The Immigration and Nationality Act (INA): Your Ultimate Guide to America's Core Immigration Law

LEGAL DISCLAIMER: This article provides general, informational content for educational purposes only. It is not a substitute for professional legal advice from a qualified attorney. The U.S. immigration system is exceptionally complex and constantly changing. Always consult with a qualified immigration lawyer for guidance on your specific legal situation.

Imagine the United States is an enormous, exclusive club with a centuries-old history. The Immigration and Nationality Act (INA) is the club's master rulebook. This isn't a small pamphlet; it's a massive, multi-volume library that dictates everything about membership. It has detailed rules for temporary guests (like tourists and students on `nonimmigrant_visas`), a rigorous application process for those who want to become permanent members (obtaining a `green_card`), and a final, solemn ceremony for those who wish to become part of the club's leadership with full voting rights (`naturalization` and citizenship). But this rulebook also contains strict codes of conduct. It has a long list of reasons why someone might be denied entry at the door (inadmissibility) and an equally serious list of offenses that can get a member, even a long-standing one, kicked out (deportability). For anyone who is not a U.S. citizen, the INA is the single most important legal document that governs their ability to be in the country. It’s the blueprint for the American dream for some, and a labyrinth of legal challenges for others.

• The Foundational Law: The Immigration and Nationality Act (INA) is the primary and fundamental body of law governing all immigration and citizenship in the United States. It is the bedrock upon which the entire U.S. immigration system is built.
• Direct & Personal Impact: The INA directly controls your life if you are a foreign national seeking to visit, work, or live in the U.S., a permanent resident maintaining your status, a citizen petitioning for a family member, or a business hiring international talent.
• Two Critical Gates: Understanding the INA's strict rules on admissibility (who can enter) and deportability (who can be forced to leave) is absolutely essential. A mistake or misunderstanding can lead to `family_separation`, career disruption, and permanent bars from the United States.

The INA didn't appear out of thin air. It's the product of centuries of debate, conflict, and shifting national identity. Understanding its history is key to understanding its complexities today.

• Early Years (1790-1880): An Open, but Not Equal, Door: Early laws, like the `naturalization_act_of_1790`, were brief. They allowed any “free white person” of “good moral character” to become a citizen after two years of residence. The door was open, but only for a select few. The concept of “immigration” as we know it didn't really exist; the focus was on who could become a citizen.
• The Rise of Restriction (1882-1924): Building Walls: The late 19th century saw the first major federal restrictions on immigration. The infamous `chinese_exclusion_act_of_1882` was the first law to ban a specific ethnic group. This era established the federal government's supreme, or “plenary,” power over immigration. The Immigration Act of 1924 established a national origins quota system, which was explicitly designed to limit immigration from Southern and Eastern Europe and virtually all of Asia, favoring immigrants from Northern and Western Europe. This system would dominate U.S. immigration policy for the next 40 years.
• Codification in the Cold War (1952): The Birth of the INA: In the thick of the Cold War, Congress passed the Immigration and Nationality Act of 1952, also known as the `mccarran-walter_act_of_1952`. This act didn't fundamentally change the discriminatory quota system, but it did something critically important: it collected and organized all the disparate immigration, naturalization, and nationality statutes into one comprehensive text for the first time. It created the basic structure of the law we still use today, with its classifications for immigrants and nonimmigrants and its grounds for inadmissibility and deportation, heavily colored by fears of Communism. This is the “original” INA.
• The Civil Rights Era Revolution (1965): The Hart-Celler Act: The most significant amendment to the INA came with the `hart-celler_act_of_1965`. Passed at the height of the `civil_rights_movement`, this law abolished the racist national origins quota system. In its place, it established a preference system based on family relationships and job skills. This single act dramatically changed the demographics of immigration to the United States, opening the doors to people from all over the world, particularly from Asia and Latin America. The principles of family reunification it championed remain the cornerstone of the INA today.
• Modern Amendments (1986-Present): Enforcement and Complexity:
  • The Immigration Reform and Control Act of 1986 (`irca`): This act attempted a “three-legged stool” approach: it granted a historic `amnesty` to millions of undocumented immigrants, created sanctions for employers who knowingly hired undocumented workers (leading to the ubiquitous Form I-9), and increased funding for border enforcement.
  • The Immigration Act of 1990 (`immaet_of_1990`): This law increased the total number of legal immigrants allowed, created the Diversity Visa Lottery, and established the current categories for employment-based visas.
  • The Illegal Immigration Reform and Immigrant Responsibility Act of 1996 (`iirira`): This was a seismic shift towards enforcement. It dramatically expanded the list of crimes that could lead to deportation, limited judicial review of deportation orders, and created a process called `expedited_removal` that allows low-level immigration officers to deport certain individuals at the border without a hearing before a judge. Many of the harshest aspects of modern immigration law trace back to IIRIRA.

