Download Glossary of Immigration Terms Amnesty = A grant of official pardon

Glossary of Immigration Terms
Amnesty = A grant of official pardon for an offense.
Asylum = An immigrant may apply for asylum within one year of arriving in the
U.S. if they have been persecuted in their home country or fear they will be
persecuted in their home country for one of the following reasons: race, religion,
nationality, membership in a particular social group, or political opinion.
Citizen = An individual with full legal rights in a sovereign state. Whereas all
people in the U.S. are protected under the U.S. Constitution, only citizens can vote
in federal elections and own a U.S. passport. Citizenship is for life.
DACA = Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals. Undocumented children who
were brought to the US before their 16th birthdays can apply for DAPA, up to the
age of 35 (if approved). They have to demonstrate continuous residence in the US
since 1/1/2010 and physical presence as of 7/15/2012 before they apply. They have
to be in school, graduated with a diploma or secondary certificate, are in or are
veterans of the US Armed Forces, and have never been in trouble with the law.
DAPA = Deferred Action for Parental Arrivals. Undocumented parents of
children who are either US citizens or legal permanent residents can apply for
DAPA. They have to demonstrate continuous residence in the US since 1/1/2010
and physical presence in the US without legal status as of 11/20/2014 before they
apply. There can be no previous orders of removal or deportation against them or
any criminal record in the US.
Deportation = Forcible removal by the government of an individual from the
United States and returned to the individual’s home country.
Executive Orders = legally binding orders given by the President, acting as the
head of the Executive Branch, to Federal Administrative Agencies. Executive
Orders are generally used to direct federal agencies and officials in their execution
of congressionally established laws or policies.
Green Card = An official identification card verifying an immigrant as a Legal
Permanent Resident. Residency provides an official Social Security Number.
Renewable every ten years.
Naturalized Citizen = A person who was born in another county and came to
America as an immigrant and went through the naturalization process to become a
U.S. citizen.
Rescission = The revocation of a law or agreement. In immigration terms,
rescission means the revocation of official status, such as Legal Permanent
Resident.