r/immigration Feb 05 '25

Report rule-breaking comments: 199 bans, 2910 removals in the last 7 days.

218 Upvotes

With the Trump presidency, many are emboldened to spew hate, whereas others are threatening violence or illegal activity in response. Neither are acceptable on this subreddit.

Please use the Report button. Moderators are not omni-present and cannot read every post and comment, but will strive to process every report. Moderators are volunteers, and aren't on reddit 24/7. We have setup comprehensive automod rules and reddit filters that are already filtering a lot of the worst rule violators.

In the past 7 days, we've imposed 199 bans and 2910 removals of posts and comments that violate the rules of the sub, many due to user reports. Every report was reviewed, although some reports were on posts that do not violate the rules.

While most rules are self-explanatory, here are some clarifications on what may be deemed grey areas:

  1. We support people expressing a wide spectrum of views on immigration, but we do not accept any comments or posts that advocate for a blanket ban on immigration, attack legal immigrants, or make them feel unwelcome.

  2. This sub has a zero tolerance policy for hate or vitrol. Posts attacking other commenters, rejoicing in their potential deportation, or telling people to leave will not be tolerated.

  3. This sub has a zero tolerance policy for encouraging violence, fraud or any other illegal activity. This includes helping anyone evade law enforcement.

  4. Misinformation will not be tolerated. There's already enough uncertainty and fear around without people also spreading misinformation, such as claiming bills have passed when they haven't. A non-permanent ban will be applied.

This sub is currently operating on a zero tolerance policy for hate, vitrol, and violence/illegal advice. Any such reported activity will face a permanent ban in response. Second-chance appeals will not be entertained.


r/immigration 4d ago

Megathread + FAQ: Travel in/out of the United States

76 Upvotes

We've been getting many of the same questions about whether it's safe to travel in/out of the US, and this megathread consolidates those questions.

The following FAQ answers the most common questions, and is correct as of April 2, 2025.

If the FAQ does not answer your question, feel free to leave your question as a comment on this thread.

US citizens

QC1. I am a US citizen by birth/adopted, is it safe to travel in/out of the US?

Yes, it is safe, and you have a clear constitutional right to re-enter the US.

When entering or exiting the US by air, you must always do so with a US passport or NEXUS card (Canada only).

At the border, CBP cannot deny you entry. However, if your US citizenship is in question or you are uncooperative, they could place you in secondary processing to verify your citizenship, which can take 30 mins to a few hours depending on how busy secondary is.

As part of their customs inspection, CBP can also search your belongings or your electronic devices. You are not required to unlock your device for them, but they can also seize your electronic devices for a forensic search and it may be some time (weeks/months) before you get them back.

QC2. I am a US citizen by naturalization, is it safe to travel in/out of the US?

The answer to QC1 mostly applies to you.

However, in the some of the following situations, it may be possible to charge you with denaturalization:

  1. If you committed any immigration fraud prior to, or during naturalization. Common examples include using a fake name, failure to declare criminal records, fake marriages, etc or otherwise lying on any immigration form.

  2. If you are an asylee/refugee, but traveled to your country of claimed persecution prior to becoming a US citizen.

  3. If your green card was mistakenly issued (e.g. priority date wasn't current, or you were otherwise ineligible) and N-400 subsequently mistakenly approved, the entire process can be reversed because you were not eligible for naturalization.

Denaturalization is very, very rare. The US welcomes nearly a million US citizens every year, but we've probably only see around 10 denaturalizations a year on average.

QC3. I am a US dual citizen, and my other country of nationality may be subject to a travel ban. Is it safe to travel in/out of the US?

Answer QC1 applies. Travel bans cannot be applied to US citizens, even if you are dual citizens of another country.

Permanent Residents / Green Card Holders

QG1. I am a US green card holder, is it safe to travel in/out of the US?

You are generally safe to travel as long as all the following applies:

  1. You are a genuine resident of the US. This means that you are traveling abroad temporarily (less than 6 months), and you otherwise spend most of every year (> 6 months) in the US.

  2. You do not have a criminal record (except for traffic violations like speeding, parking, etc).

  3. You have not ever committed any immigration fraud.

  4. You have not ever expressed support for a terrorist organization designated by the Department of State, which includes Hamas.

