Immigration Terms to Know in 2025

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By Christina Fernández-Morrow

As immigration dominates national news and local politics, the language used shapes perceptions and policies. From news headlines to governmental speeches, words matter. Certain terms can be inhumane and offensive to those seeking a new life in the US. Depending on the source, immigration-related terms may be outdated and harmful. How people are described in the media impacts how they are treated. It’s important to understand how to use common terms that may be misused or overused in the media in the coming years. This guide will help you discuss immigration with knowledge and respect. 

Alien: Outdated, harmful, offensive term used to describe a non-citizen living in the United States. It is often used as an umbrella term to describe lawful permanent residents (those with “green cards”), temporary visa holders, and undocumented immigrants.

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  • Preferred terms are noncitizens, immigrants, or foreign nationals.

Asylee:   A person who has been granted asylum in the United States.

Asylum seeker: A noncitizen who presents at a US port of entry requesting protection because they cannot return to their home country due to potential persecution based on religion, nationality, or membership in a particular political affiliation. 

  • Seeking asylum is not illegal in the United States and has its own process of documentation under section 208 of the Immigration and Nationality Act.

DACA: Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals is a program that provides temporary protection from deportation for eligible individuals brought to the U.S. before age 16 who have continuously resided since June 2007. Recipients may apply for work permits, Social Security cards, and driver’s licenses, with renewal required every two years.

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  • There are costly and extensive eligibility requirements to renew every two years
  • It does not offer a direct or shorter path to citizenship. 
  • DACA recipients are sometimes referred to “Dreamers” because of the “DREAM Act” proposed by young immigrants but is not accurate as Dreamers may have arrived to the US as children, but are not eligible for DACA status based on the program’s requirements.

Documented: A foreign-born person allowed to live in the US due to having a green card, visa or other immigration document or designations like refugee, or asylee.

E-Verify: an online system where enrolled employers can confirm the legal work eligibility of employees using information from their I-9 form, Employment Eligibility Verification, government records like the Social Security Administration and the Department of Homeland Security.

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Green Card: The official name is Permanent Resident Card that serves as a form of ID granted to legal permanent residents (LPR) that can be used as an entry document so they can return to the U.S. from abroad.

  • It must be renewed every ten years during the citizenship process.

ITIN: Individual Tax Identification Number is a 9-digit IRS-issued processing number used for federal tax purposes. It allows holders to pay taxes, open bank accounts, and complete W-9 forms for independent contractor work.

  • It does not provide work authorization or legal status.

Mixed-Status Family: A family whose members include people with different immigration statuses, like undocumented parents or grandparents and children who have DACA.

  • Millions of families across the US are mixed-status families, most of which have US-born children.

Refugee: Someone forced to leave their country to escape war, persecution, or natural disaster. An alternative term is displaced person.

  • Sometimes used interchangeably with asylum seeker but that is inaccurate because a refugee can apply for refugee status from abroad.

TPS: Temporary Protected Status for people who cannot safely return to their home country because of war, violence, natural disaster or other extraordinary and temporary conditions. It offers permission to live and work in the United States and avoid deportation for a designated period, usually 18 months before renewal.

  • It does not create a path to permanent residency or US citizenship without going through the immigration process.

Undocumented: Foreign-born person residing in the US without valid immigration status and can be the result of entering the US without inspection or overstaying when a temporary visa expires. Residing in the US without immigration documentation is a civil violation, not a federal crime. 

  • Undocumented immigrants are entitled to due process, limited freedom from unreasonable searches and seizures, and have the right to minimum wage and overtime pay. They also have certain constitutional rights under the Fourth, Fifth, Sixth, and Fourteenth Amendments. 
  • Unauthorized is often used interchangeably. However, “illegal” is not an acceptable alternative when describing a person. It denotes criminality and is used to dehumanize people. It is the basis of hateful rhetoric and should be avoided.
Photo by Tar Macias / Hola Iowa

Disclaimer: This glossary of terms is not universal and does not represent or imply race or ethnicity. Immigrants come from all nations outside the US. This is a simplified list. Immigration law is complex, and situations vary significantly.

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