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What It’s Like to Navigate the U.S. Immigration System Today

The United States immigration system is frequently described as “broken,” but what does that mean for the people attempting to navigate it right now? For asylum seekers, DACA recipients, mixed-status families, and people caught in bureaucratic limbo, the process can be a never-ending maze with moving rules, long waits, and high stakes.

This blog entry provides a glimpse into the complexities of the current U.S. immigration system, as seen through the lives and stories of real people and the communities and organizations that support them. These immigration justice narratives help put a human face on the debate and highlight the need for advocacy, policy reform, and collective action.

Personal price of bureaucratic delay

The backlog of applications, interviews, and court sessions will be the most enduring problem for the system. In early 2024, the U.S. immigration court backlog exceeded 3.5 million cases, according to the Transactional Records Access Clearinghouse (TRAC) at Syracuse University. This has resulted in many foreigners waiting years for their asylum hearings or the processing of their green cards.

Case Example

Ana, a Honduran nurse, applied for asylum after escaping political violence. Then, after her interview was rescheduled three times due to staff shortages and a policy change, she has not received a decision in five years. Meanwhile, she cannot be reunited with her children or find permanent work.

These delays affect mental health, financial security, and the ability to plan.

Detention and Fear of Deportation

Scores of immigrants hoping to claim asylum in the United States are held at private facilities operated by companies such as CoreCivic or GEO Group. The facilities have been subject to numerous lawsuits for dangerous conditions and lagging medical care.

For many undocumented immigrants, the threat of deportation is never far away. As a 2022 Pew Research report estimates, more than 10 million undocumented immigrants are living in the U.S., many with strong connections to their communities.

Story Highlights

Luis, a construction worker from El Salvador, has lived in Texas for 14 years with his U.S.-citizen wife and children. Because local police were working with immigration enforcement, after a routine traffic stop, a native-born person with no criminal record wound up in ICE custody.

DACA Recipients in Limbo

The Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program has shielded hundreds of thousands of young immigrants from deportation and allowed them to work and go to school. However, DACA has been continuously challenged in court. As of 2025, new applications are still not being dealt with, and court challenges are ongoing.

DACA Recipient Story

Emily is a medical student in California and has been living in the U.S. since she was three years old. She has won a full scholarship, but whether she will be able to practice medicine is in doubt. “I do everything you are supposed to do,” she says, “but in the eyes of the law, I am just disposable.

The following DACA recipient stories illustrate the emotional toll of living in a state of legal uncertainty.

Separation of Family and Mixed-Status Families

Family separation is not only a memory of the 2018 news cycle. It extends to deportations, visa applications in limbo, and varying immigration statuses within the same family.

Mixed-Status Family

The Ahmed family, from Pakistan, consists of a father who is a U.S. citizen, a mother who is undocumented, and two U.S.-born children. The mother was taken into custody after a periodic raid on a workplace. Trauma is left even if it is released later.

Family Member Status Risk of Deportation
Father U.S. citizen None
Mother Undocumented High
Son (10) U.S. citizen None
Daughter (7) U.S. citizen None

This piecemeal legal environment generates instability, fear, and long-term consequences for children.

Voices of Immigrants and Now For Change

Despite all the challenges, immigrant communities are organizing, advocating, and coming together to support one another.

Mutual Aid and Community Self-Defense

When policies fail, immigrant-led grassroots campaigns have filled the void. From legal support to housing assistance, mutual aid networks can serve as the first line of defense.

Example

During the COVID-19 pandemic, groups like Make the Road New York and RAICES delivered PPE, food, and rent relief to undocumented families who were locked out of federal aid.

Immigrant Protest Stories

Immigrants have also organized massive protests calling for humane border policies, a pathway to citizenship, and an end to detention.

“Being visible is the only power we have,” says Mireya, an immigrant organizer from Arizona who protested outside an ICE detention center for more than 100 days.

Immigration Policy’s Human Impact

Policy changes are often described in abstract terms, such as numbers, quotas, or increases in border funding. But behind each policy is a human story.

Visa Ban Impact Stories

In 2017, the “Muslim Ban” prevented thousands of families from reuniting. Though the ban was reversed, many are still recovering.

