Unit 1: Introduction to Government & Politics
Lesson 4: US Citizenship & Immigration Packet
Name:
Pd:
Due Date:
Objectives: Students will be able to….
1. Define key terms related to immigration
2. Explain the U.S. immigration process
3. Draw conclusions about American values based on current immigration rules
4. Understand that immigration policy is influenced by public opinion, politics,
& the economy
DUE: Monday 8/17
➢
Labels
Who is a citizen? A lawful permanent resident?
An immigrant? They’re all people living in the U.S., but their legal
resident status makes each one unique. The U.S. Citizenship and
Immigration Services (USCIS) manages lawful immigration. The
agency labels everyone living here with a sort of citizenship or
immigration tag. You’re either a citizen born in the U.S. or to U.S.
parents, a naturalized
citizen, an immigrant who has special permission to
be in the United States for any length of time, or an
immigrant living in the U.S. without lawful permission. (We call these immigrants
undocumented). You can be a visitor, or nonimmigrant, too—but you won’t be
residing long-term in the U.S. if that’s the case.
The need for all these labels probably seems like overkill. But for someone
who’s made the move to the U.S. and hopes to one day become a citizen, moving through
the right channels and acquiring the proper USCIS legal resident status is a crucial and
necessary step.
➢ So You Want to Live in the United States?
Moving to the U.S. isn’t as
easy as hopping on a plane or boat, traveling to the U.S., and finding your new home. The
process is more complicated than that. You wouldn’t want to make preparations to move to
the U.S. until you check your eligibility for U.S. residency first.
Lesson borrowed in part from iCivics.org
Unit 1: Introduction to Government & Politics 1 of 10| P a g e
Unit 1: Introduction to Government & Politics
Lesson 4: US Citizenship & Immigration Packet
Name:
Pd:
Due Date:
To legally immigrate to the U.S., you must meet the requirements to
obtain an immigrant visa or green card. Lawful immigration to the U.S.
means being green card eligible. What’s a green card, you ask? It’s an
identification card (also known as a permanent residence card) issued by
the USCIS that proves that an immigrant is a lawful permanent resident
(LPR), or—in other words—an immigrant who has permission to live and
work in the United States. In addition to work, LPR status also comes with
the ability to travel, qualify for insurance benefits, own property, join the military, and one
day apply for citizenship. Green card holders are protected by the same laws as U.S. citizens
and have many of the same responsibilities, like paying and filing income taxes and obeying
the law. You can gain official LPR status and receive your green card if you meet the
requirements in a green card eligible category.
Visas aren’t just
for immigration.
Travelers wising to visit a
country for other
reasons can apply for
tourism or business visas.
Anyone applying for a green card starts their journey to the U.S. by credit applying for an
immigrant visa first. Don’t confuse this visa with the card company!
1. A visa is a travel document issued by the country a person
is traveling to that says that person has been approved for
travel to that country. Or in the case of an immigrant
visa, approved for residency in that country. Customs
When there are more qualified
and Border Protection officers check people’s passports
applicants in a category or from
for the right visa at ports of entry before letting them
a certain country than there
enter the U.S. Obtaining an immigrant visa is a process
are visas, the wait time could be
in itself. It involves identifying a person, also called a
years before an immigrant
sponsor, who can submit a petition for the visa on the
receives their visa
immigrant’s behalf, completing a medical exam, and
interviewing among other steps. If a person is approved for an immigrant visa, USCIS
issues a permanent residence (or green) card, and the immigrant enters the U.S. as
an LPR.
Most immigrants are eligible to apply for a green card through family, marriage, education
institution or employment. Others gain residency because they are seeking asylum, or safety,
from dangers or disasters that exist in their home country. Understanding who qualifies for a
green card is important because only green card eligible immigrants qualify for LPR status.
And LPR status is what opens the door for naturalized citizenship later down the road.
A Numbers Game
Falling into a green card eligible category doesn’t guarantee
entry into the U.S. (Like we said, the process is complicated.) The U.S. sets limits on the
number of immigrants allowed to enter the U.S. each year. Countries set immigration rules
like this so that they can monitor population growth and ensure that the country has enough
Lesson borrowed in part from iCivics.org
Unit 1: Introduction to Government & Politics 2 of 10| P a g e
Unit 1: Introduction to Government & Politics
Lesson 4: US Citizenship & Immigration Packet
Name:
Pd:
Due Date:
resources to take care of all its residents. The U.S. State Department decides how many visas
to issue in each green card eligible category annually. Each category has sub-categories and
those subcategories are ranked by preference. There’s a per-country limit, too. (Math Alert!)