When lawyers talk about the “INA,” they are referring to the Act itself. However, for legal citation, the INA is found within the U.S. Code.

• The Official Source: The Immigration and Nationality Act is codified as Title 8 of the United States Code (`title_8_of_the_u.s._code`). Think of the INA as the name of a book, and Title 8 of the U.S. Code as its location in the national law library. While the INA has its own section numbers (e.g., INA § 212), these correspond to sections in Title 8 (e.g., 8 U.S.C. § 1182).

The INA itself is organized into five main titles, each covering a major area of immigration law:

• Title I - General Provisions: This title sets out the definitions of key terms used throughout the act (like “alien,” “immigrant,” “child,” “spouse”) and outlines the powers and duties of the government agencies responsible for enforcing the law, such as the `department_of_homeland_security_(dhs)` and the `department_of_state_(dos)`.
• Title II - Immigration: This is the heart of the INA and the part that affects the most people. It is massive and covers:
  • Allocation of Visas: The complex quota and preference systems for family-based and employment-based immigration.
  • Qualifications of Aliens: The rules for both nonimmigrants (temporary visitors) and immigrants (permanent residents).
  • Inadmissibility: The famous `ina_section_212(a)`, which provides a comprehensive list of reasons a person can be denied a visa or entry into the U.S.
  • Deportability: The equally important `ina_section_237`, which lists the reasons a person already inside the U.S. can be placed in `removal_proceedings`.
  • Asylum and Refugees: The legal framework for protecting those fleeing persecution.
• Title III - Nationality and Naturalization: This title deals with U.S. citizenship. It explains how citizenship is acquired at birth (both in the U.S. and abroad to U.S. citizen parents) and the requirements and procedures for a foreign national to become a U.S. citizen through `naturalization`.
• Title IV - Miscellaneous and Refugee Assistance: This title includes a variety of provisions, including the creation of the Office of Refugee Resettlement and rules on how immigration data is collected.
• Title V - Alien Terrorist Removal Procedures: Added later, this title creates special procedures for removing non-citizens suspected of terrorism.

A common point of confusion is the role states play in immigration. The `u.s._constitution` gives the federal government exclusive authority to make immigration laws. A state like California or Texas cannot create its own visa program or decide who can be deported. However, states and localities intersect with federal immigration law in many ways, creating a patchwork of policies across the country.

The INA is a vast legal text. To understand it, we must break it down into its most important functions and concepts.

Think of the INA as having four main pillars that determine a person's entire immigration journey: nonimmigrant status, immigrant status, inadmissibility/deportability, and naturalization.