Example

Fatima, a Yemeni mother, missed five years of her son’s life due to visa bans and embassy closures.

Border Policy Human Stories

Under Title 42, more than 2.5 million migrants were expelled without asylum hearings. This policy disproportionately affected Black and Indigenous asylum seekers from Haiti and Central America.

One Haitian father said, “We weren’t treated like humans. We were pushed back, and now we live in a tent city waiting for a chance.”

Discrimination and Inequity in Daily Life

Legal status or lack thereof often leads to other forms of exclusion.

Rights at the Workplace for Immigrants

The undocumented are frequently exploited in the workplace. According to a 2021 study by the Economic Policy Institute, wage theft was widespread in sectors such as agriculture, construction, and domestic work.

Example

Rosa, a housekeeper in Florida, was underpaid and not given breaks. When she protested, she was threatened with deportation.

Immigrant Voices in Discrimination Cases

Landlords sometimes won’t rent to people without Social Security Numbers or specific types of visas, even if it’s illegal.

Barriers Related to Healthcare and Education

Many immigrants, particularly the undocumented, have difficulty accessing affordable health care and public benefits. Their children may encounter educational barriers due to a lack of language proficiency and limited financial resources.

Immigrant Child Story

Mateo, 9, was placed in an English-only class despite not speaking English. During school meetings, his mother did not have access to a translator.

Common Immigration Myths And the Truth

To better understand the immigration system, it’s crucial to address widespread misconceptions.

Myth Reality
“Immigrants don’t pay taxes.” Most immigrants—including undocumented ones—pay sales, property, and income taxes.
“It’s easy to come here legally.” The legal immigration process can take decades, depending on category and country of origin.
“Asylum seekers are criminals.” Seeking asylum is a legal right under U.S. and international law.
“Immigrants take American jobs.” Immigrants often fill labor shortages in agriculture, healthcare, and the hospitality industry.
“DACA recipients are draining the system.” DACA recipients contribute billions to the U.S. economy and workforce.

How Policy Change Happens Through Storytelling

Policy frequently shifts not just because of data, but as a result of narratives that humanize immigrants and their stories.

Story As Advocacy Example

Preventing the detention of children became a national cause after images of children in cages were widely circulated. Public outcry would eventually lead to changes in detention policy and funding.

Through personal testimony of a life on the margins, narratives of Immigrants inspire, inform, and move people to change. Every story we tell about immigration justice can change minds and force action.

Why Immigrant Voices Matter

The U.S. immigration system is broken and can be unjust, but it’s not worth throwing your party over. True immigrant stories of people charting their path through this system reveal not only the struggle but also the strength, hope, and organizing power of communities.

If you’re a believer in standing up for immigrant communities and shaping policy through storytelling, take part. We can build a system based on shared humanity and mutual support if we share these stories to help us empathize and inform better laws.

Join the Movement for Immigration Justice

Explore more stories, share your own, or support advocacy efforts at
https://storiesofimmigrants.org/

Because immigrant voices matter and their stories can change everything.

 

Meet the Immigration Unicorns: DOJ-Accredited Representatives

Immigration laws and procedures can be overwhelming, especially for individuals and families navigating the process for the first time. Finding reliable legal help that fits your budget can be even more daunting. However, there is a trusted resource available: DOJ-accredited representatives. These authorized professionals offer expert legal advice and services under nonprofit organizations, making immigration assistance accessible and affordable.

While immigration lawyers provide invaluable expertise, their costs can often be a barrier, with average prices ranging from $5,000 to $15,000 or more, depending on the type and complexity of the case.

This guide will provide a detailed overview of DOJ-accredited representatives, why they are a safe and affordable choice, and how to find one near you.

What Is DOJ Accreditation?

DOJ-accredited representatives are individuals trained and authorized by the U.S. Department of Justice to provide legal assistance in immigration matters. They are only able to work under the umbrella of nonprofit organizations, which ensures that their services are affordable or even free for eligible clients.

