Immigration is a process through which individuals become permanent residents or citizens of another country. A U.S. immigrant is anyone living in the U.S. who is not a U.S. citizen. Some immigrants have documents like green cards, work visas, or other kinds of visas. Other immigrants are undocumented. There are four Categories of Immigration Status in the U.S. Citizens- These are people who were either born in the U.S. or who have become “naturalized" after three or five years as permanent residents. These citizens can never be deported unless their citizenship was obtained through fraud. Legal Permanent Residents- They are those who have a "green card". A green card holder, or lawful permanent resident, has been granted authorization to live and work in the United States permanently. Non-Immigrants- People who fall into this category are legally in the country, but only temporarily. For example, students, tourists, businessmen, etc. Undocumented- People who are in the country without permission, or illegally, are called undocumented. This means they do not have permission to live in the U.S.
