Immigration Laws

Immigration law refers to a system of formal regulations governing who can enter the United States, under what circumstances, for how long, and with what obligations. Five major functions are served by immigration law: (1) it provides a guide to foreigners seeking to enter the United States for a given period of time, (2) it sets security standards and helps protect the integrity of the national borders, (3) it determines the conditions and processes necessary to achieve citizenship, (4) it regulates the treatment of those who enter the country illegally or who enter legally but overstay their welcome, and (5) it defines the processes by which foreigners in the country may be deported. Immigration law is legislated exclusively by the federal government. The U.S. Constitution ...