This accreditation process includes rigorous training and vetting by USCIS and Department of Justice in immigration law and a commitment to upholding professional and ethical standards. Unlike unauthorized consultants, DOJ-accredited representatives are legally authorized to guide you through the complexities of immigration processes.

Who Are DOJ-Accredited Representatives and How Can They Help?

DOJ-accredited representatives are trained professionals authorized by the Department of Justice to assist with immigration legal matters. They work through nonprofit organizations, which ensures their services are affordable or even free for eligible clients.

Here’s how they can help you:

DOJ-accredited representatives are a safe and cost-effective alternative to hiring expensive private attorneys.

 

DOJ Accredited Representatives VS Immigration Lawyers

 

Examples of Cases Handled by DOJ-Accredited Representatives

DOJ-accredited representatives are trained and authorized to assist with a variety of immigration cases. Here are some common examples:

How to Find DOJ-Accredited Representatives

Finding a trusted DOJ-accredited representative near you is straightforward using the DOJ’s Official Directory of Recognized Organizations and Accredited Representatives. This resource lists all approved organizations and individuals authorized to provide immigration legal services, and it allows you to search conveniently by state or location.

Guide to Using the DOJ’s Directory:

  1. Access the Directory:
    • Visit the official EOIR Recognized Organizations and Accredited Representatives page on the DOJ website here.
  2. Start Your Search:
    • On the directory page, you will find a search bar and filters to help refine your search.
    • Use the state filter to view organizations located in your state. You can further narrow the results by city or zip code for more precise options.
  3. Review the Results:
    • Each result includes key details such as:
      • Organization name
      • Address
      • Phone number
      • Accreditation status and representative(s)
  4. Evaluate the Options:
    • Look for organizations near you that fit your needs. Consider factors such as proximity, languages spoken, and the services they offer.
  5. Contact the Organization:
    • Once you’ve identified a suitable organization, reach out to them using the provided contact information. Ask about:
      • The types of immigration cases they handle
      • Service costs (if any)
      • Appointment availability
  6. Follow Up:
    • Some organizations may require specific documents or information to provide assistance. Be prepared to provide basic details about your case or situation when contacting them.

Tips for Avoiding Scams

Unfortunately, many unauthorized consultants prey on individuals seeking immigration help. Here are some red flags to watch out for:

Steps to Prepare for an Appointment

To make the most of your appointment with a DOJ-accredited representative, follow these steps:

  1. Gather Documents: Collect all relevant paperwork, including visas, passports, immigration forms, and supporting documents like birth or marriage certificates.
  2. Prepare Questions: Write down specific questions about your case to ensure all your concerns are addressed.
  3. Know Your Goals: Be clear about what you want to achieve, whether it’s applying for a green card, renewing DACA, or seeking asylum.
  4. Bring a Translator: If English isn’t your first language, check if the organization provides translation services or bring a trusted translator.

FAQs

Resources

Stay Connected for More Tips

Follow us for more immigration resources and updates. Whether you need help navigating the DOJ directory or want to learn more about your rights, we’re here to guide you.

“No Legal Way In”: When Immigration Laws Leave No Options

“Why don’t they just come legally?” It’s a question often asked in good faith by those trying to understand immigration patterns. The underlying assumption is straightforward: if there are legal pathways to immigration, why would anyone choose to break the law?

This question deserves a thoughtful answer – one that examines both individual choices and the system that shapes them.

A System Designed for Different Times

Today’s core U.S. immigration laws were created in 1965 and 1990 – decades before our current global realities. These laws established a system that:

What this system doesn’t provide is equally important – there are virtually no pathways for essential workers without family connections or advanced degrees, regardless of labor market needs or individual circumstances.

When No Legal Path Exists

For the majority of would-be immigrants, the uncomfortable truth is that no legal pathway exists – not because they haven’t “waited their turn” or “filled out the right forms,” but because current laws simply don’t include them.

The immigration system offers no viable options for families facing dire poverty, food insecurity, or lack of basic necessities. Parents watching their children go hungry, communities devastated by natural disasters, or families without access to essential healthcare find themselves in an impossible position. Under current law, economic hardship—no matter how severe—rarely qualifies someone for humanitarian protection.