Your trips abroad should not exceed 6 months or you will be considered to be seeking admission to the US and many of the protections guaranteeing green card holders re-entry no longer apply to you.

CBP has been pressuring green card holders to sign an I-407 to give up their green cards if they find that you've violated any of the above, especially if you spend very little time in the US or very long absences abroad.

Generally, you are advised not to sign it (unless you're no longer interested in remaining a green card holder). However, keep in mind that even if you refuse to sign it, CBP can still place you in removal proceedings where you have to prove to an immigration judge that you're still a genuine resident of the US / you have not committed a serious crime rendering you eligible for deportation. While waiting for your day in court, CBP can place you in immigration detention (jail). You may wish to consider your odds of winning in mind before traveling.

QG2. I am a conditional US green card holder (2 years), is it safe to travel in/out of the US?

You are treated exactly like a green card holder, so every other answer in this section applies equally to you.

If your GC has expired, your 48 month extension letter and expired green card is valid for re-entry when presented together. Other countries that grant visa-free entry or transit to green card holders may not recognize an extension letter for those visa-free benefits, however.

QG3. I am a US green card holder with a clean criminal and immigration record, traveling for a vacation abroad for a few weeks. Is it safe to travel?

Per QG1, you're safe to travel.

QG4. I am a US green card holder with a country of nationality of one of the potential travel ban countries. Is it safe to travel in/out of the US?

Past Trump travel bans have all exempted US green card holders.

It is extremely unlikely that any travel bans will cover green card holders.

US ESTA/Tourist Visa Holders

QT1. I am a tourist traveling to the US with an approved ESTA/B visa. Is it safe to travel?

Yes, it is generally safe to travel.

CBP is enforcing these existing rules for tourist travel more strictly, so keep these in mind:

  1. You must not try to live in the US with a tourist visa. In general, avoid trip plans that span the entire validity of your tourist visa (90 days for ESTA or 180 days for B-2), as this is a red flag if you're either planning that on your current trip or have done so on a previous trip. As another rule, you should spend 1-2 days outside the US per day inside before returning to the US.

  2. You must have strong ties to your home country. This is particularly relevant for those with US citizen/green card partners, children or parents. These relationships are considered a strong tie to the US, so you must be ready to convince CBP that you will leave: long-held job in home country, spouse or kids in home country, etc. Those with strong ties to the US should generally try to limit their travel to the US to shorter durations for lower risk.

  3. You must not try to work in the US, even remotely for a foreign employer paid to a foreign bank account. While checking emails or business mettings is certainly fine, you cannot actually perform work. While some have gotten away with it in the past, it is unwise to try when CBP has been clamping down.

  4. If any answers to your ESTA or tourist visa eligibility questions change, e.g. if you've acquired a new criminal record, traveled to a banned country (e.g. Cuba/North Korea/etc), you need to apply for a new ESTA or tourist visa.

QT2. I am a tourist who visits the US for at most a few weeks a year, for genuine tourism. Is it safe to travel?

Yes, per QT1, it is safe to travel.

QT3. I am a tourist from a country that is one of the potential travel ban countries. Is it safe to travel?

It is safe to travel while the travel ban has not been announced or in force.

However, for those planning trips in the future, these travel bans have sometimes applied to those who already hold tourist visas. These travel bans also often give very little advance notice (few days to a week).

It may not be wise to plan travel to the US if you're from one of the potential banned countries, as your travel may be disrupted. If you really wish to travel, you should buy refundable tickets and hotels.

US Student/Work/Non-Tourist Visa or Advance Parole Holders

QR1. I have a US student, work or other non-tourist visa/advance parole. Is it safe to travel?

There are many risk factors when traveling as a visa holder living in the US.

Unlike a tourist whose denial of entry simply means a ruined vacation, the stakes are a lot higher if your entire life/home is in the US but you cannot return. The conservative advice here is to avoid travel unless necessary.

You should absolutely avoid travel if ANY of the following applies to you:

  1. If your country of nationality is on one of the rumored travel ban lists, you should avoid travel. It is possible, and legal, for travel bans to apply to existing visa holders - even those that live in the US. This has happened before in some of Trump's previous travel bans. If you must travel, you need to accept the risk that you may be left stranded abroad as travel bans can be announced and take effect on the same day.