The total number of immigrants from a single country can’t be higher than seven percent of
the total annual limits for family and employment-based immigrants. Yes, that’s a lot of math.
But that limit expands opportunities for immigrants from many countries to relocate to the
U.S. While numbers like these serve a very particular purpose, they also boil down to a pretty
important migration reality: If a person is applying for a visa in a category with extremely
high and, one might not be available to him or her at that time.
➢
Coming to America
The chart below lists the three most common ways of legally
migrating to the United States. To learn more about limits, detailed qualifications, or requirements, you
can visit the USCIS.gov website.
Category
Who Qualifies?
Additional Information
Family
Immediate family members
of
U.S. citizens and LPRs only.
Children adopted abroad
and newly married spouses
also fit here.
How closely related you are to a
citizen* or LPR matters. Spouses,
minor children, and unmarried children
qualify. U.S. citizens can also submit
petitions for parents, married or adult
children, and siblings.
*Note: the U.S. government does not place a limit
on visas for U.S. citizens’ spouses, unmarried minor
children, or parents of citizens 21 years of age or
older.
Employment
The U.S. values skilled
workers. Immigrants with
secured job offers and
immigrants of extraordinary
ability qualify.
Lesson borrowed in part from iCivics.org
Before a visa is issued, the U.S.
employer must obtain a labor
certification stating two things: that
there are no U.S. workers willing and
qualified to fill the position and that
hiring an immigrant will not negatively
impact job opportunities, salaries, or
working conditions for U.S. workers
Unit 1: Introduction to Government & Politics 3 of 10| P a g e
Unit 1: Introduction to Government & Politics
Lesson 4: US Citizenship & Immigration Packet
Refugee or
Asylee Status
Immigrants seeking asylum
(safety) in the U.S. due to
attacks related to an
immigrant’s religion, race,
nationality, political beliefs, or
membership in a social
group may seek refuge into
the United States.
Name:
Pd:
Due Date:
Asylees apply for asylum after
entering the U.S. Refugees apply from
outside of the country and travel to
the U.S. once approved. Before
granting refugee status, rigorous
security screenings take place. The
whole process takes 18-24 months.
➢ Valuing Diversity
What if you aren’t eligible for a
green card as a relative, worker, or refugee? Are your chances of
calling America home ruined forever? Not exactly—they’re
smaller, but still not impossible. Most of the more specific green
card eligible categories that are left probably don’t apply to you,
so your best bet is to register for the Diversity Immigrant Visa
Program (DV Program).
There are 50,000 immigrant visas set aside through the
program each year for foreign nationals from countries with low
immigration rates to the U.S. Think Chad, Mongolia, Papua New
Guinea, and countries from all over the world that you may or
may not know by name. You’ve heard that the U.S. is a melting
pot of many different people, right? Well, immigration policy
hasn’t always been so inclusive of people from every continent
and country. Early immigration
laws and quotas favored people from Northern Europe
(countries like England, France, and Sweden). The DV program
has become a way to promote multiculturalism in the
immigration system. And it gives people who have no other
way of immigrating to the U.S. a chance to try to achieve their
“American dream”.
The program runs on a lottery system, so qualifying
applicants are randomly selected. In addition to being a native
Generally, the numbers of
family-based employment and
of a DV country, DV applicants must also meet education or
diversity visas alloted each year
work requirements. A completed high school education or at
least two recent years of work experience in a job that requires two years of training or
experience counts, but a GED test doesn’t. The USCIS grants DV immigrants LPR status as
226,000
140,000
50,000
Lesson borrowed in part from iCivics.org
Unit 1: Introduction to Government & Politics 4 of 10| P a g e
Unit 1: Introduction to Government & Politics
Lesson 4: US Citizenship & Immigration Packet
Name:
Pd:
Due Date:
soon as they enter the country.
It’s interesting to think about the limited ways and many requirements necessary for legal
immigration to the United States. The requirements and strict limitations can tell you a lot
about what America values, about the people immigrating to America, and about the U.S.
government’s attitude towards immigration. For instance, recognizing that more visas are
set aside for family-based immigration might tell you that the country values uniting
immediate family units. And knowing that an employer must first obtain a labor certification
before sponsoring an immigrant for an employee-based visa demonstrates that the U.S.
values protecting opportunities for U.S. citizens to earn a living. What else do you notice?
Everyone doesn’t always agree about what a country’s immigration laws should be. But
could you imagine what immigration might be like if there were no rules? Immigration laws
can change, and they have throughout history, each time reflecting shifts in public opinion,
politics, and our economy. Each of those factors plays an important role in how Congress
ultimately shapes our laws.