Additionally, those fleeing generalized violence in their communities often discover they don’t qualify for asylum, which requires proving targeted persecution based on specific protected grounds. Families under threat from gangs, cartels, or widespread criminal violence typically learn that these dangers—despite their life-threatening nature—don’t meet the narrow legal definitions that would allow legal entry.

The system also fails those seeking to reunite with family members who don’t qualify as “immediate relatives” under immigration law, creating separations that can last decades. Workers filling essential roles in agriculture, construction, caregiving, and service industries find themselves excluded from work visa programs that heavily favor those with advanced degrees or specialized skills, regardless of market demand for their labor.

The Human Reality Behind the Statistics

When legal pathways are closed, people face impossible choices:

Maria’s Story: “My partner abused me both mentally and physically. I had a child and was pregnant with another. I didn’t have years or days to make a decision. I had minutes – and crossing illegally was the only decision I could make for my children’s future.”

Ernesto’s Experience: “After the gang killed my brother for refusing to pay ‘rent’ on our small store, they came for me next. Police said they couldn’t protect me. The U.S. embassy said economic hardship and crime weren’t grounds for asylum. I had three days to leave or be killed.”

Diana’s Dilemma: “I’ve been separated from my husband for 12 years waiting for his visa to process. The pandemic pushed the timeline back another 5 years. Our children are growing up without their father. Is it wrong to want our family together before our kids are adults?”

A System That Creates Its Own Problems

Our current immigration system:

  1. Creates decade-long backlogs even for those who qualify for legal pathways
  2. Offers no options for essential workers despite economic demand for their labor
  3. Sets unreachable standards for asylum that don’t match real-world dangers
  4. Imposes 3 and 10-year re-entry bans that trap people in undocumented status, as leaving to “get in line” legally means years of family separation
  5. Makes legal entry impossible for most while economic and security needs create powerful incentives to migrate

Looking Beyond “Law-Breaking”

Understanding these realities doesn’t mean advocating for open borders or dismissing the importance of immigration laws. Rather, it means recognizing that our current system forces impossible choices on people with legitimate reasons to migrate.

Immigration experts and attorneys regularly encounter individuals and families who have exhausted every possible legal avenue before considering irregular migration. Many spend years researching options, saving for consultations, and pursuing any potential pathway. The heartbreaking reality is that for most, no amount of waiting, paperwork, or good-faith efforts will create a legal option where none exists under current law. This systematic exclusion of otherwise hardworking, tax-paying individuals who could contribute positively to American communities reveals fundamental flaws in the immigration framework itself. The issue isn’t people unwilling to follow rules—it’s a rulebook that offers no viable path forward for millions with legitimate reasons to migrate, from family reunification to fleeing credible dangers or meeting crucial workforce needs.

So What Do We Do?

The realities of our broken immigration system demand more than just acknowledgement—they require action. So what can we do?

First, we need to engage in honest, fact-based conversations about immigration that move beyond political talking points. Simply advocating for “enforcement” without addressing systemic flaws, or calling for “compassion” without practical solutions, leads nowhere.

Mass deportation of millions who have built lives in our communities is neither humane nor economically viable. Such approaches would devastate industries, separate families with American children, and cost taxpayers billions while failing to address why people migrate in the first place.

Instead, meaningful reform requires:

Change begins with each of us—by learning the facts about our immigration system, challenging misconceptions in our communities, supporting organizations doing direct work with immigrant populations, and communicating with elected officials about the need for practical, humane solutions.

By rejecting both enforcement-only approaches and unrealistic open borders, we can build an immigration system that honors both our need for security and our identity as a nation that has always been strengthened by immigration.

The Silent Struggle: Domestic Violence in Immigrant Households

Did you know that immigrant women may stay in abusive relationships for up to twice as long as non-immigrant women? Behind closed doors across America, a silent epidemic unfolds as immigrant mothers endure domestic violence while facing barriers that many of us cannot imagine. While one in four American women experiences domestic violence, for immigrant women, this number can be significantly higher—according to a study published in the Journal of Family Violence, rates of domestic abuse among certain immigrant communities have been documented as high as 59.5%, particularly among those with precarious immigration status—yet their stories often remain untold, their suffering invisible, and their options severely limited by circumstances uniquely challenging to the immigrant experience.