  2. If you have a criminal record (excluding minor traffic offenses) such as drugs, theft, drunk driving, or more serious crimes, do not travel. F-1 students have had their visas and status revoked for past criminal records (even in the 2010s), and it can expand to other visa types at any time. There is no statute of limitations - it does not matter how long in the past this criminal record is.

  3. If you have participated in a protest or expressed support for a terrorist organization designated by the Department of State, including Hamas, do not travel. The Trump administration has been cracking down on visa holder participants, and while the constitutionality of such a crack down is still unclear, you probably don't want to be the martyr fighting the case from immigration detention or from abroad after being denied entry.

General Questions

QA1. Are there any airports safer to travel with?

Each airport has dozens to hundreds of CBP officers and there is some luck involved depending on who you get. You'll definitely find stories of how someone had a bad CBP experience at every single airport, but also find stories about how someone had a good CBP experience at every single airport.

There's generally no "better" or "worse" airport.

QA2. Is preclearance in another country (e.g. Dublin) better than traveling to the US?

There's a tradeoff.

The whole point of preclearance is to make it easier for CBP to deny entry, because you're not on US soil and there's no cost to detain or arrange you on a flight back - they can just deny boarding. Furthermore, as you're not on US soil, even US citizens and permanent residents can be denied boarding.

On the other hand, while CBP at preclearance can cancel or confiscate your visa/green card, they generally cannot detain you in a foreign country.

Thus, if you're willing to increase the odds of being denied entry to reduce the odds of being detained, preclearance is better for you.

Final Remarks

While there has been a genuine increase in individuals being denied entry or detained, the absolute numbers are very small overall. To put in perspective, the US processes on the order of a million+ entries across every port each day, all of whom enter and exit the US without issue. Statistically speaking, your odds of being denied entry if you have no negative criminal or immigration history mentioned above is virtually nil.


r/immigration 3h ago

ICE agents arrest 73-year-old grandfather in Louisiana who has lived in US for 45 years

319 Upvotes

r/immigration 9h ago

Venezuelans with legal status are being illegally detained in the US, lawyers say

210 Upvotes

r/immigration 23h ago

The US will revoke all visas issued to South Sudanese

1.0k Upvotes

r/immigration 3h ago

New DHS alien registration rule

7 Upvotes

Hi folks

Has anyone gone through the new alien registration guidelines? Looks like now you need to be registered with USCIS online which will generate a proof of alien registration. Also non citizens are now required to carry a proof of registration (green card, I-94, ead) at all times with them.

Failure to notify any change in address to DHS within 10 days may result in fines upto $5k or criminal misdemeanor charges. You may also be subjected to detention and deportation.

Can anyone share more insights on this? Any foreseeable impact on H1B holders?


r/immigration 5h ago

People who have moved to Canada from the US - how has your experience been?

6 Upvotes

I’m a dual citizen (US/Canada) and have lived in the US most of my life. My husband and I are considering immigrating to Canada before we start to have kids for a few reasons (education quality, school safety, universal healthcare). We’re decently comfortable financially in the US (by no means wealthy, but we make a little more than we need and are able to save some) and understand that wages are lower and taxes are significantly higher in Canada… we understand we’d be trading some more disposable income for better social safety net and healthcare (I have several health issues and very high medical expenses in the US).

I’m really curious to hear from other folks who have immigrated to Canada from the US and what your experience/transition has been like. Is the universal healthcare system actually as good as it appears to be? How do you find work/life balance? Quality of life?


r/immigration 1h ago

Lay low. Wipe everything.

Upvotes

r/immigration 4h ago

Dual intent for PERM on F1

4 Upvotes

I'm an F1 STEM OPT student in my first year of stem extension. My company has filed for my PERM. I have plans to go to India next year. Is there any risk of having a pending/approved PERM on F1 w.r.t. dual intent? Has anyone faced issues with entry denial due to this?


r/immigration 4h ago

Naturalization

4 Upvotes

I just had my naturalization interview(i passed) last week and i just found out that i am derivative citizen through father(we didn't know about the law at the time) but i had submitted N400, now uscis wants to find out if i can provide some kind of proof that i was in my father's custody when i was 17(which i have). Now im not sure if wanna proceed with providing proof because it'll probably cost me more money and time but at time same time im afraid for some reason i have a feeling somehing bad will happen with my current N400 application. Currently thinking about asking an immigration attorney for advice. What y'all think?


r/immigration 1h ago

Need urgent advice on DS-160 details regarding upcoming observerships

Upvotes

Hey everyone! I’m hoping to get some guidance regarding my DS-160 and planned observerships.

