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Simple English definitions for legal terms

United States Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS)

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A quick definition of United States Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS):

United States Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) is a government agency that helps people with their immigration applications in the United States. They decide if someone is eligible for citizenship, permanent residency, visas, and humanitarian aid. They also help with asylum and work visas. USCIS is part of the Department of Homeland Security, but they work with other agencies too. Sometimes it takes a long time for USCIS to make a decision, which can be frustrating for people waiting for their immigration status.

A more thorough explanation:

United States Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) is a government agency that processes immigration applications in the United States. It is part of the Department of Homeland Security.

USCIS evaluates a person’s eligibility for:

  • Citizenship
  • Naturalization
  • Immigration based on familial status
  • Permanent residency status
  • Visa extensions
  • Humanitarian aid

USCIS also plays a major role in evaluating eligibility for asylum and work visas that involves other agencies and immigration courts.

For example, USCIS, the Department of Labor, and the Bureau of Consular Affairs all play a role in granting H-1B visas.

However, USCIS is known for having a backlog of applications and cases, which means that a person may have to wait a year or longer before having determinations on their immigration status for certain kinds of applications.

Compare with Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and Customs and Border Protection (CBP).

Example: John is a citizen of Canada who wants to move to the United States to work. He applies for an H-1B visa through USCIS, which evaluates his eligibility based on his qualifications and the needs of his potential employer. If USCIS approves his application, John can then apply for a work visa and move to the United States.

Example: Maria is a refugee from El Salvador who is seeking asylum in the United States. She applies for asylum through USCIS, which evaluates her eligibility based on the persecution she faced in her home country. If USCIS approves her application, Maria can then apply for a work permit and begin rebuilding her life in the United States.

These examples illustrate how USCIS evaluates eligibility for different types of immigration applications and plays a crucial role in determining a person's immigration status in the United States.

United States Attorney’s Office (USAO) | United States Code

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MIAMI A
[] AromaticTroubledDormouse
20:55
How does one know if they are UR1 or UR2?
[] AromaticTroubledDormouse
20:56
CONGRATS MACAQUE!
TY
got a random stanford email and almost had a heart attack
ALSO CONGRATS!
Congrats1!
21:15
Miami A, yall I'm so excited I could cry.
21:15
Feel like I can finally stop holding my breath!! Whew!!!
[] baddestbunny
22:16
every time I get accosted by a strange man who follows me around because my male coworkers were too busy talking to walk me back to my car I get closer to saying we need to bring back traditional gender roles
Dkk
22:32
Nice! @Macaque
Dkk
22:32
@Aromatic, Have to guess.
Dkk
22:33
That sucks @Bunny do you have to go to the hospital?
[] baddestbunny
22:40
I said accosted not assaulted
23:35
guys. my notre dame address just went long is this good or bad
1a2b3c4d26z
23:37
Oooooo me too
23:37
omg is this good or bad
Dkk
23:47
Idk if gender roles are gunna fix that then.
23:49
it looks like most people who applied in october last cycle didn't get a decision until january... does it even mean anything that our addresses went long??
hows ED 2 compared to ED 1?
Dkk
0:10
No idea
windyMagician
0:34
reporting live to say my ndls address also went long
does it mean anything ^
Dkk
2:21
NDLS and Fordham took a very long time last year. It's good info for people to know.
[] baddestbunny
4:29
let’s get after it boys and girls
Dkk
5:21
I gtg to bed soon.
Dkk
5:22
Big day today. Gunna be a crazy one. I will sleep through the first half.
good morning lsd it is 5 am EST
also jazzy my ndls address went long ages ago i sadly do not think it means anything
my stanford address also went long LOL i think at most it's an indicator it's under review
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