When an immigrant woman faces domestic violence, she often confronts barriers that extend far beyond the universal challenges of abuse. Her journey to safety is complicated by cultural expectations, immigration status, language barriers, and economic dependence. Recently, we shared the story of a brave mother who finally broke free from an abusive marriage after years of suffering in silence. Her story is not unique—it represents thousands of immigrant women across America who remain trapped in violent relationships.

Why Leaving Takes Time: The Immigrant Experience

When we ask, “Why doesn’t she just leave?” we fail to understand the devastating reality immigrant women face. These mothers aren’t simply choosing between difficult options—they’re often choosing between different forms of suffering, with their children’s welfare hanging in the balance.

Immigration Status: The Perfect Weapon For many immigrant women, their very presence in America depends on the person who hurts them most. Abusers weaponize this vulnerability with devastating precision. A heartbreaking study by the National Immigrant Women’s Advocacy Project found that 75% of abused immigrant women reported their spouse had never filed the immigration papers they promised—intentionally keeping them vulnerable and dependent.

Cultural Shame Becomes Another Prison In many immigrant communities, family unity isn’t just valued—it’s sacred. Divorce isn’t just discouraged—it’s considered a profound moral failure that brings shame to entire extended families. This pressure crushes souls daily. Research published in the Journal of Family Violence found women from cultures emphasizing family unity were 43% less likely to report abuse or seek help. The shame becomes another wall in their prison—67% of immigrant survivors reported that fear of bringing dishonor to their family kept them silently enduring violence, often praying for death rather than escape.

When Every Dollar Is Survival Financial dependence becomes a deliberate trap in abusive relationships. According to the National Network to End Domestic Violence, 74% of survivors stayed with abusers because they couldn’t afford to leave. For immigrant women without legal status, this trap is magnified—with no work permits, they face unemployment rates three times higher than American-born women and earn 42% less when employed (Migration Policy Institute). Many face an impossible choice: feed their children or keep them safe.

Language Barriers and Isolation Limited English proficiency creates significant obstacles when navigating support systems. Many immigrant women don’t know their rights or how to access resources like shelters, legal services, or protective orders. This isolation is often deliberately engineered by abusers, who may restrict their victims’ contact with family, friends, and the outside world.

Data from the National Latin@ Network reveals that 45% of immigrant survivors reported they did not call police due to language barriers. Additionally, a multi-state study found that only 34% of domestic violence programs offer services in languages other than English, creating significant access barriers. Studies show that women with limited English proficiency stay in abusive relationships an average of 7 years longer than those who speak English fluently.

Breaking the Cycle: Paths Forward

Despite these challenges, there are pathways to safety:

Legal protections like the Violence Against Women Act (VAWA) provide immigration relief for survivors of domestic violence, allowing them to self-petition for legal status independent of their abusers. Additionally, U-visas offer protection for victims who assist law enforcement in investigating or prosecuting crimes.

Cultural competency in support services makes a crucial difference. Organizations that offer multilingual services and understand the unique cultural contexts of immigrant communities can more effectively support survivors. According to research from the Migration Policy Institute, “community-based organizations with staff from the same cultural background as clients have higher success rates in helping immigrant women leave abusive situations safely.”

Taking Action: How You Can Help

The reality is stark: most immigrant women cannot escape abusive situations alone. Without social networks, financial resources, knowledge of legal rights, or language fluency, the barriers to leaving can be insurmountable. Many remain trapped not from lack of desire to leave, but from lack of viable options and support. Here are impactful ways to make a difference:

Learn and Share Resources

Volunteer and Donate

Advocate for Change

Create Community Support

Most importantly: become a bridge. Form genuine friendships with immigrant women in your community. Not all are experiencing abuse, but these connections create safe spaces where those who are suffering might eventually seek help. Professional service providers observe that informal community relationships often become vital lifelines for survivors, providing both emotional support and practical pathways to resources when needed.

If you or someone you know is experiencing domestic violence, please remember: no one deserves abuse, help is available, and a safer future is possible.