Immigration Status and Support

Terms in this section focus on concepts related to immigration status and support. Some of these terms may also serve in broader capacities.

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A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z

A

Asylum seeker. “Refers to people who are seeking international protection but whose claim for refugee status has not yet been determined.”²³

B

Birthright citizenship. A legal principle in which citizenship is automatic from birth, including individuals born in the United States or U.S. territories (jus soli) and born abroad to at least one U.S. citizen (jus sanguinis). It is guaranteed by the 14th Amendment.³

Border Patrol. An agency established in 2003 with a focus on maintaining the integrity of the nation’s boundaries and ports of entry.⁴

C

Citizen. A citizen is a person who, by place of birth, nationality of one or both parents, or naturalization is granted full rights and responsibilities as a member of a nation or political community. Terms to avoid: expat, expatriate.⁵
Related term: naturalization

Conditional resident. An individual who was lawfully admitted for permanent residence, usually marriage-based. Also known as a 2 year Green Card holder/recipient, who can apply for a longer renewal if conditions are met.⁶
Related term: permanent resident

Country of origin. The country in which a person was born. Can also refer to one’s ethnicity or nationality.⁸

D

Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA). A policy that allows young immigrants who grew up in the U.S. to seek temporary protection from deportation and to have the ability to work via permit.⁷

Deportation. The forced/non-voluntary transfer of civilians from one territory to another.⁹

DREAM Act or Dreamer. The DREAM (Development, Relief and Education for Alien Minors) Act is congressional legislation that would allow young immigrants who were brought here as children to remain in the country if they meet certain criteria. The legislation has not been approved by Congress, despite various versions being introduced over the years. The DREAM Act is similar to, but not the same as, the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program (DACA). Many refer to immigrants who would benefit from either program as Dreamers. As often as possible, use other terms such as immigrant, youth, or the person’s name instead of Dreamer. If using the term Dreamer to describe a person, be sure that is the way they prefer to be described and that you have their explicit permission.^{11, 23}

Dual citizenship / Dual nationality. Dual citizenship/nationality allows individuals to simultaneously remain citizens of both the U.S. and another country.¹²

F

F-1 Visa (non-immigrant student visa). A type of visa that allows non-immigrants to enter the U.S. to engage in a full-time course of study and pursue an educational degree.¹⁴

H

H-1B Visa (non-immigrant temporary professional visa). The H-1B Visa applies to non-immigrant fashion models and workers in professions requiring a bachelor’s degree or similar specialized training.¹⁷

I

Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE). An agency established in 2003 that enforces federal laws pertaining to immigration, border patrol, and transnational crime within the interior United States.¹

Individual Taxpayer Identification Number (ITIN). An ITIN is an identification number issued by the Internal Revenue Service that allows noncitizen employees to comply with U.S. tax laws. It does not qualify an individual to Social Security benefits and can be conferred to workers regardless of immigration status.¹⁵

L

Labor certification. A process through which visas are granted to immigrant workers. The process involves both the immigrant employee and the U.S.-based employer. One may obtain a Green Card through permanent certification, which requires employer sponsorship.¹⁶

Limited English Proficient (LEP) Individual. Individuals who do not speak English as their primary language and who have a limited ability to read, speak, write, or understand English. These individuals may be entitled to language assistance with respect to a particular type or service, benefit, or encounter (court, medical, etc.).¹⁹

M

Mixed-status couple/family. Refers to couples or families with members who have different citizenship or immigration status. (Note: mixed-status also can be used in the healthcare industry to describe a relationship in which one partner is HIV-positive and the other is HIV-negative.)^{22, 23}

Multi-Cultural. “This term is used in a variety of ways and is less often defined by its users than terms such as multiculturalism or multicultural education. One common use of the term refers to the raw fact of cultural diversity: ‘multicultural education … responds to a multicultural population.’ Another use of the term refers to an ideological awareness of diversity: ‘[multicultural theorists] have a clear recognition of a pluralistic society.’ Still others go beyond this and understand multicultural as reflecting a specific ideology of inclusion and openness toward “others.” Perhaps the most common use of this term in the literature is in reference simultaneously to a context of cultural pluralism and an ideology of inclusion or ‘mutual exchange of and respect for diverse cultures.’ When the term is used to refer to a group of persons (or an organization or institution), it most often refers to the presence of and mutual interaction among diverse persons (in terms of race, class, gender, and so forth) of significant representation in the group. In other words, a few African Americans in a predominantly European American congregation would not make the congregation ‘multicultural.’ Some, however, do use the term to refer to the mere presence of some non-majority persons somewhere in the designated institution(or group or society), even if there is neither significant interaction nor substantial numerical representation.”¹³

N

Nationality. “The status of belonging to a particular nation by origin, birth, or naturalization; people having common origins or traditions and often constituting a nation; existence as a politically autonomous entity; national independence.”^{20, 25}

