Frequently Asked Questions
TERMINOLOGY
Undocumented: Refers to people who are not U.S. citizens or Permanent Residents of the United States, who do not hold a current visa to reside in the U.S. and who have not been approved for legal residency in the U.S.
DREAMer: Students who are undocumented and are also part of the DREAM Act movement. DREAMer is a term commonly used by students who connect with the DREAM Act movement and sometimes used as a way to navigate connotations given to terms such as undocumented, immigrant, and non-U.S. citizens. The Development, Relief, and Education for Alien Minors (DREAM) Act (S.1291) legislation was introduced in 2001 as a bipartisan bill in the Senate. The legislative goal was to provide a means for undocumented immigrants who arrived in the U.S. as children to gain a pathway to permanent legal status, provided those individuals achieved certain milestones.
Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA): People who came to the United States as children and meet several guidelines may
request consideration of deferred action for a period of two years, subject to renewal.
Deferred action is a use of prosecutorial discretion to defer removal action against
an individual for a certain period of time, it does not provide lawful status. DACA
recipients are also eligible for work authorization. In 2012, Deferred Action for
Childhood Arrivals (DACA) became an immigration option for undocumented immigrants
who came to the United States before the age of 16. Although DACA does not provide
a pathway to lawful permanent residence, it does provide a renewable two-year period
of deferred action from deportation, work authorization, and the ability to apply
for a social security number.
For more information regarding DACA visit: https://www.uscis.gov/archive/renew-your-daca
Temporary Protected Status (TPS): The Secretary of Homeland Security may designate a foreign country for TPS due to conditions in the country that temporarily prevent the country’s nationals from returning safely, or in certain circumstances, where the country is unable to handle the return of its nationals adequately. USCIS may grant TPS to eligible nationals of certain countries (or parts of countries), who are already in the United States. Eligible individuals without nationality who last resided in the designated country may also be granted TPS.