➢
Life Undocumented
Ensuring green card eligibility and following each and
every step necessary to lawfully enter the U.S. are critical because LPR status is E-V-E-R-Y-T-HI-N-G. Seriously, for foreign residents looking to become naturalized citizens or land a job, it’s
the status that matters. Undocumented immigrant refers to a foreign resident who did not
follow the steps for permanent residence in the U.S. Some undocumented immigrants enter
the U.S. through unauthorized entry points. (Authorized entry points include international
airports, harbors, or land borders where U.S. Customs and Border Protections officers check
passports and screen visitors, new residents, and returning American citizens.) Others came
to the U.S. legally… at least at first. They use a valid tourism or other temporary visa to gain
entry and stay in the U.S. after the time allowed on their visa is up.
While U.S. residence by any means might seem attractive to an immigrant on one hand,
undocumented immigration status creates hardships. An undocumented immigrant doesn’t
have the same rights as an LPR. Most of all, they live in fear of deportation, removal from the
U.S., if found. Undocumented immigrants don’t have valid documents that prove they have a
right to stay and work in the U.S., and they aren’t legally issued a social security number.
Without these documents, it’s difficult to pass the employment authorization stage of a job
offer, obtain a driver’s license, and apply for federal financial aid to help pay for college
tuition.
➢
US Immigration Policy Pre-2017
Currently, undocumented immigrants have little
to no chance of gaining legal permanent residency or ever becoming full-fledged American
citizens. But a special group of undocumented immigrants called DREAMers have been
Lesson borrowed in part from iCivics.org
Unit 1: Introduction to Government & Politics 5 of 10| P a g e
Unit 1: Introduction to Government & Politics
Lesson 4: US Citizenship & Immigration Packet
Name:
Pd:
Due Date:
fighting for the chance to claim U.S. citizenship. DREAMers are named for the Development,
Relief, and Education for Alien Minors (DREAM) Act. The act hasn’t received the number of
votes it needs to become a law, but it’s been popping up in Congress with various revisions
since 2000. The DREAM Act applies to people who entered the U.S. illegally as children (before
the age of 16), have lived in the U.S. for five continuous years, are good upstanding residents,
and have earned (or are on track to earn) a high school diploma or GED. If passed, the act
would offer residents fitting these criteria legal resident status in the U.S.
In 2012, President Barack Obama established DACA (Deferred
Action for Childhood Arrivals). The program wasn’t passed by
Congress, which means it isn’t law and therefore isn’t permanent.
Instead, President Obama created the program by signing an
executive memorandum. (Yes, the president can create policies and
define laws without Congress’ approval through a power called
executive action.
And any new president can change or end that policy by issuing an
executive memorandum or order of their own.) Through DACA,
DREAMers are protected from deportation. Immigrants can renew
DACA status every two years. And they can also obtain a work permit. The status offers
undocumented immigrants the chance to secure legal employment, receive a driver’s license,
attend college, and stay in America for renewable two-year periods. Renewal is dependent on
maintaining good behavior, which means applicants need to maintain favorable criminal
records. DACA only applies to DREAMers who were younger than 30 years old when the policy
was signed into action and living in the U.S. after June 15, 2007 (five years before the program
started).
The American public has many different views about illegal immigration. And DACA doesn’t
solve everyone’s issues. What about adult immigrants who migrate illegally? What about
those who wish to one day become American citizens? DACA doesn’t offer a way for an
undocumented immigrant to seek citizenship or legal permanent resident status. And until
DACA is signed into law, it can’t permanently address immigration issues.
Unlawful immigration in America has become a serious hot-button issue, with people on
both sides calling for reform. There’s much to consider: If I don’t have immediate family
already legally living in the U.S. or a job offer waiting, how else will I ever get there? There are
rules, and wrong is wrong. If we don’t stand by the rules, more and more people will ignore
them. My parents brought me to the
U.S. illegally; I wasn’t old enough to understand what was happening. I’ve made my life in the
U.S., and I have roots here now. The DREAM Act is interesting because it doesn’t simply apply
to a debate about illegal immigration, it looks to something more: Citizenship—a chance to
become a part of a community socially, legally, and politically.
Lesson borrowed in part from iCivics.org
Unit 1: Introduction to Government & Politics 6 of 10| P a g e
Unit 1: Introduction to Government & Politics
Lesson 4: US Citizenship & Immigration Packet
Name:
Pd:
Due Date:
Part II: Understanding what you’ve read.
