The president and the administration are famously unorganized and often are not even on the same page when it comes to agenda and objectives. With so much confusion coming from them, it is hard to figure out the difference between what is law and what are political statements not based in reality.
Below is a list of some common misunderstandings people have about U.S. immigration law:
- Foreign nationals become citizens if they marry a U.S. citizen: This is not true. The road to citizenship becomes easier and faster, but the new spouse will still have to be eligible to apply, complete the interview and citizenship test.
- I can get a green card if I have a job: This is not true unless the employer sponsors the visa ahead of time. Workers generally need an immigrant visa for permanent legal residency to work in the U.S. and get a job.
- Criminal convictions lead to deportation: Possibly. Illegal immigrants are deported if they are arrested or convicted, but a criminal offense charge is usually not serious enough to deport legal immigrants back to their home country.
- Trump can change the laws: The president can create policy and run agencies like ICE, but he cannot make laws without Congress voting and the courts deciding if the new law is constitutional.
- Migrants can be deported for no reason: While it may seem like it, this is not true. Immigration officials need a reason to initiate removal proceedings. Moreover, people cannot threaten to call ICE to have migrants deported.
Laws protect migrants too
Migrants are often threatened or misled, but they still have rights. Those who feel that they or a family member are not treated fairly should contact an immigration law attorney to ensure that their rights are not being violated.