A `nonimmigrant_visa` is for a foreign national seeking to enter the U.S. for a temporary period and a specific purpose. A key requirement for most nonimmigrant visas is proving “nonimmigrant intent”—that is, you intend to return to your home country after your stay. Analogy: This is like getting a temporary guest pass to the “USA Club.” You can visit the clubhouse, use the facilities for a specific reason (tourism, study, temporary work), but you are expected to leave when your pass expires. Here are a few of the most common nonimmigrant categories established by the INA:

An `immigrant_visa`, commonly known as a `green_card`, grants a person `lawful_permanent_resident` (LPR) status. This allows them to live and work permanently in the United States and is the primary path to eventual citizenship. Unlike nonimmigrants, immigrants must have “immigrant intent.” Analogy: This is the formal application to become a permanent member of the “USA Club.” Once approved, you get a membership card (the green card), can use almost all club facilities indefinitely, and are on the path to full leadership rights. The INA allocates most immigrant visas through two main pathways:

• Family-Based Immigration: This is the cornerstone of the INA. U.S. citizens and LPRs can petition for certain relatives to receive green cards. The system is divided into two tiers:
  • Immediate Relatives (IR): Spouses, unmarried children under 21, and parents of U.S. citizens. There is no numerical limit on visas for this category, so the wait time is generally just the administrative processing time.
  • Family Preference Categories (F): Other family relationships, such as unmarried adult children of citizens (F1), spouses and minor children of LPRs (F2A), unmarried adult children of LPRs (F2B), married children of citizens (F3), and siblings of citizens (F4). These categories are subject to annual numerical caps, which has created enormous backlogs, sometimes decades-long, for people from high-demand countries like Mexico, India, the Philippines, and China. An applicant's place in line is determined by their `priority_date`.
• Employment-Based Immigration: This pathway is for foreign workers, professionals, and investors. Like the family categories, it is subject to annual caps and is divided into preference categories:
  • EB-1: Priority Workers (persons of extraordinary ability, outstanding professors/researchers, multinational managers).
  • EB-2: Professionals with advanced degrees or persons of exceptional ability.
  • EB-3: Skilled workers, professionals, and other workers.
  • EB-4: Special Immigrants (e.g., religious workers).
  • EB-5: Immigrant Investors who invest a significant amount of capital (currently over $800,000) into a U.S. enterprise that creates jobs.

This is arguably the most complex and high-stakes part of the INA. It acts as a double-layered security system.

• Gate #1: Inadmissibility (Section 212(a)) - The Gatekeeper's Checklist:

`ina_section_212(a)` lists all the reasons a foreign national can be stopped at the border or denied a visa. It is a checklist that every single applicant must pass. If you are “inadmissible,” you cannot legally enter or get a green card unless you qualify for a `waiver_of_inadmissibility`.