Naturalization. The process of voluntarily becoming a United States citizen when certain conditions are met.²
Related term: citizen

New Americans. A term that refers to recent immigrants or non-native English speakers.²⁸

Noncitizen. Noncitizen (also “undocumented noncitizen” or “undocumented individual”) is a term for someone who lives in a country in which they are not a citizen. This may refer to both people who are documented or undocumented. An undocumented noncitizen is someone living in that country without official permission. The term has been used in place of pejorative terms like “alien,” “illegal alien,” or “undocumented alien.”^{18, 24}

P

Permanent resident. A permanent resident is someone who has been granted the right to live in the United States indefinitely. Permanent residence includes the right to work in the U.S. via Green Card for most employers or for yourself. Permanent residents continue to hold citizenship of another country.²⁷
Related term: conditional resident

R

Red Cards. “All people in the United States, regardless of immigration status, have certain rights and protections under the U.S. Constitution. The ILRC’s [Immigration Legal Resource Center] red cards give examples of how people can exercise these rights. However, they do not provide individualized legal advice.”²¹ These cards are available in multiple languages and available to print.

Refugee. Refers to people who have been forced to leave their country of origin to escape war, persecution, or natural disaster. Note: Refugee is a status that is granted by the receiving country and it does not apply to all people who have been forced to leave. It is important to note the difference between people who are displaced and refugees.²³

Repatriation. The Department of Homeland Security also uses this term when referring to the deportation of undocumented individuals to their country of citizenship or a third country.¹⁰
Related terms: deportation, repatriation (alternate meaning as defined in Ethnicity, Race, and Racism)

S

Sanctuary (city, state, laws). A general term that refers to policies regarding cities, counties or states that limit and/or define the amount of information shared with federal immigration law officers. May have different meanings/limits depending on the individual municipality.²⁶

U

Undocumented immigrant/worker. Refers to people who do not have the federal documentation to show they are legally entitled to work, visit or live in the United States.²³
Related term: noncitizen

X

Xenophobia. Hatred or fear of foreigners/strangers or of their politics or culture.¹³

Sources

^ About Us, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (n.d.).
^ Become a U.S. Citizen Through Naturalization, U.S. General Services Administration, (2026).
^ Birthright Citizenship, American Immigration Council (n.d.).
^ CBP History Through the Years, U.S. Customs and Border Protection (2026).
^ Citizen, Legal Information Institute, Cornell Law School (2022).
^ Conditional Permanent Residence, U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (2025).
^ DACA – Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals, National Immigration Law Center (n.d.).
^ DEI Toolkit: Ethnicity & National Origin, American Association of University Women (AAUW) (n.d.).
^ Deportation, The Practical Guide to Humanitarian Law, Médecins Sans Frontières (Doctors Without Borders) (n.d.).
^ DHS Repatriations, Office of Homeland Security Statistics, U.S. Department of Homeland Security (2025).
^ DREAM Act Portal (archived version; last capture in March 2026).
^ Dual Nationality, U.S. Department of State (n.d.).
^ Equity, Diversity & Inclusion Glossary of Terms, Pacific University (n.d.) (archived PDF from 2024).
^ F-1 Visa, Dashew Center for International Students & Scholars, University of California Los Angeles (n.d.).
^ The Facts About the Individual Taxpayer Identification Number (ITIN), American Immigration Council (2025).
^ The First Steps toward an Immigrant Visa: Labor Certification and Filing a Petition, Employment-Based Immigrant Visas, U.S. Department of State (n.d.).
^ H-1B Program, Wage and Hour Division, U.S. Department of Labor (n.d.).
^ Immigration Glossary, The Diversity Style Guide (n.d.).
^ LASTI Glossary, Language Access Services: Translation and Interpretation (LASTI), Office of Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion, National Institutes of Health (2024) (archived PDF from 2024).
^ Nationality, The American Heritage Dictionary (2022).
^ Red Cards / Tarjetas Rojas, Immigrant Legal Resource Center (2023).
^ Seven Things to Know About Mixed-Status Families, Cassaundra Rodriguez, Spark Magazine, (2018).
^ Style Guide: Immigration, University of Iowa (2022). (archived PDF from 2022).
^ Think Immigration: From “Alien” to “Noncitizen”: The Subtle Power of Language in U.S. Appellate Courts, Bill De La Rosa and Zachary Neilson-Papish, AILA Blog (2024).
^ Understanding Racial Terms and Differences, Office of Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion, National Institutes of Health (2021) (archived PDF from 2024).
^ What are Sanctuary Cities?, Global Refuge (2021).
^ What is the Difference Between U.S. Permanent Resident Status and U.S. Citizenship, Weaver Schlenger LLP (n.d.)
^ Who Are New Americans?, Library Programs & New Americans: A White Paper, Kate Flinner, Rebecca Joy Norlander, Kathryn Nock, Joanna Laursen Brucker, & Melanie Welch, American Library Association (2019).