How The Immigration System Works
Immigration is a complex issue that lies at the intersection of federal, state, and local policymaking. Many myths and misconceptions surround the topic, making it difficult to have a constructive, well-informed national conversation about immigration policies. Take our Immigration Facts quiz to test your knowledge of how the immigration system works.
- 1.What percentage of the U.S. population is foreign-born?
- A.
5%
- B.
13%
- C.
25%
- D.
42%
- 2.Approximately what percentage of immigrants living in the United States are unauthorized?
- A.
10%
- B.
28%
- C.
56%
- D.
75%
- 3.What percentage of unauthorized immigrants arrived on temporary tourist, student, or work visas and stayed after those visas expired, as opposed to those who crossed the border without proper documents?
- A.
5%
- B.
25%
- C.
40%
- D.
70%
- 4.What percentage of unauthorized immigrants living in the United States in 2013 arrived before 2000?
- A.
5%
- B.
24%
- C.
39%
- D.
57%
- 5.How do most people admitted for permanent residence, those known as green card holders, enter the United States?
- A.
The employment-based system, determined by skills and U.S. labor market needs
- B.
The family-based system, which considers relationships to family members in the United States
- C.
The refugee system, which admits people for humanitarian reasons
- D.
As unauthorized immigrants, outside the legal immigration system
- 6.Which of these groups can apply for certain family members to join them permanently in the United States?
- A.
Green card holders can petition for their parents
- B.
U.S. citizens can petition for their cousins
- C.
Green card holders can petition for their married children
- D.
None of the above
- 7.Approximately how many people are waiting in the family- and employment-based immigration backlogs?
- A.
3,000
- B.
100,000
- C.
2,500,000
- D.
4,400,000
- 8.Which of the following steps must an employer take to submit a petition to hire a foreign temporary agricultural worker (the H-2A visa category)?
- A.
Demonstrate that not enough U.S. workers are able, willing, qualified, and available to do the temporary work
- B.
Show that the employment of H-2A workers will not adversely affect the wages and working conditions of similarly employed U.S. workers
- C.
Demonstrate that the jobs are temporary and seasonal in nature
- D.
All of the above
- 9.Most employers who want to hire foreign temporary specialty or high-skilled workers (requiring H-1B visas) are subject to a national limit on the number of visas that the federal government will grant in a given year. What is the current limit?
- A.
5,000
- B.
85,000
- C.
500,000
- D.
1.2 million
- 10.Approximately how many refugees were admitted to the United States in 2012? Refugees are defined as those who can prove a “well-founded fear of persecution” due to their race, membership in a social group, political opinion, religion, or national origin in their home country.
- A.
0
- B.
1,000
- C.
60,000
- D.
1 million
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