• *Analogy: This is the bouncer at the club door with a long list. If your name is on the list for any reason—health issues, past crimes, financial problems—you are not getting in. Major Grounds of Inadmissibility: * Health-Related Grounds: Having a communicable disease of public health significance, failing to show proof of required vaccinations, or having a physical or mental disorder with associated harmful behavior. * Criminal Grounds: Convictions for certain crimes, including crimes involving “moral turpitude” (`crime_involving_moral_turpitude`), multiple criminal convictions, controlled substance trafficking, prostitution, and money laundering. This is one of the most complex areas. * Security and Terrorism-Related Grounds: Any ties to espionage, sabotage, terrorism, or membership in a totalitarian party. This was greatly expanded after 9/11. * Public Charge Ground: The likelihood that a person will become primarily dependent on the government for subsistence. Officers look at age, health, family status, assets, and education. This is a highly controversial and scrutinized ground. * Illegal Entry and Immigration Violations: Having been previously deported, being in the U.S. unlawfully for certain periods (triggering 3 or 10-year bars), or committing `visa_fraud` or misrepresentation. * Documentation Grounds: Lacking a valid visa or travel documents. * Gate #2: Deportability (Section 237) - The Code of Conduct: `ina_section_237` applies to people already inside the United States, including lawful permanent residents. It lists the violations that can cause someone to be placed in `removal_proceedings` (deportation). Analogy: This is the club's code of conduct. If you, as a member (even a permanent one), break a serious rule, your membership can be revoked and you can be kicked out. Major Grounds of Deportability: * Inadmissible at Time of Entry: If it's discovered that you were actually inadmissible when you got your visa or green card (e.g., you hid a criminal conviction). * Status Violations: Overstaying a visa or working without authorization. * Criminal Convictions (Post-Entry): Being convicted of certain crimes after entering the U.S. The list is extensive and includes one `crime_involving_moral_turpitude` committed within five years of admission (if a sentence of one year or more is possible), two CIMTs at any time, an “aggravated felony,” a drug conviction (other than a single offense of simple possession of 30g or less of marijuana for personal use), and domestic violence crimes. The definition of `aggravated_felony` is notoriously broad and can include crimes that are misdemeanors under state law. * Security Grounds: Engaging in terrorism-related activities after admission. * Public Charge: Becoming a public charge within five years of entry for reasons that existed *before* you entered the U.S. === Pillar 4: Naturalization (The Path to Citizenship) === `naturalization` is the process by which a lawful permanent resident can become a full U.S. citizen. Title III of the INA lays out the requirements. Analogy: After being a permanent member of the club for years and proving your commitment, you can apply to join the club's governing board, with the right to vote for its leaders and run for office yourself. Key Requirements for Naturalization: * Be at least 18 years old. * Be a Lawful Permanent Resident for a continuous period (generally 5 years, or 3 years if married to a U.S. citizen). * Have continuous residence and physical presence in the U.S. for the required period. * Be a person of “good moral character.” This is a discretionary standard where `uscis` will look at your entire history, especially the 5-year statutory period before you apply. * Demonstrate an attachment to the principles of the U.S. Constitution. * Be able to read, write, and speak basic English. * Pass a U.S. history and civics test. * Take an Oath of Allegiance to the United States. ==== The Players on the Field: Who's Who in the INA System ==== The INA isn't just a book; it's a living system operated by a vast bureaucracy. Knowing the players is essential. * The Department of Homeland Security (`dhs`): Created after 9/11, DHS is the massive cabinet department that oversees most immigration functions within the U.S. * U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (`uscis`): The “benefits” agency. If you are applying for a green card from within the U.S., seeking asylum, or applying for citizenship, you will deal with USCIS. They are the adjudicators who approve or deny applications. * U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (`ice`): The “interior enforcement” agency. ICE is responsible for identifying, arresting, detaining, and deporting non-citizens who have violated immigration law. Their Enforcement and Removal Operations (ERO) division carries out deportations. * U.S. Customs and Border Protection (`cbp`): The “border” agency. CBP officers are the uniformed personnel you see at airports and land borders. They have the power to inspect all people entering the U.S. and to decide whether to admit them or turn them away. * The Department of State (`dos`): This department is in charge of immigration functions outside the U.S. Its consular officers at U.S. embassies and consulates around the world are the ones who interview visa applicants and issue the physical