Vocab Flashcards
A-Number
An eight- or nine-digit number following the letter A (for Alien) that U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) assigns to someone who applies for a green card or immigration benefits, or who are placed in removal proceedings. Once assigned this number, USCIS uses it to track each file.
Acculturation
A series of changes in cultural mores (ideas, words, values, norms, behavior, institutions) resulting from direct and continuous contact between groups of different cultures, particularly through migratory movements or economic exchanges. Acculturation can occur when one group adopts the traits of the dominant culture of a society in public life while keeping its own culture in the private sphere.
Adjustment to Immigrant Status
Procedure allowing certain aliens already in the United States to apply for immigrant status. Aliens admitted to the United States in a nonimmigrant, refugee, or parolee category may have their status changed to that of lawful permanent resident if they are eligible to receive an immigrant visa and one is immediately available. In such cases, the alien is counted as an immigrant as of the date of adjustment, even though the alien may have been in the United States for an extended period of time. (Source: Department of Homeland Security)
Admission
The granting of entry into a State (i.e Nation). A non-national has been ‘admitted’ if he or she passed through a checkpoint (air, land or sea) and is permitted to enter by border officials. A non-national who has entered clandestinely is not considered to have been admitted. (Source: The International Organization for Migration)
Affidavit of Support
A certified legal document, containing written testimony given under oath before a competent authority. In the migration context, an affidavit is normally signed by a sponsor, guaranteeing full cost of maintenance of a migrant to enable entry to be granted into the country, frequently required for elderly migrants and those who are ill and unable to fend for themselves. (Source: The International Organization for Migration)
Alien*
a foreign-born person who is not a citizen or national of the United States.
Apprehension
The arrest of a removable alien by the Department of Homeland Security. Each apprehension of the same alien in a fiscal year is counted separately. (Source: Department of Homeland Security)
Arrival/Departure Card
A card which is filled out by an individual prior to or upon arrival in the country of destination and presented (along with passport and, if requested, a visa) to officials at the border checkpoint. In some States, border officials collect the card upon entry, while in other States, the card or portion of it is returned to the traveller and must be presented upon departure from the State. International standards for such cards are defined by the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) in Annex 9, Convention on International Civil Aviation, 1944. (Source: The International Organization for Migration)
*Assimilation
Adaptation of one ethnic or social group – usually a minority – to another. Assimilation involves the subsuming of language, traditions, values, mores and behaviour or even fundamental vital interests. Although the traditional cultural practices of the group are unlikely to be completely abandoned, on the whole assimilation will lead one group to be socially indistinguishable from other members of the society. Assimilation is the most extreme form of acculturation. (Source: The International Organization for Migration)
*Asylee
An alien in the United States or at a port of entry who is found to be unable or unwilling to return to his or her country of nationality, or to seek the protection of that country because of persecution or a well-founded fear of persecution. Persecution or the fear thereof must be based on the alien’s race, religion, nationality, membership in a particular social group, or political opinion. (Source: Department of Homeland Security)
Beneficiaries
Aliens on whose behalf a U.S. citizen, legal permantent resident, or employer have filed a petition for such aliens to receive immigration benefits from the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services. Beneficiaries generally receive a lawful status as a result of their relationship to a U.S. citizen, lawful permanent resident, or U.S. employer. (Source: Immigration Glossary and acronyms at http://immigration.findlaw.com/)
Business Nonimmigrant
An alien coming temporarily to the United States to engage in commercial transactions which do not involve gainful employment in the United States, i.e., engaged in international commerce on behalf of a foreign firm, not employed in the U.S. labor market, and receives no salary from U.S. sources. (Source: Department of Homeland Security)
Checkpoint
A location (on the land border or at an airport or seaport) where persons are stopped by border officials for inspection and clearance, in order to enter the State. (Source: The International Organization for Migration)
*Citizenship
The country in which a person is born or naturalized and to which that person owes allegiance and by which he or she is entitled to be protected.
Circular Migration
The fluid movement of people between countries, including temporary or long-term movement which may be beneficial to all involved, if occurring voluntarily and linked to the labor needs of countries of origin and destination. (Source: Department of Homeland Security)
Clandestine Migration
Secret or concealed migration in breach of immigration requirements. It can occur when a non-national breaches the entry regulations of a country; or having entered a country legally overstays in breach of immigration regulations. The generic term “irregular migration” should preferably be used. (Source: The International Organization for Migration) (Alternative language to ‘Undocumented”).
Conditional resident
Any alien granted permanent resident status on a conditional basis (for example, a spouse of a U.S. citizen or an immigrant investor) who must petition to remove the conditions of his or her status before the second anniversary of the approval date of his or her conditional status. Source: USCIS)
Contiguous Zone
A maritime area adjoining the territorial sea of a coastal State. In its contiguous zone, a State may exercise the necessary control to (a) prevent infringement of its customs, fiscal, immigration or sanitary laws and regulations within its territory or territorial sea and (b) punish infringement of the above laws and regulations committed within its territory or territorial sea. (Source: The International Organization for Migration)
Country of Origin
The country that is a source of migratory flows. (Source: The International Organization for Migration)
Country of Transit
The country through which migratory flows (regular
21. or irregular) move. Source: The International Organization for Migration)
Crewman
A foreign national serving in a capacity required for normal operations and service on board a vessel or aircraft. Crewmen are admitted for twenty-nine days, with no extensions. (Source: Department of Homeland Security)
*DACA
This policy by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) allows certain young immigrants who do not have lawful immigration status, and who came to the United States as children, to remain in the U.S. temporarily without fear of deportation. This new policy is called Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA).
