Learn about immigration
Navigating the immigration system can be
complicated.
Learn more about immigration options and
stay-up-to date with policy changes.
Browse by topic, select an article, or
search our Learning Center to learn more.
Community Explainer: Week 1 Under Donald Trump 2.0
Written By: National Immigration Project (NIPNLG)
Updated : 10/8/2025 Written : 5/7/2025On the first day of his presidency, President Trump signed dozens of Executive Orders, including at least twelve that relate directly to immigration. This explainer gives an overview of what’s happened in week 1 and what we can expect next.
Read More →FAQ on H.R.1 Fees for USCIS and EOIR Benefits
Written By: Catholic Legal Immigration Network, Inc. (CLINIC)
Updated : 10/8/2025 Written : 9/16/2025On July 4, 2025, the president signed the new budget bill H.R. 1 that increases the fees for certain immigration benefits and amends the availability of fee waivers in certain instances. This FAQ addresses questions related to the new fee increases.
Read More →Governor Landry's Executive Order Explainer
Written By: National Immigration Project (NIPNLG)
Updated : 10/8/2025 Written : 5/7/2025On January 16, 2024, Louisiana Governor Jeff Landry issued an executive order titled “Identifying, Quantifying, and Mitigating the Adverse Effects of Illegal Immigration of Louisiana.” This community explainer explains the memo and answers some frequently asked questions.
Read More →Naturalization Alert: Memos on Good Moral Character (GMC) and Neighborhood Visits
Written By: Immigrant Legal Resource Center (ILRC)
Updated : 11/11/2025 Written : 11/11/2025This practice alert covers recent U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) policy statements announced in August 2025 that could affect naturalization applicants. On August 15, 2025, USCIS issued a memo which states an intent to change how the agency will assess whether applicants meet the good moral character (“GMC”) requirements for naturalization. On August 22, 2025, USCIS issued a memo that prescribes neighborhood visits to investigate naturalization applicants for scrutiny of the applicant’s residency, GMC, and attachment to the U.S. Constitution. As with the GMC memo, this memo does not exist in the official repository of USCIS policy, the USCIS Policy Manual. At this time there are no instructions on how these memos will be implemented by USCIS.
Read More →Naturalization Update: Policy Manual Revisions to the Disability Waiver
Written By: Immigrant Legal Resource Center (ILRC)
Updated : 11/11/2025 Written : 11/11/2025This practice advisory provides background on the disability waiver of the English and civics requirement for naturalization and describes the June 2025 revisions to the USCIS Policy Manual (PM) on the submission and review of disability waivers. The revised guidance in the PM applies to applications filed on or after the publication date of June 13, 2025. Overall, the PM revisions signal a change in tone that assumes fraud in the disability waiver process is frequent and encourages increased scrutiny by USCIS adjudicators.
Read More →Practice Advisory: The Laken Riley Act's Mandatory Detention Provisions
Written By: National Immigration Project (NIPNLG)
Updated : 10/8/2025 Written : 5/7/2025On January 29, 2025, President Trump signed the Laken Riley Act (LRA) into law. The law expands no-bond detention for certain noncitizens in immigration proceedings, and it also purports to give states the ability to sue the federal government over immigration decisions they dislike, opening the door to politically motivated and discriminatory actions. The goal of this practice advisory is to support practitioners in defending noncitizens impacted by the LRA's detention provisions. It summarizes the law’s detention provisions, discusses groups of noncitizens whose detention should not be impacted by the LRA, provides potential arguments for a narrow interpretation of the provisions’ scope, describes procedural options for contesting a client’s mandatory detention under the LRA, and identifies considerations for criminal defense attorneys.
Read More →Practice Pointer: USCIS Transition to Electronic Payments
Written By: Catholic Legal Immigration Network, Inc. (CLINIC)
Updated : 11/11/2025 Written : 11/11/2025This practice pointer will help immigration legal service providers (ILSPs) prepare for this change by detailing how to make electronic payments and warning of the pitfalls that can lead to USCIS rejecting an application for lack of payment. For ILSPs that may wish to make payment on behalf of clients for their ease and to ensure payments are not rejected, this practice pointer provides an overview of how ILSPs can ensure compliance with relevant ethical rules regarding holding client funds.
Read More →Protective Federal Immigration Enforcement Policies
Written By: National Immigration Project (NIPNLG)
Updated : 10/8/2025 Written : 5/7/2025Florida’s aggressive anti-immigrant laws imperil and harm thousands of noncitizen state residents, including the state’s estimated nearly 800,000 undocumented residents. However, noncitizens in Florida may be able to benefit from federal immigration policies. These federal policies guide immigration officers in deciding how and against whom to enforce immigration laws. Noncitizens may therefore use one or more of these policies to argue that they should not be subject to arrest or deportation by ICE, notwithstanding Florida’s state laws.
Read More →Setting the Record Straight About Sanctuary Policies: A Response to Threats Against Sanctuary Cities
Written By: National Immigration Project (NIPNLG)
Updated : 10/8/2025 Written : 5/7/2025This resource explains how and why sanctuary policies are lawful and constitutionally protected, despite recent attacks from America First Legal and the Department of Justice.
Read More →Supreme Court Roundup: What Immigrant Rights Advocates Need to Know
Written By: National Immigration Project (NIPNLG)
Updated : 10/8/2025 Written : 5/7/2025This community FAQ explains some of the most prominent Supreme Court decisions from the 2024 term, especially those that affect immigration.
Read More →USCIS Amends Good Moral Character Standard for Naturalization Applicants
Written By: Catholic Legal Immigration Network, Inc. (CLINIC)
Updated : 10/8/2025 Written : 9/16/2025U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) recently increased the scrutiny officers would apply in determining whether naturalization applicants can establish their necessary “good moral character” (GMC). The new Policy Memorandum marks a notable shift in how applicants for U.S. citizenship are evaluated — not just for past misconduct, but also for their positive contributions and overall character. While certain acts will make the applicant ineligible to establish GMC, the new standard requires the applicant to proactively demonstrate certain positive set forth in the memo.
Read More →What DALEros Should Know Under the Trump Administration
Written By: National Immigration Project (NIPNLG)
Updated : 10/8/2025 Written : 5/7/2025Since 2023, Deferred Action for Labor Enforcement (DALE) has provided temporary protection from deportation and a work permit for workers involved in a labor agency investigation at their workplace. The Trump administration is making big changes to immigration policy. Many workers with DALE are asking questions about what these changes mean for them and how they can protect their rights under the new administration. This resource, available in English and Spanish, provides some answers and has links to other helpful information.
Read More →What is Section 1324? Understanding the Federal Crimes of Smuggling, Transporting, Concealing, Harboring, Encouraging or Inducing.
Written By: National Immigration Project (NIPNLG)
Updated : 10/8/2025 Written : 5/7/2025This resource explains Section 1324, the federal law that criminalizes smuggling, transporting, concealing, harboring, encouraging or inducing someone to enter or stay in the United States without authorization. It explains the criminal actions involved when someone does or tries to help another person come to or stay in the United States unlawfully.
Read More →