visa stamps in passports. * The Department of Justice (`doj`): The DOJ runs the nation's immigration court system. * Executive Office for Immigration Review (`eoir`): The umbrella organization for immigration courts. When ICE seeks to deport someone, the case is heard by an Immigration Judge (IJ) who works for EOIR. IJs are not part of the independent federal judiciary; they are attorneys working for the executive branch. * Board of Immigration Appeals (`bia`): If an Immigration Judge orders you deported, you can appeal the decision to the BIA. The BIA is the highest administrative body for interpreting and applying immigration laws. * The Department of Labor (`dol`): For most employment-based green cards and some work visas, the DOL plays a key first step. An employer must often prove to the DOL (through a process called `labor_certification` or PERM) that there are no willing and qualified U.S. workers available for the job being offered to a foreign national. ===== Part 3: Your Practical Playbook ===== ==== Step-by-Step: Navigating a Basic INA Process (e.g., A Family-Based Green Card) ==== This is a simplified overview of a common scenario: a U.S. citizen petitioning for a spouse who is already in the U.S. legally on a temporary visa (a process called `adjustment_of_status`). === Step 1: Confirm Eligibility and Relationship === * Action: The U.S. citizen (the “petitioner”) and the foreign spouse (the “beneficiary”) must first ensure they have a legally valid, “bona fide” marriage. This means the marriage was entered into for genuine love and companionship, not solely to obtain an immigration benefit. * Evidence Gathering: Collect proof of your relationship: marriage certificate, joint bank account statements, joint lease or mortgage, photos together, affidavits from friends and family. === Step 2: File the Initial Petition (Form I-130) === * Action: The U.S. citizen petitioner files Form I-130, Petition for Alien Relative, with USCIS. This form establishes the existence of the qualifying family relationship. * Key Document: This is the foundational petition. You must include the marriage certificate and proof of the petitioner's U.S. citizenship. === Step 3: File the Adjustment of Status Application (Form I-485) === * Action: Because a spouse of a U.S. citizen is an “immediate relative,” there is no visa backlog. Therefore, the beneficiary can typically file Form I-485, Application to Register Permanent Residence or Adjust Status, concurrently (at the same time) with the Form I-130. * Crucial Check: Before filing, the beneficiary must ensure they are admissible under `ina_section_212(a)`. You will have to answer detailed questions about your entire history, including criminal, health, and immigration history. Hiding information is `visa_fraud` and can have catastrophic consequences. === Step 4: The Biometrics Appointment and Work Authorization === * Action: After filing, USCIS will schedule the beneficiary for a “biometrics” appointment to have their fingerprints and photograph taken for background checks. * Benefit: Concurrently with the I-485, you can also file for an Employment Authorization Document (EAD) and Advance Parole (for travel). This allows the beneficiary to work legally in the U.S. while the green card application is pending. === Step 5: The Green Card Interview === * Action: USCIS will schedule both spouses for an interview at a local USCIS field office. A USCIS officer will place you under oath and ask questions to verify the authenticity of the marriage and the beneficiary's admissibility. * Preparation: Be prepared to answer questions about your relationship, from how you met to details about your daily life. The officer is trained to detect marriage fraud. === Step 6: The Decision and Conditional Residence === * Action: If the interview is successful, the beneficiary's green card will be approved. * Important Note: If the marriage is less than two years old at the time of approval, the beneficiary will receive a `conditional_residence` green card, valid for only two years. To get the permanent 10-year green card, the couple must jointly file Form I-751, Petition to Remove Conditions on Residence, within the 90-day window before the conditional card expires. This is a final check to ensure the marriage is still legitimate. ==== Essential Paperwork: Key Forms and Documents ==== * `*` Form I-130, Petition for Alien Relative: * Purpose: Used by a U.S. citizen or lawful permanent resident to establish a qualifying relationship with a foreign relative who wants to immigrate to the U.S. * Official Source: `https://www.uscis.gov/i-130` * Tip: The most critical part is providing irrefutable proof of the relationship. For a spouse, this is a marriage certificate and evidence of a shared life. For a child, it's a birth certificate. * `*` Form I-485, Application to Register Permanent Residence or Adjust Status: * Purpose: This is the main application for a green card for individuals who are already physically present in the United States. * Official Source: `https://www.uscis.gov/i-485` * Tip: Be meticulously honest on this form. The inadmissibility questions are a legal minefield. If you have any criminal or immigration history, however minor you think it is, you must consult an immigration attorney before filing. * `*` Form N-400, Application for Naturalization: * Purpose: This is the application to become a U.S. citizen. It is filed by a lawful permanent resident who meets the residency and other requirements. * Official Source: `https://www.uscis.gov/n-400` * Tip: USCIS will re-examine your entire immigration history when you file for naturalization. If they discover you were not actually eligible for your green card in the first place, they can not only deny your citizenship but also place you in `removal_proceedings`. ===== Part 4: Landmark Amendments & Cases That Shaped Today's Law ===== The INA is not a static document. It has been molded by Congress and the courts. These moments are crucial to understanding its current state. ==== The Foundation: McCarran-Walter Act of 1952 ==== * Backstory: In the grip of the Cold War and the “Red Scare,” there was intense fear of communist infiltration. * The Law: The `mccarran-walter_act_of_1952` organized all immigration law into the INA structure we know today. However, it also doubled down on the discriminatory national origins quota system and added ideological grounds for exclusion and deportation, targeting suspected communists and subversives. * Impact Today: While its most discriminatory provisions have been repealed, the Act established the fundamental architecture of the INA, including the classifications of immigrants, nonimmigrants, and the concepts of inadmissibility and deportation that remain central to the law. ==== The Great Shift: Hart-Celler Act of 1965 ==== * Backstory: The `civil_rights_movement` exposed the hypocrisy of fighting for freedom abroad while maintaining racist systems at home. The national origins quota system was seen as a national embarrassment. * The Law: The `hart-celler_act_of_1965` abolished the national origins quotas. It replaced them with a preference system that prioritized family reunification and, to a lesser extent, skills needed by the U.S. economy. * Impact Today: This is arguably the most important immigration law of the 20th century. It fundamentally reshaped American demographics, leading to a new wave of immigration from Asia, Africa, and Latin America. The principle that family relationships are the primary basis for immigration is a direct legacy of this act and defines the system to this day. ==== The Modern Enforcement Era: IIRIRA of 1996 ==== * Backstory: In the mid-1990s, there was a strong political push for stricter immigration control, fueled by concerns over illegal immigration. * The Law: The `iirira` was a sweeping and punitive overhaul. It created `expedited_removal`, allowing for swift deportations at the border with no judge. It drastically expanded the definition of `aggravated_felony` to include many minor state-level offenses, making deportation a near-certainty for a vast new group of non-citizens. It also created the 3 and 10-year “unlawful presence” bars, preventing many people from re-entering the U.S. for years. * Impact Today: IIRIRA's impact has been profound and severe. It has led to the separation of countless families and stripped away many legal protections previously available to immigrants in court. Many of the harshest and most criticized elements of modern immigration enforcement trace their legal authority directly back to this 1996 law. ==== Case Study: Padilla v. Kentucky (2010) ==== * Backstory: A lawful permanent resident and Vietnam veteran, José Padilla, was charged with a drug offense in Kentucky. His criminal defense attorney told him not to worry about deportation because he had been in the country so long. Padilla pleaded guilty and was then faced with mandatory deportation. * The Legal Question: Does a criminal defense attorney's failure to advise a non-citizen client about the deportation consequences of a guilty plea constitute ineffective assistance of counsel under the Sixth Amendment? * The Court's Holding: The Supreme Court said yes. It recognized that deportation is a uniquely severe “penalty” that is now inextricably intertwined with the criminal justice system. The Court ruled that defense attorneys have a constitutional obligation to tell their non-citizen clients that a guilty plea carries a risk of deportation. * Impact on an Ordinary Person Today: This is a monumental ruling. If you are a non-citizen charged with any crime, your defense lawyer must advise you on the specific immigration consequences of taking a plea deal. It gives you critical information to make an informed choice, potentially avoiding a conviction that would trigger automatic deportation under the INA. ===== Part 5: The Future of the INA ===== The INA is a 20th-century law struggling to address 21st-century realities. Its future is a subject of intense political debate and will be shaped by technology and societal change. ==== Today's Battlegrounds: Current Controversies and Debates ==== * DACA and the “Dreamers”: The `daca` (Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals) program, created by executive action, provides temporary protection from deportation and work authorization to individuals brought to the U.S. as children. Its legality has been constantly challenged in court, and Congress has repeatedly failed to pass a permanent legislative solution like the `dream_act`. This leaves hundreds of thousands of individuals in a state of legal limbo, their futures dependent on court rulings