DUE: Tuesday 8/18
1. Complete the following worksheets to demonstrate your understanding of the
lesson. You may copy the questions and answers into your notebook or print the
worksheets and write your answers on the worksheet. Place the completed
worksheets in your notebook.
2. Submit photos of your completed assignment in Google Classroom for a grade.
A. Directions: Determine if each statement is true or false, write the answer in the space
provided. If it is false, next to the answer, EXPLAIN WHY it is false.
1. _____ Anyone can immigrate to the United States.
2. _____ A refugee is someone seeking safety in the United States.
3. _____ Most immigrants secure an employment-based immigrant visa to come to America.
4. _____ There are a limited number of immigrant visas granted each year.
5. _____ Persons wishing to immigrate to the United States who are not green card eligible may be eligible to
apply for the Diversity Visa (DV) program.
6. _____ A labor certification certifies that an immigrant has been offered a job.
7. _____ DACA grants legal permanent residence.
8. _____ If passed, the DREAM Act would apply to immigrants who immigrated to America as children
(before 16) only.
9. _____ Immigration laws cannot be changed
10. _____ Unlimited family based immigration visas are granted for family member of U.S. residents.
11. _____ Until DACA is signed into law, it is a temporary program.
12. _____ Steps for obtaining an immigrant visa include completing a medical exam and interview.
13. _____ Aunts, uncles, grandparents, and cousins can sponsor a relative for immigration.
14. _____ The president can alter or cancel DACA at any time.
Lesson borrowed in part from iCivics.org
Unit 1: Introduction to Government & Politics 7 of 10| P a g e
Unit 1: Introduction to Government & Politics
Lesson 4: US Citizenship & Immigration Packet
Name:
Pd:
Due Date:
B. Directions: Explain the meaning of each of the terms listed below
Term
Description
1 U.S. Citizenship and
Immigration Services
(USCIS)
2 Undocumented
3 Nonimmigrant
4 Green Card
5 Lawful Permanent
Resident (LPR)
6 Visa
7 Asylum
8 Deportation
9 DREAMer
C. Recap: Write a paragraph explaining immigration in the United States. Use at least 6 words from the list
below.
Undocumented
DREAMer
Visa
Green card
Deportation
Non-immigrant
Asylum
Lawful Permeant Resident
Lesson borrowed in part from iCivics.org
DACA
Diversity Visa Immigrant Program
US Citizenship and Immigration Services
Unit 1: Introduction to Government & Politics 8 of 10| P a g e
Unit 1: Introduction to Government & Politics
Lesson 4: US Citizenship & Immigration Packet
Name:
Pd:
Due Date:
D. In Conclusion: Think about each statement below. Based on the statement, what can
you infer America values when it comes to immigration policy?
1. Only green card eligible persons may immigrate to the United States.
2. The U.S. government does not place a limit on visas for U.S. citizens’ spouses, unmarried minor
children, or parents of citizens 21 years of age or older.
3. To qualify for the DV Lottery, applicants must be from countries that sent less than 50,000 people
to the United States in the past five years.
4. In most cases, a person must first secure a job offer before immigrating to the U.S. through an
employment-based immigrant visa.
5. If passed, the DREAM Act would offer DREAMers legal resident status in the U.S.
Lesson borrowed in part from iCivics.org
Unit 1: Introduction to Government & Politics 9 of 10| P a g e
Unit 1: Introduction to Government & Politics
Lesson 4: US Citizenship & Immigration Packet
Name:
Pd:
Due Date:
E. Who’s Immigrating? The data below was collected by the U.S. Department of
Homeland Security. Use the information to answer the questions below.
1. Which green card eligible category received the most
applicants?
2. How many more immigrants became LPRs through
family ties than employment?
3. What percent of immigrants emigrated from Mexico?
4. What can you conclude about many of these
immigrants given the information in the Lawful
Permanent Residents Status by Type table?
5. How might this data change if America shifted
immigration policy to value employment instead of
family ties?
6. Do you think that having family in the United States
should play a part in determining who is allowed to
immigrate to the United States? Why or why not?
Lesson borrowed in part from iCivics.org
Unit 1: Introduction to Government & Politics 10 of 10| P a g e
Unit 1: Introduction to Government & Politics
Lesson 4: US Citizenship & Immigration Packet
Name:
Pd:
Due Date:
Part 3: iCivics.org
DUE: Wednesday 8/19
1. Register for icivics.org
Directions: Once you have completed your lesson packet, follow the directions below to
register for icivics.org. You must complete your registration by Saturday 8/16. Once you have
registered, take aRegister
screen shot of your
forregistration confirmation and submit it using Google
Classroom for a grade.
