Thread by @immcouncil

THREAD: Why don't undocumented immigrants just get in line? Because no “line” is available for the vast majority of them. (1/6)

Immigration to the United States on a temporary or permanent basis is generally limited to three different routes: employment, family reunification, or humanitarian protection. (2/6)

Each of these possibilities is highly regulated and subject to numerical limitations and eligibility requirements. As a result, most unauthorized immigrants do not have the necessary family or employment relationships and often cannot access humanitarian protection. (3/6)

This means that no matter how long they have been in the United States, most unauthorized immigrants have no path to legal status. (4/6)

Even if they pay their taxes, work hard, and contribute to their communities, the only way they could "get in line" is if Congress created a new path to legal status. (5/6)

Here's a fact sheet on how many undocumented immigrants are barred from obtaining legal status while inside the United States.⬇️ (6/6)

americanimmigrationcouncil.org/research/why-d…