Deferred action
A use of prosecutorial discretion to not remove an individual from the country for a set period of time, unless the deferred action is terminated for some reason. Deferred action is determined on a case-by-case basis and only establishes lawful presence but does not provide immigration status or benefits of any kind. DACA is one type of deferred action. (Source: USCIS) Immigrants who can apply for deferred action under this policy are often called DREAMers. (Source: http://www.massresources.org/)
De Facto Partner
A union existing as a matter of fact. A growing number of States recognize not only spouses, but also certain relationships between unmarried adults, for purposes of granting permanent residence or other immigration status. Examples of “de facto partners” include partners in a heterosexual or same-sex relationship who have been living together in a genuine and stable relationship for a defined period of time.
De Facto Refugees
Persons not recognized as refugees within the meaning of the UN Convention Relating to the Status of Refugees, 1951 and Protocol Relating to the Status of Refugees, 1967, and who are unable or, for reasons recognized as valid, unwilling to return to the country of their nationality or, if they have no nationality, to the country of their habitual residence. (Source: The International Organization for Migration)
Department of Homeland Security (DHS).
A government agency created in 2003 to handle immigration and other security-related issues. DHS became the umbrella agency encompassing USCIS, ICE, and CBP. (Source: The International Organization for Migration)
Departure Under Safeguards
The departure of an illegal alien from the United States which is physically observed by a Department of Homeland Security official. (Source: Department of Homeland Security)
Deportable Alien
An alien in and admitted to the United States subject to any grounds of removal specified in the Immigration and Nationality Act. This includes any alien illegally in the United States, regardless of whether the alien entered the country by fraud or misrepresentation or entered legally but subsequently lost legal status. (Source: Department of Homeland Security)
*Deportation
The act of a State in the exercise of its sovereignty in removing a non-national from its territory to his or her country of origin or third state after refusal of admission or termination of permission to remain. (Source: Department of Homeland Security)
Derivative Citizenship
Citizenship conveyed to children through the naturalization of parents or, under certain circumstances, to foreign-born children adopted by U.S. citizen parents, provided certain conditions are met. (Source: Department of Homeland Security)
Detention
: Restriction on freedom of movement through confinement that is ordered by an administrative or judicial authority. There are two types of detention: criminal detention, having as a purpose punishment for the committed crime; and administrative detention, guaranteeing that another administrative measure (such as deportation or expulsion) can be implemented. In the majority of countries, irregular migrants are subject to administrative detention, as they have maintain links violated immigration laws and regulations that are not considered to be crimes. (Source: The International Organization for Migration)
*Diasporas
Diasporas are broadly defined as individuals and members or networks, associations and communities, who have left their country of origin, but with their homelands. This concept covers more settled expatriate communities, migrant workers based abroad temporarily, expatriates with the nationality of the host country, dual nationals, and second-/thirdgeneration migrants.
Displacement
A forced removal of a person from his or her home or country, often due to armed conflict or natural disasters. (Source: The International Organization for Migration)
Docket Control
The DHS mechanism for tracking the case status of potentially removable aliens. (Source: Department of Homeland Security)
Domicile
The place at which a person is physically present and that the person regards as home; a person’s true, fixed, principal, and permanent home, to which that person intends to return and remain even though currently residing elsewhere.
Duration of Status (D/S)
Notation on certain nonimmigrant Forms I-94 indicating that the individual, such as an F-1 nonimmigrant student, is authorized to remain in the United States as long as he or she maintains a valid status,.
Employment Authorization Document (Form I-766/EAD):
A general term used to describe a card issued by USCIS on Form I-766 with the title “Employment Authorization Card” to aliens who are authorized to work in the United States in order to evidence their employment authorization. The card contains a photograph of the individual and sometimes his or her fingerprint. An alien who has been issued this card usually has open-market employment authorization, but there are exceptions. (Source: USCIS)
E-Verify
An internet based system that compares information from an employee’s I-9 data to confirm employment authorization. (Source: http://www.uscis.gov/ )
Exclusion
The formal denial of a non-national’s admission into a Nation/State. In some States, border officials or other authorities have the power to exclude non-nationals; in other States, exclusion is ordered by an immigration judge after a hearing. (Source: The International Organization for Migration)
Expedited Removal
The Illegal Immigration Reform and Immigrant Responsibility Act (IIRIRA) of 1996 authorized the DHS to quickly remove certain inadmissible aliens from the United States. The authority covers aliens who are inadmissible because they have no entry documents or because they have used counterfeit, altered, or otherwise fraudulent or improper documents. The authority covers aliens who arrive in, attempt to enter, or have entered the United States without having been admitted or paroled by an immigration officer at a port-of-entry. The DHS has the authority to order the removal, and the alien is not referred to an immigration judge except under certain circumstances after an alien makes a claim to lawful status in the United States or demonstrates a credible fear of persecution if returned to his or her home country. (Source: Department of Homeland Security)
Expulsion
An act by an authority of the State with the intention and with the effect of securing the removal of a person or persons (non-nationals or stateless persons) against his or her will from the territory of that State. (Source: The International Organization for Migration)
F-1 Nonimmigrant Student
A student in F-1 nonimmigrant status (Academic Student) is an alien who has been admitted to the United States as a full-time student at an accredited college, university, seminary, conservatory, academic high school, elementary school, or other academic institution or in a language training program. The student must be enrolled in a program or course of study that culminates in a degree, diploma, or certificate and the school must be authorized by the U.S. government to accept international students. (Source: USCIS)
Foreign Government Official
As a nonimmigrant class of admission, an alien coming temporarily to the United States who has been accredited by a foreign government to function as an ambassador, public minister, career diplomatic or consular officer, other accredited official, or an attendant, servant or personal employee of an accredited official, and all above aliens’ spouses and unmarried minor (or dependent) children. (Source: Department of Homeland Security)