A.
iCivics seeks to transform abstract concepts into real-life problems. Young people learn how
government works by experiencing it. They step into the role of a judge, a member of
Congress, a community activist, even the President of the United States - and do the job they
do. Students gain civic knowledge and skills because the learning experience is fun and
challenging. They learn without even realizing it.
B.
Step 1 Go to iCivics.org/register
Step 2 Select ”REGISTER AS STUDENT”
Step 3 Click ”WAIT, I HAVE A CLASS CODE!” near the bottom of the screen.
Step 4 Type First name, Last name, email address, and your class code (see below) and
then click “NEXT”
Step 5 Enter a password and click “FINISH”
Class Period
Lesson borrowed in part from iCivics.org
Class Code
Unit 1: Introduction to Government & Politics 11 of 10| P a g e
Unit 1: Introduction to Government & Politics
Lesson 4: US Citizenship & Immigration Packet
Name:
Pd:
Due Date:
2. Play Immigration Nation on iCivics.
Directions:
 Use the directions below to help you play Immigration Nation in the iCivics website.
 You will complete the two versions (classic and puzzle) on this site. After you have
completed each game, take a screen shot of your completion certificate and submit it
using Google Classroom for a grade.
Born in the U.S.A.
This harbor is for travelers who are already citizens because they were born in
the United States. As citizens, they have a right to live here.
Citizen Parents
G.
This harbor is for travelers who were not born in the U.S., but have citizenship
because their biological or adoptive (before the children turned 18) parents were
American. As citizens, they have a right to be here.
Marriage to a Citizen
This harbor is for travelers who have married an American citizen. They are
eligible to become a permanent resident in the United States. After three years,
they can apply for citizenship.
Permission to Work
This harbor is for travelers who have been offered a job in America. The U.S.
grants some people permission to come here and work. If their job is
permanent, they may be eligible to apply for citizenship after five years.
Seeking Refuge
This harbor is for travelers who are in danger in their country! The U.S. will
protect people being persecuted for things like race, religion, or politics. After
five years can apply to be a permanent resident, and later, a citizen.
Deny Entry
This area is for travelers who don't meet the requirements needed to enter the
United States and eventually apply for citizenship.
© 2018 iCivics, Inc. You may copy, distribute, or transmit this work for noncommercial purposes only. This copyright notice or a legally valid equivalent such as “© 2018 iCivics Inc.” shall be included in all such copies, distributions or transmittals. All other rights reserved. Find this lesson and
other materials at www.iCivics.org.
Lesson borrowed in part from iCivics.org
Unit 1: Introduction to Government & Politics 12 of 10| P a g e
Unit 1: Introduction to Government & Politics
Lesson 4: US Citizenship & Immigration Packet
Name:
Pd:
Due Date:
Nacidos en los EE.UU.
Este puerto es para viajeros que ya son ciudadanos porque nacieron en Estados
Unidos. Como ciudadanos, tienen derecho a vivir aquí.
Padres ciudadanos
Este puerto es para viajeros que no nacieron en EE. UU. pero que obtuvieron la
ciudadanía porque sus padres biológicos o adoptivos (antes de que sus hijos
cumplieran los 18 años) eran estadounidenses. Como ciudadanos, tienen
derecho a estar aquí.
Matrimonio
Este puerto es para viajeros casados con ciudadanos estadounidenses. Son
elegibles para convertirse en residentes permanentes de los Estados Unidos. Y
después de tres años, pueden aplicar para la ciudadanía.
Permiso de trabajo
Este puerto es para viajeros que han recibido una oferta de trabajo en
EE. UU. El Gobierno da permisos a ciertas personas para venir a trabajar. Si su
trabajo es permanente, serán elegibles para solicitar la ciudadanía pasados cinco
años.
Petición de asilo
¡Este puerto es para viajeros que viven en peligro en su país de origen! Los
EE. UU. protege a las personas perseguidas por su raza, religión o ideología.
Pronto podrán aplicar para ser residentes permanentes y, más adelante, para la
ciudadanía.
Denegar entrada
Esta zona es para los viajeros que ni cumplen con los requisitos necesarios para
entrar en los Estados Unidos ni, en último término, para solicitar la ciudadanía.
© 2018 iCivics, Inc. You may copy, distribute, or transmit this work for noncommercial purposes only. This copyright notice or a legally valid equivalent such as “© 2018 iCivics Inc.” shall be included in all such copies, distributions or transmittals. All other rights reserved. Find this lesson and
other materials at www.iCivics.org.
Lesson borrowed in part from iCivics.org
Unit 1: Introduction to Government & Politics 13 of 10| P a g e