 2' comprises cases involving persons from specific groups of special humanitarian concern to the United States (e.g., Iranian religious minorities). 'Priority 3' comprises family reunification cases involving close relatives of persons admitted as refugees or granted asylum."

  Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service

  Bruno, Andorra

  2014-03-06
• Unauthorized Aliens in the United States: Policy Discussion [May 8, 2014]

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  "The unauthorized immigrant (illegal alien) population in the United States is a key and controversial immigration issue. Competing views on how to address this population have been, and continue to be, a major obstacle to enacting immigration reform legislation. It is unknown, at any point in time, how many unauthorized aliens are in the United States; what countries they are from; when they came to the United States; where they are living; and what their demographic, family, and other characteristics are. Demographers develop estimates about unauthorized aliens using available survey data on the U.S. foreign-born population and other methods. These estimates can help inform possible policy options to address the unauthorized alien population. Both the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) and the Pew Research Center estimate that approximately 11.5 million unauthorized aliens were living in the United States in January 2011. DHS further estimates that there were some 11.4 unauthorized residents in January 2012. Pew has released a preliminary estimate of 11.7 million for the March 2012 unauthorized resident population. The Immigration and Nationality Act (INA) and other federal laws place various restrictions on unauthorized aliens. In general, they have no legal right to live or work in the United States and are subject to removal from the country. At the same time, the INA provides limited avenues for certain unauthorized aliens to obtain legal permanent residence."

  Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service

  Bruno, Andorra

  2014-05-08
• Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA): Frequently Asked Questions [September 30, 2014]

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  "On June 15, 2012, the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) announced that certain individuals who were brought to the United States as children and meet other criteria would be considered for relief from removal for two years, subject to renewal, under an initiative known as Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals, or DACA. Among the eligibility requirements, an individual must have been under age 16 at the time of his or her entry into the United States; must have been continuously resident in the United States since June 15, 2007; and must not have been in lawful immigration status on June 15, 2012. To request consideration of DACA, an individual must file specified forms with DHS's U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) and pay associated fees. USCIS's decision on a DACA request is discretionary. The agency makes determinations on a case-by-case basis. Individuals granted DACA may receive employment authorization. DACA recipients are not granted a lawful immigration status and are not put on a pathway to a lawful immigration status. USCIS began accepting DACA requests on August 15, 2012, and issued its first approvals in September 2012. Prior to that, from June 15, 2012, to August 15, 2012, DHS's Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) granted deferred action under the DACA process in some cases. Cumulatively, through June 2014, more than 580,000 DACA requests have been approved. The period of deferred action under the DACA program expires after two years unless it is renewed."

  Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service

  Bruno, Andorra

  2014-09-30
• Iraqi and Afghan Special Immigrant Visa Programs [September 12, 2014]

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  "Congress has enacted a series of legislative provisions since 2006 to enable certain Iraqi and Afghan nationals to become U.S. lawful permanent residents (LPRs). These provisions make certain Iraqis and Afghans who have worked as translators or interpreters, or who were employed by, or on behalf of, the U.S. government in Iraq or Afghanistan, eligible for 'special immigrant' visas (SIVs). Special immigrants comprise a category of permanent employment-based admissions under the Immigration and Nationality Act (INA). While the special immigrant category is unique, it does bear some similarities to other admission categories that are authorized by other sections of the INA, including refugees and Amerasian children. […] This report analyzes the SIV classifications for Iraqis and Afghans within the context of both the larger INA special immigrant category and selected other permanent admissions categories. It discusses the legislative changes to the individual Iraqi and Afghan special immigrant programs since their initial authorization, provides statistics on visa issuances, and considers challenges facing the programs today."

  Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service

  Bruno, Andorra

  2014-09-12
• Immigration of Temporary Lower-Skilled Workers: Current Policy and Related Issues [December 13, 2012]

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  "This report discusses existing visa programs for temporary lower-skilled workers, including regulatory changes since 2008. It covers legislative efforts to reform current programs and to create new guest worker visas. It further identifies and explores key policy considerations to help inform congressional action on guest worker programs."

  Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service

  Bruno, Andorra

  2012-12-13
• Immigration Legislation and Issues in the 108th Congress [Updated February 10, 2004]

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  "The 108th Congress has considered and is considering legislation on a wide range of immigration issues. Chief among these are the transfer of immigration authorities to the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), expedited naturalization through military service, and foreign temporary workers and business personnel. Since passage of the Homeland Security Act of 2002 (P.L. 107-296) and the creation of DHS, Congress has considered legislation to clarify the allocation of immigration authorities between the Secretary of DHS and the Attorney General. P.L. 108-7 amended the Immigration and Nationality Act (INA) in an apparent effort to clarify the authority that was to remain with the Attorney General. H.R. 1416, as passed by the House and reported by the Senate Governmental Affairs Committee, would further amend the INA to remove certain references to the Attorney General. The 108th Congress has enacted a measure on expedited naturalization through military service. P.L. 108-136, the FY2004 Defense Department Authorization bill, amends military naturalization and posthumous citizenship statutes and provides immigration benefits for immediate relatives of U.S. citizen servicemembers who die as a result of actual combat service. In the area of foreign temporary workers and business personnel, the 108th Congress has enacted legislation to implement the Chile (P.L. 108-77) and Singapore (P.L. 108-78) Free Trade Agreements."

  Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service

  Wasem, Ruth Ellen; Siskin, Alison; Bruno, Andorra

  2004-02-10
• Immigration Legislation and Issues in the 111th Congress [January 18, 2011]

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  "The Speaker of the House and the Senate majority leader of the 111th Congress pledged to take up comprehensive immigration reform legislation, the most controversial piece of which concerns unauthorized aliens in the United States. Although the 111th Congress did not take up a comprehensive immigration bill, it did consider a narrower DREAM Act proposal to legalize the status of certain unauthorized alien students. On December 8, 2010, the House approved a version of the DREAM Act as an amendment to an unrelated bill, the Removal Clarification Act of 2010 (H.R. 5281). A cloture motion in the Senate to agree to the House DREAM Act amendment failed on a 55-41 vote on December 18, 2010. The 111th Congress also considered other immigration issues and enacted a number of targeted immigration provisions. It passed legislation (P.L. 111-8, P.L. 111-9, P.L. 111-68, P.L. 111-83) to extend the life of several immigration programs--the E-Verify electronic employment eligibility verification system, the Immigrant Investor Regional Center Program, the Conrad State J-1 Waiver Program, and the special immigrant visa for religious workers--until September 30, 2012. Among the other subjects of legislation enacted by the 111th Congress were border security (P.L. 111-5, P.L. 111-32, P.L. 111-83, P.L. 111-230, P.L. 111-281, P.L. 111-376), refugees (P.L. 111-8, P.L. 111-117), and Haitian migrants (P.L. 111-212, P.L. 111-293). This report discusses these and other immigration-related issues that have received legislative action or are of significant congressional interest. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) appropriations are addressed in CRS Report R40642, 'Homeland Security Department: FY2010 Appropriations,' and, for the most part, are not covered here."

  Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service

  Ester, Karma; Bruno, Andorra; Lee, Margaret Mikyung

  2011-01-18
• Unauthorized Alien Students: Issues and 'DREAM Act' Legislation [December 1, 2010]

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  "Supporters of comprehensive immigration reform have urged the President and Congress to pursue reform legislation. While legislative action on comprehensive reform does not appear likely during the remainder of the 111th Congress, there may be an effort to enact a measure, commonly referred to as the 'DREAM Act,' to enable certain unauthorized alien students to legalize their status. Unauthorized aliens in the United States are able to receive free public education through high school. They may experience difficulty obtaining higher education, however, for several reasons. Among these reasons is a provision enacted in 1996 that prohibits states from granting unauthorized aliens certain postsecondary educational benefits on the basis of state residence, unless equal benefits are made available to all U.S. citizens. This prohibition is commonly understood to apply to the granting of 'in-state' residency status for tuition purposes. Unauthorized alien students also are not eligible for federal student financial aid. More broadly, as unauthorized aliens, they are not legally allowed to work and are subject to being removed from the country. Multiple bills have been introduced in recent Congresses to address the unauthorized student population. Most have proposed a two-prong approach of repealing the 1996 provision and enabling some unauthorized alien students to become U.S. legal permanent residents (LPRs) through an immigration procedure known as cancellation of removal."

  Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service

  Bruno, Andorra

  2010-12-01
• U.S. Refugee Resettlement Assistance [January 4, 2011]

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  "In recent years, the United States has admitted an increasingly diverse group of refugees and other humanitarian cases with a diverse set of needs. There seems to be broad consensus that the U.S. refugee resettlement assistance system is not adequately meeting the needs of these new arrivals and is ripe for reform. The National Security Council is leading an interagency review of refugee resettlement, the forthcoming results of which may further energize reform efforts. To help inform possible future efforts to reform the refugee resettlement assistance system, this report discusses existing resettlement assistance programs, key challenges and issues in providing effective assistance, and policy options to reform the current system. To assist newly arriving refugees, the Department of State (DOS) administers a program of initial resettlement known as the Reception and Placement Program. Under this program, public and private, nonprofit entities provide new refugees with initial resettlement services and referrals to other services, as needed."

  Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service

  Bruno, Andorra

  2011-01-04
• Unauthorized Alien Students: Issues and 'DREAM Act' Legislation [December 14, 2010]

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  "Supporters of comprehensive immigration reform have urged the President and Congress to pursue reform legislation. While legislative action on comprehensive reform does not appear likely during the remainder of the 111th Congress, there are efforts to enact a measure, commonly referred to as the 'DREAM Act,' to enable certain unauthorized alien students to legalize their status. On December 8, 2010, the House approved DREAM Act language as part of an unrelated bill, the Removal Clarification Act of 2010 (H.R. 5281). Unauthorized aliens in the United States are able to receive free public education through high school. They may experience difficulty obtaining higher education, however, for several reasons. Among these reasons is a provision enacted in 1996 that prohibits states from granting unauthorized aliens certain postsecondary educational benefits on the basis of state residence, unless equal benefits are made available to all U.S. citizens. This prohibition is commonly understood to apply to the granting of 'in-state' residency status for tuition purposes. Unauthorized alien students also are not eligible for federal student financial aid. More broadly, as unauthorized aliens, they are not legally allowed to work and are subject to being removed from the country."

  Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service

  Bruno, Andorra

  2010-12-14
• Syrian Refugee Admissions and Resettlement in the United States: In Brief [November 19, 2015]

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  From the Introduction: "The November 2015 attacks in Paris have crystallized concerns among some policymakers in the United States about admitting Syrian refugees. Questions have been raised about the refugee admission process, particularly the security vetting procedures. Some policymakers have urged the Obama Administration to stop admitting Syrian refugees for now and a number of governors have expressed an unwillingness to accept Syrian refugees in their states. The Administration previously announced that it would admit at least 10,000 Syrian refugees in FY2016. To assist Congress in addressing issues related to Syrian refugees and U.S. refugee policy generally, this report details the U.S. refugee admissions process and the placement and resettlement of arriving refugees in the United States."

  Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service

  Bruno, Andorra

  2015-11-19
• H-2B Visa and the Statutory Cap: In Brief [December 11, 2015]

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  "The U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) announced in mid-June 2015 that it had received a sufficient number of H-2B visa petitions to reach the statutory limit of 66,000 H-2B temporary nonagricultural workers for FY2015. After several years in which fewer than 66,000 H-2B visas were issued, the cap was reached in FY2014. With the demand for H-2B visas continuing to exceed the supply, congressional attention is once again focused on H-2B admissions and the statutory cap."

  Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service

  Bruno, Andorra

  2015-12-11
• Immigration Legislation and Issues in the 114th Congress [February 3, 2016]

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  From the Summary: "The House and the Senate have considered immigration measures on a variety of issues in the 114th Congress. The Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2016 (P.L. 114-113) extends four immigration programs through September 30, 2016: the EB-5 immigrant investor Regional Center Pilot Program, the E-Verify employment eligibility verification system, the Conrad State program for foreign medical graduates, and the special immigrant religious worker program. P.L. 114-113 also contains provisions on the Visa Waiver Program and certain nonimmigrant visa categories. Other enacted immigration-related measures include the Border Jobs for Veterans Act of 2015 (P.L. 114-68) on border security personnel, the Adoptive Family Relief Act (P.L. 114-70) on intercountry adoption, and the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2016 (P.L. 114-92) on the Afghan special immigrant visa program. The House has passed several other immigration-related bills. Among them are the Northern Border Security Review Act (H.R. 455), the Preclearance Authorization Act of 2015 (H.R. 998), the Border Security Technology Accountability Act of 2015 (H.R. 1634), the Enforce the Law for Sanctuary Cities Act (H.R. 3009), and the American SAFE Act of 2015 (H.R. 4038). H.R. 998 has also been reported by the Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee with an amendment in the nature of a substitute. […] This report discusses these and other immigration-related issues that have received legislative action or are of significant congressional interest in the 114th Congress."

  Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service

  Bruno, Andorra; Bjelopera, Jerome P.; Garcia, Michael John . . .

  2016-02-03
• President's Immigration Accountability Executive Action of November 20, 2014: Overview and Issues [February 24, 2015]

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  "On November 20, 2014, President Obama announced his Immigration Accountability Executive Action which would revise some U.S. immigration policies and initiate several programs, including a revised border security policy for the Southwest border; deferred action programs for some unauthorized aliens; revised interior enforcement priorities; changes to aid the entry of skilled workers; promoting immigrant integration and naturalization; and several other initiatives the President indicated would improve the U.S. immigration system. The most controversial among these provisions would grant deferred action to as many as 5 million unauthorized aliens. The President announced the executive action through 10 Department of Homeland Security (DHS) memoranda, 2 White House memoranda, and 3 Department of Labor (DOL) fact sheets. […] According to the President, the action was taken in response to the absence of legislation addressing major problems within the immigration system. The President has stated that his executive action is temporary, and that his successor can rescind some or all of its provisions. Those opposed to the executive action argue that it was taken largely for political purposes. They contend that once granted, the temporary measures it encompasses would be difficult to revoke. Separately, a debate has arisen as to whether the President has the legal authority to take such action, with the Administration and others arguing the President's action falls within his authority, and many in Congress arguing the President has overstepped it. That debate and its attendant legal questions are beyond the scope of this report."

  Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service

  Kandel, William; Bjelopera, Jerome P.; Bruno, Andorra . . .

  2015-02-24
• In-Country Refugee Processing: In Brief [May 7, 2015]

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  "The Obama Administration has established a new refugee program for certain minors in El Salvador, Guatemala, and Honduras with a parent who is lawfully present in the United States. Created in response to the FY2012-FY2014 surge in unaccompanied child arrivals to the United States from these countries, the Administration has described the new Central American Minors (CAM) program as providing an alternative to a dangerous journey to the United States. The CAM program is an in-country refugee processing program, which means that eligible minors will be processed by the U.S. government from within their countries of origin for possible admission to the United States as refugees. Under the program, a parent who is lawfully present in the United States can request a refugee resettlement interview for an unmarried child in El Salvador, Guatemala, or Honduras. The Immigration and Nationality Act (INA) defines a refugee, in part, as a foreign national who has experienced, or has a well-founded fear of, persecution on account of race, religion, nationality, membership in a particular social group, or political opinion. Refugees are processed and admitted to the United States from abroad."

  Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service

  Bruno, Andorra

  2015-05-07
• Iraqi and Afghan Special Immigrant Visa Programs [February 26, 2016]

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  "Congress has enacted a series of legislative provisions since 2006 to enable certain Iraqi and Afghan nationals to become U.S. lawful permanent residents (LPRs). These provisions make certain Iraqis and Afghans who have worked as translators or interpreters, or who were employed by, or on behalf of, the U.S. government in Iraq or Afghanistan, eligible for special immigrant visas (SIVs). Special immigrants comprise a category of permanent employment-based admissions under the Immigration and Nationality Act (INA). While the special immigrant category is unique, it does bear some similarities to other admission categories that are authorized by other sections of the INA, including refugees and Amerasian children. To apply under the SIV programs for Iraqis or Afghans, a prospective special immigrant must: submit a petition to the Department of Homeland Security; be otherwise eligible for an immigrant visa; and be otherwise admissible to the United States. An Iraqi or Afghan SIV applicant whose petition is approved and who is abroad is required to have an in-person visa interview at a U.S. embassy or consulate abroad to determine visa eligibility. Upon admission to the United States, SIV recipients are granted LPR status. Iraqi and Afghan special immigrants are eligible for the same resettlement assistance and federal public benefits as refugees."

  Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service

  Bruno, Andorra

  2016-02-26
• Immigration Legislation and Issues in the 110th Congress [Updated February 14, 2008]

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  "Comprehensive immigration reform was the subject of much discussion at the start of the 110th Congress. In the 109th Congress, both the House and the Senate passed major immigration bills, but they were never reconciled.2 During the first session of the 110th Congress, a bipartisan group of Senators developed broad immigration reform legislation with the active involvement of the Bush Administration. Aimed at addressing a host of perceived problems with the U.S. immigration system, this legislation combined border security and interior enforcement provisions with provisions on temporary workers, permanent admissions, and unauthorized aliens. The Senate considered several immigration reform measures (S. 1348, S.Amdt.1150 to S. 1348, S. 1639) in May and June of 2007. On June 28, 2007, the Senate voted on a motion to invoke cloture on S. 1639, which, if approved, would have ultimately brought the bill to a vote. The cloture motion failed, however, on a vote of 46 to 53, and the Senate Majority Leader pulled the bill from the Senate floor. [...] This report discusses immigration-related issues that have seen legislative action or are of significant congressional interest. Department of Homeland Security (DHS). appropriations are addressed in a separate report and, for the most part, are not covered here. The final section of this report lists enacted legislation and selected bills receiving action."

  Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service

  Bruno, Andorra; Wasem, Ruth Ellen; Nunez-Neto, Blas . . .

  2008-02-14
• Immigration Legislation and Issues in the 107th Congress [Updated August 28, 2002]

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  "The basic U.S. law regulating immigration, the Immigration and Nationality Act (INA), was enacted in 1952 and has been amended since then. The last major overhaul of the INA occurred in 1996 with the passage of the Illegal Immigration Reform and Immigrant Responsibility Act (IIRIRA; Division C of P.L. 104-208). The Immigration and Naturalization Service (INS) of the Department of Justice (DOJ) administers and enforces the INA. (For a basic introduction to immigration, see CRS [Congressional Research Service] Report RS20916, Immigration and Naturalization Fundamentals.) In the aftermath of the September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks, congressional interest in immigration was focused primarily on security-related issues, such as border security, admissions policy, and the tracking of foreign nationals in the United States. Major legislation was enacted in these areas. While security-related issues remain on the agenda and have gained renewed prominence with the Administration's proposal to establish a homeland security department, the 107th Congress is also considering other immigration issues. Top immigration-related issues currently before Congress are the reorganization of INS, admissions policy, and noncitizen eligibility for federal benefits. These issues are discussed, in turn, in the initial sections of this report. These discussions are followed by coverage of various proposed mechanisms for unauthorized aliens to obtain legal permanent resident (LPR) status and other immigration issues of significant congressional interest. (The 'Legislation' section at the end of the report lists enacted legislation and selected bills receiving action.)"

  Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service

  Wasem, Ruth Ellen; Siskin, Alison; Ester, Karma . . .

  2002-08-28
• Immigration Legislation and Issues in the 110th Congress [Updated September 4, 2008]

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  "Comprehensive immigration reform was the subject of much discussion at the start of the 110th Congress. In the 109th Congress, both the House and the Senate passed major immigration bills, but they were never reconciled. During the first session of the 110th Congress, a bipartisan group of Senators developed broad immigration reform legislation with the active involvement of the Bush Administration. Aimed at addressing a host of perceived problems with the U.S. immigration system, this legislation combined border security and interior enforcement provisions with provisions on temporary workers, permanent admissions, and unauthorized aliens. The Senate considered several immigration reform measures (S. 1348, S.Amdt.1150 to S. 1348, S. 1639) in May and June of 2007. On June 28, 2007, the Senate voted on a motion to invoke cloture on S. 1639, which, if approved, would have ultimately brought the bill to a vote. The cloture motion failed, however, on a vote of 46 to 53, and the Senate Majority Leader pulled the bill from the Senate floor. [...] This report discusses immigration-related issues that have seen legislative action or are of significant congressional interest."

  Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service

  Kim, Yule; Lee, Margaret Mikyung; Garcia, Michael John . . .

  2008-09-04
• Immigration Legislation and Issues in the 110th Congress [Updated May 9, 2008]

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  "Comprehensive immigration reform was the subject of much discussion at the start of the 110th Congress. In the 109th Congress, both the House and the Senate passed major immigration bills, but they were never reconciled. During the first session of the 110th Congress, a bipartisan group of Senators developed broad immigration reform legislation with the active involvement of the Bush Administration. Aimed at addressing a host of perceived problems with the U.S. immigration system, this legislation combined border security and interior enforcement provisions with provisions on temporary workers, permanent admissions, and unauthorized aliens. The Senate considered several immigration reform measures (S. 1348, S.Amdt.1150 to S. 1348, S. 1639) in May and June of 2007. On June 28, 2007, the Senate voted on a motion to invoke cloture on S. 1639, which, if approved, would have ultimately brought the bill to a vote. The cloture motion failed, however, on a vote of 46 to 53, and the Senate Majority Leader pulled the bill from the Senate floor. [...] This report discusses immigration-related issues that have seen legislative action or are of significant congressional interest."

  Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service

  Haddal, Chad C.; Nunez-Neto, Blas; Wasem, Ruth Ellen . . .

  2008-05-09
• Refugee Admissions and Resettlement Policy [November 7, 2017]

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  "Typically, the annual number of refugees that can be admitted into the United States, known as the refugee ceiling, and the allocation of these numbers by region are set by the President after consultation with Congress at the start of each fiscal year. For FY2018, the worldwide refugee ceiling is 45,000. The FY2018 regional allocations are, as follows: Africa (19,000), East Asia (5,000), Europe and Central Asia (2,000), Latin America/Caribbean (1,500), and Near East/South Asia (17,500). Refugee admissions in FY2017 totaled 53,716. On October 24, 2017, a 120-day suspension of the refugee admissions program put in place by President Donald Trump expired. The same day, President Trump issued an executive order that provided for the resumption of the refugee program subject to certain conditions. The executive order referenced 'special measures' that would be applied to refugees whose entry poses potential threats to the United States."

  Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service

  Bruno, Andorra

  2017-11-07
• Iraqi and Afghan Special Immigrant Visa Programs [December 12, 2017]

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  "Congress has enacted a series of legislative provisions since 2006 to enable certain Iraqi and Afghan nationals to become U.S. lawful permanent residents (LPRs). These provisions make certain Iraqis and Afghans who have worked as translators or interpreters, or who were employed by, or on behalf of, the U.S. government in Iraq or Afghanistan, eligible for special immigrant visas (SIVs). Special immigrants comprise a category of permanent employment-based admissions under the Immigration and Nationality Act (INA). While the special immigrant category is unique, it does bear some similarities to other admission categories that are authorized by other sections of the INA, including refugees and Amerasian children."

  Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service

  Bruno, Andorra

  2017-12-12
• H-2B Visa and the Statutory Cap: In Brief [April 17, 2018]

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  "The Immigration and Nationality Act (INA) of 1952, as amended, enumerates categories of aliens, known as nonimmigrants, who are admitted to the United States for a temporary period of time and a specific purpose. One of these nonimmigrant visa categories--known as the H-2B visa--is for temporary nonagricultural workers. The H-2B visa allows for the temporary admission of foreign workers to the United States to perform nonagricultural labor or services of a temporary nature if unemployed U.S. workers are not available. Common H-2B occupations include landscape laborer, amusement park worker, and housekeeper. The H-2B program is administered by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security's (DHS's) U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) and the U.S. Department of Labor's (DOL's) Employment and Training Administration. DOL's Wage and Hour Division also has certain concurrent enforcement responsibilities. The H-2B program currently operates under regulations issued by DHS in 2008 on H-2B requirements, by DHS and DOL jointly in 2015 on H-2B employment, and by DHS and DOL jointly in 2015 on H-2B wages."

  Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service

  Bruno, Andorra

  2018-04-17
• Reception and Placement of Refugees in the United States [June 21, 2017]

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  "The U.S. Refugee Admissions Program (USRAP), which is managed by the Department of State (DOS), resettles refugees from around the world in the United States. Once a refugee case is approved for U.S. resettlement, the USRAP determines where in the country the refugee(s) will be resettled. This determination is made through DOS's Reception and Placement Program (R&P), which provides initial resettlement services to arriving refugees. R&P initial resettlement assistance is separate from longer-term resettlement assistance provided through the Department of Health and Human Services' (HHS) Office of Refugee Resettlement (ORR). Each year, DOS's Bureau of Population, Refugees, and Migration (PRM) requests proposals from public and private nonprofit organizations that are interested in providing services and assistance to refugees under the R&P Program. […] The R&P Program is subject to a set of statutory requirements. Regarding the placement process, the ORR director and the agency administering the R&P Program are required to consult regularly with state and local governments and resettlement agencies about the intended distribution of refugees among the states and localities. The agency administering the R&P Program is further required to consider the recommendations of the state in determining where to place refugees within a state. As of May 31, 2017, in FY2017, refugee arrivals have been placed in the District of Columbia and every state except Wyoming. In FY2016, the only states with no refugee placements were Delaware and Hawaii."

  Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service

  Bruno, Andorra

  2017-06-21