When I initially filled out the DS-160, I only had confirmation from one observership site, so I entered my intended duration of stay as just one month (May). Since then, I’ve received two more confirmations, which would extend my stay in the US.

If I’m asked at the visa interview how long I’ll be staying, how should I respond? Should I stick with what’s on the DS-160 or explain the updated situation?

Also, I listed an address from Booking.com for accommodation on the DS-160 form, but I haven’t finalized anything yet. How should I explain that if asked?

My visa interview is in 3 days. Would really appreciate any advice.

Thanks you!


r/immigration 1h ago

Wife’s Naturalization Timeline – A Few Questions (Married to U.S. Citizen, Indian Origin)

Upvotes

Hi everyone,

I’m a naturalized U.S. citizen originally from India. My wife and I got married in March 2020, and she received her green card in May 2022 (through marriage) and moved to the U.S. the same month. She’s been here for about 34 months now, with only one short trip abroad.

We’re planning to apply for her citizenship soon. A few questions:

• Since she’s married to a U.S. citizen and we live together, I’ve heard she can apply 90 days before hitting the 3-year mark. Can someone confirm?

• I’ve heard of small complications when the sponsoring spouse is a naturalized citizen—anything we should be aware of?

• We’re Indian, and her spousal green card process took longer than expected. Could her country of origin affect the N-400 timeline?

• Would you recommend applying now (at the 90-day early filing window) or waiting until the full 36 months are complete?

Any advice or shared experiences would be appreciated—thanks!


r/immigration 1d ago

2 US border inspectors are charged with taking bribes to wave in people without documents

213 Upvotes

r/immigration 2h ago

Fiance visa

2 Upvotes

Hello all,

I am an Indian born Canadian citizen and my fiance is a US citizen. If he were apply for my fiance visa, how long does the processing take for the K-1 visa approval currently ? And is it an expensive process ?

Thank you in advance.


r/immigration 2h ago

Expired DS-160 before the Interview

2 Upvotes

My DS 160 is expired and I don't have the old confirmation as well what should I do? I have my b1/b2 appointment in 2 weeks and I cannot reschedule as I reached the limit😔


r/immigration 8m ago

Detalles Formulario DS-160 para mèxico

Upvotes

Ya me aprovaron la visa de turista (B1/B2), pero tengo una duda, en la secciòn "national identification number" veo que muchos ponen el curp, ero que pasa si yo puse el Nùmero de INE ... :(


r/immigration 15m ago

Declaring money when going out of the US

Upvotes

Hey. I’m traveling for the first time with large sum and I want to take $15,000(savings and cash from selling my car). I have legitimate reason to take the money and I can show where the money came from. The problem is I’m leaving Monday morning and I sold my car Sunday (today) so I have cash. There is no way I can deposit the money and withdraw it again to get a bank slip.

My question is would I be able to show bill of sale as source of money?


r/immigration 4h ago

Fragomen for EB-3

2 Upvotes

I currently do not have an employee sponsored visa however I have an EAD with a 5year expiry. Will Fragomen initiate my EB3 or EB2 consular processing or do they require I have H-1B first?


r/immigration 6h ago

Trump - Haitian TPS Impact

3 Upvotes

Hi,

I am an employer of a great worker who is Haitian. He has informed me that with Trump's moves, Haitian like himself will be forced to go home in a couple of months. This worker is loved by everyone and is a sweetheart. He played in the local symphony back home and is extremely educated. But Haiti is a mess and he came here due to the conflict/earthquake back at home.

We worked in a blue-collar industry (construction) and he's not a critical employee. Having said that, I want to help him in any way possible (he has very little money and his English is subpar). I am not sure what's the best way to keep him. Do I file a EB-3 Visa?