and executive whims. * The “Public Charge” Rule: The INA has always had a provision to exclude those likely to become a “public charge.” However, the interpretation of this rule has become a political football. The Trump administration sought to dramatically expand its definition to include the use of non-cash benefits like Medicaid and food stamps, making it much harder for lower-income immigrants to get green cards. The Biden administration has since reverted to a narrower, historical interpretation. This debate over who is “worthy” and “self-sufficient” enough to immigrate remains a central tension. * Asylum at the Border: The INA provides a legal right for individuals to apply for `asylum` if they have a credible fear of persecution. However, recent administrations have implemented numerous policies (like “metering,” the “Remain in Mexico” policy, and a new “asylum ban” rule) designed to severely restrict access to the asylum system at the southern border. This pits the INA's humanitarian provisions against the executive branch's enforcement priorities. * Comprehensive vs. Piecemeal Reform: For decades, Congress has debated “comprehensive immigration reform”—a single, massive bill that would address everything from a path to citizenship for the undocumented to visa backlogs and border security. These efforts have repeatedly failed. The current political reality suggests that any future changes to the INA are more likely to be “piecemeal”—smaller, targeted bills that address specific issues, like visas for agricultural workers or STEM graduates. ==== On the Horizon: How Technology and Society are Changing the Law ==== * Technology and Adjudication: Governments are increasingly using Artificial Intelligence (AI) to screen and process visa applications, looking for patterns of fraud or risk. This promises efficiency but raises serious concerns about bias, transparency, and a lack of human oversight in life-altering decisions. Digital surveillance, from facial recognition at airports to social media monitoring of applicants, is also becoming standard practice, challenging traditional notions of `privacy`. * The Future of Work: The INA's employment-based visa categories were designed for a world of 9-to-5 jobs at a physical office. The rise of remote work and the gig economy creates new challenges. Can an H-1B worker work remotely from a different state than their company's office? How does the law accommodate freelance “digital nomads”? The INA is ill-equipped to handle these modern work arrangements. * Climate Change and Migration: The INA has categories for refugees fleeing political, religious, or social persecution. It has no category for people fleeing natural disasters, desertification, or rising sea levels. As climate change displaces millions of people worldwide, there will be immense pressure on the U.S. and other nations to create a new legal category for “climate refugees,” a concept that does not yet exist in U.S. law. This may be one of the biggest challenges to the INA's framework in the coming decades. ===== Glossary of Related Terms ===== * `*` `adjustment_of_status`: The process of applying for a green card from within the United States. * `*` `aggravated_felony`: A broad category of crimes under the INA that carry the harshest immigration consequences, including near-automatic deportation. * `*` `asylum`: Protection granted to foreign nationals already in the U.S. who have a well-founded fear of persecution in their home country. * `*` `board_of_immigration_appeals_(bia)`: The highest administrative body for interpreting and applying immigration laws, which reviews decisions from immigration courts. * `*` `conditional_residence`: A two-year green card given to spouses whose marriage was less than two years old at the time of approval. * `*` `consular_processing`: The process of applying for a green card from an embassy or consulate outside the United States. * `*` `crime_involving_moral_turpitude_(cimt)`: A vague legal term for a crime that is inherently base, vile, or depraved, which can make someone inadmissible or deportable. * `*` `deportation`: The common term for the legal process of removing a non-citizen from the U.S., officially called `removal`. * `*` `expedited_removal`: A process allowing immigration officers to rapidly deport certain non-citizens without a hearing before a judge. * `*` `green_card`: The common name for the identification card held by a lawful permanent resident. * `*` `inadmissibility`: The state of being ineligible to receive a visa or be admitted into the United States under INA § 212(a). * `*` `lawful_permanent_resident_(lpr)`: The official legal status of a green card holder, who is authorized to live and work permanently in the U.S. * `*` `priority_date`: An immigrant's “place in line” for a visa in a numerically limited category, determined by the date their initial petition was filed. * `*` `removal_proceedings`: The formal court process before an Immigration Judge to determine if a non-citizen is deportable. * `*` `visa_bulletin`:** A monthly publication from the Department of State that shows which priority dates are current for visa processing.

• `*` `u.s._constitution`
• `*` `asylum_law`
• `*` `deportation_and_removal`
• `*` `u.s._citizenship`
• `*` `visa`
• `*` `due_process`
• `*` `equal_protection_clause`