Any guidance would be appreciated.


r/immigration 1d ago

Its over for us. We have to leave the US and I don't see the point of living anymore

2.1k Upvotes

My spouse's visa application got denied. Unjustly, unfairly. No more motions. We're done.

I came to the US in 2016 with big dreams and an almost certain future. I was only 21 and my stepdad, who married my mom when I was a teen, who I consider a second dad, is American. Nothing could go wrong, right? So we all moved. Me, him, my mom, my brother, and my (at the time) long time boyfriend. A month after, my dad (divorced from my mom) decided to move here too, with my stepmom and sister - they would live only 15 minutes away from my mom's house. I was filled with joy.

My brother was underage and so he and my mom got their green cards in less than 2 years. My dad got his, my stepmom's and sister's (a child) through work in 3 years.

And me? First I got told I was too old to stay here, even though my whole family would get to stay. So I tried to become a student, but I changed my status inside the country. The university I applied to lost the right to issue a student visa in the middle of this process and so I became out of status immediately and against my will, without having a chance to leave legally first. My greencard application got denied soon after and lost in the mail, so I was unable to file a motion before I found out about it.

So my partner took matters into his hands. He was studying here, that had been our plan. But he applied for an EB3 and we thought that, after he got his greencard, we could then apply for mine, even though I knew I was going to need a waiver and the whole process was going to take years. We would wait, we would fight.

After almost 10 years fighting for a way to stay with my family, today his application got denied for the last time. He became immediately out of status as well, just like me. No more motions can be filed. We are out of options and out of thousands of dollars. Seriously, we could've paid off our house with the amount of money spent fighting immigration.

I will have to leave the country to be banned for 10 years. With my whole family here, 5 family members who are US citizens, a house that I own, a Bachelor's Degree, fluent to the point of near native, having paid all my taxes for all these years. I didn't jump any borders and I have nothing against those who do - but I tried to do things the right way and it ruined my life.

I don't even have words, I feel like I could end my life right here.


r/immigration 8h ago

Lawyer Recommendations for an RFE

3 Upvotes

Hello everyone,

My husband filed for AOS after coming into the country through K1. We received an RFE because they don’t have my taxes (I lived with no income in Korea for four years) and wanted more supporting documents from our joint sponsor.

We filed both K1 and AOS by ourselves with just the help of YouTube, but we’re a little worried about responding to an RFE, so we’re looking into lawyers for that.

Any recommendations?


r/immigration 2h ago

How do some people get green cards even though they have a lifetime ban

0 Upvotes

Asking because I read some people fighting their imm case and get lifetime bans lifted or whatever. I know it is very rare and requires lots of $ for attorney/fees. But just so I’m clear it does happen sometimes? Or literally 0 chance


r/immigration 7h ago

How to Clear Up Social Media

2 Upvotes

I'm a Green Card holder, and I'll be traveling to Egypt this summer. I want to make sure my social media is clean and secure before I go, Does anyone have tips on how to clear up or secure social media accounts before traveling abroad, Any advice on privacy settings or steps I should take to minimize risk would be much appreciated. Thank You


r/immigration 10h ago

Tricky I-134/I-864 Situation

3 Upvotes

Hi! I’m planning on getting the K-1 process started for my fiancée who lives abroad. The problem, we’ll soon be encountering however, seems to be my proof of income.

I will be living on a PhD stipend of over $50,000 for the next six years. My school does not give me a W-2, and to make matters difficult, we saw online that a PhD stipend is generally not accepted as proof of income.

I’m less worried about the I-134 as I am the I-864, but what happens, generally, if your affidavit of financial support during the AOS process is deemed insufficient? Do they kick my fiancée (who will at that point be my wife) out of the country? Or will I be given the opportunity to find a co-sponsor and resubmit?

My parents have been supportive of me in this process, but my father has declined to sign an I-864 as a co-sponsor because he worries it will impact his credit. We talked about the possibility of my mother signing, but she is my father’s dependent, so we worry still that he would be affected if she were to sign in his stead, and what documents we could even submit if she were to sign…

Any clarity regarding the particulars of this process would be so very helpful. I am grateful for any and all information you might be able to provide.

Thank you!


r/immigration 12h ago

B1/B2 approved then rejected

4 Upvotes

Hi all - had a close friend (basically family member) who did the b1/b2 interview for a renewal and was told on the spot he was approved and handed the yellow “your visa has been approved form.” Today, he got a blue letter saying he was found ineligible due to the dreaded 214(b).

How common is this that there is an initial approval from the interviewing officer and then it is overridden?

Talk about emotional distress and trauma.


r/immigration 5h ago

Nationality/immigration status under administrative error (diplomatic exception to 14th amendment issue)

0 Upvotes

Throwaway; I am looking for peace of mind (if warranted) for my situation which I have only just learned about.

I was born in the USA in 1960 to a diplomat from foreign country A in active service and under diplomatic immunity, and a student on a student visa from country B. They were married shortly before I was born. My mother got a US birth certificate for me, and registered me with the consulate of country B. Shortly after I was born my parents separated, and my mother moved us to country B. We returned to the USA under country B passports around 1964.

My mother got LPR by 1965 and naturalized by about 1969. My parents also divorced in 1969. I was never naturalized, rather, I got a US passport around 1965, and me and my mother have assumed my entire life that I was born a US citizen, but now I am worried that since my father was a diplomat when I was born, and my mother was a foreigner at the time, that my status is actually ambiguous, and that my original passport (and thus all subsequent passports I have held) may have been issued in error.

Does anyone know if my situation is likely to be illegal?


r/immigration 1d ago

Law Advice Needed: My uncle was only allowed entry into the US for 2 days. What do we do?

34 Upvotes

Desperately looking for any immigration lawyers or anyone who's gone through anything similar.

Storytime- my uncle is coming from India to help take care of my dad who is recently disabled and is adjusting to life in a wheelchair. My uncle has a 10 year visa and a daughter who lives in the US.

At US customs, they took his phone and saw a text from my mom from months ago asking him if he was available to come take care of my dad. While my mom was driving to the airport to pick him up , she got a call from a customs officer who claimed we've illegally hired help from another country and that my uncle is being deported and banned from the US forever. He also proceeded to threaten her and said if we ask any more questions, we'll be "getting a knock at our door". My mom (a naturalized citizen) explained that he's just a close friend coming to both help my dad and to visit his daughter and that they're welcome to come knock on our door lol. The officer hung up and my mom turned around to go home.

Thirty minutes later she gets a call from my uncle saying he's totally fine and standing outside the airport waiting to be picked up. We were worried it was a trap somehow lol so I went to pick him up instead since I have a birthright citizenship here. It wasn't a trap, but his customs stamp on his passport said "limited entry until April 6th" (he landed yesterday on April 4th). He had no clue they had limited his stay to 2 days. We had expected him to be approved for 6 months as usual so his return ticket is for October.

We're now just scrambling trying to figure out how to extend his stay so he can at least see his daughter and my mom and I can arrange another family member to come help out instead. Does anyone have any advice on our options? And how legal this is? We're in the process of submitting an appeal to border patrol but the website keeps crashing lol. And April 5th and 6th are the weekend so we can't go to any authorities...

We're really worried if he leaves he's just not going to be able to enter the states again since they might be accusing him of something illegal...any help or advice is welcome.

EDIT: Feeling the need to emphasize that he's NOT coming for employment he's just meant to come help us/visiting my dad/his daughter. But looks like even that's not allowed on the B2 visa which feels criminal. You have to say "i'm visiting my grandchildren" not "I'm coming to help my daughter take care of my grandchildren". It's semantics and we assumed "visiting family" included "helping family" but guess not lol.

Our last hope (as per advice from attorneys) is to go to the airport tonight (april 5th) and see if we can emphasize that the nature of him coming is also to visit both my dad and his daughter. If not, he's got a flight out at 7am tomorrow.

This has been disheartening. I understand that caretaking is also a job, but it's perfectly legal for a local family member to come help out around the house, so it feels so reductive to file this under "importing an immigrant for employment" just because my family lives somewhere else.

AND i have the feeling they purposely did not tell him they limited his stay so that he'd overstay his visa and then they could deport him for good. Otherwise why wouldn't you tell the person that they need to leave tomorrow, not in October. His daughter, who's currently putting herself through school, had to book an $800 flight leaving tomorrow morning. Evil.