Emancipation Day in Washington DC

 

 

WUSA9: A history of Emancipation Day in Washington DC 2020 

WUSA9: Celebrating Emancipation Day in DC 2025

Updated 2025-04-14

 

Washington D.C. will mark Emancipation Day on Sunday, April 13, 2025. commemorating an 1862 act signed by Abraham Lincoln which abolished slavery in the District, freeing over 3,000 people eight months before the Emancipation Proclamation. Learn more about Emancipation Day

USCIS 100:73. Name the U.S. war between the North and the South.

• the Civil War
• the War between the States

USCIS 100:73. 74. Name one problem that led to the Civil War.

• slavery
• economic reasons
• states’ rights

USCIS 100:73. 75. What was one important thing that Abraham Lincoln did?*

• freed the slaves (Emancipation Proclamation)
• saved (or preserved) the Union
• led the United States during the Civil War

USCIS 100:73. 76. What did the Emancipation Proclamation do?

• freed the slaves
• freed slaves in the Confederacy
• freed slaves in the Confederate states
• freed slaves in most Southern states

Learn more

• statehood: Why Statehood for DC?
• uscitizenpod: A Juneteenth Citizenship Quiz: 19 Civics Questions that Celebrate Freedom video | pdf
• uscitizenpod: USCIS 100:76 Emancipation Proclamation and Juneteenth video
• Vasili Sha: Emancipation Day Parade - 160th Anniversary of ending slavery in Washington D.C. - April 16, 2022+

updated 2025-04-14

INCOME TAX DAY!

Income Tax Day
Here are fifteen citizenship questions from the N-400 and the USCIS Civics Test about taxes and our economic system. Happy Income Tax Day!

• video | mp3 | pdf | Kahoot
• Mix-and-Match: Series E-2: Employment and Taxes plus Quiz 16: Civic Responsibilities

 
USCIS 100:56. When is the last day you can send in federal income tax forms?*
* April 15 

Learn more:

IRS: Tax Information and Responsibilities for New Immigrants to the United States

• English
• Español
• 中文 (简体)
• 中文 (繁體)
• 한국어
• Русский
• Tiếng Việt
• Kreyòl ayisyen

IRS: Protecting Taxpayer Civil Rights

• English
• Español
• 中文 (简体)
• 中文 (繁體)
• 한국어
• Русский
• Tiếng Việt
• Kreyòl ayisyen

IRS: Understanding Taxes (lesson plans and student resources)

IRS on YouTube: main channel | multi-lingual channel | ASL channel

AIC: The Facts About the Individual Taxpayer Identification Number (ITIN)

Business English: Taxes/Tax-related vocabulary: 1 | 2 | 3 | 4

Citizen Path: U.S. Income Taxes and Immigration Consequences

iCivics: Taxation Lesson Plan | The Constitution Explained: Income Tax

FTC: Is it really the IRS? | more IRS scams | infographic | fotonovelas

Jennifer ESL: Paying Taxes in the U.S. Take a 10-Question Quiz!

Listen a Minute: Tax

National Archives: 16th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution: Federal Income Tax (1913)

USA.gov: Get Tax Help


Also visit: 
• more U.S. Citizenship Resources for April
• US Civics and Citizenship Resources for Financial Literacy Month post
• USCIS Fee Reduction Fact Sheet

updated 2025-04-14

EXPANDED U.S. Citizenship Resources List for April Holidays

Tulips in front of the U.S. Capitol Building

U.S. Citizenship Resources for April 2025

April is Arab American Heritage Month! page

U.S. Citizenship Resources for Arab American Heritage Month page

April is Financial Literacy Month page

Financial literacy and financial responsibility are key components of citizenship.

April is National Poetry Month post

Spotlight on Emma Lazarus' poem "New Colossus" and poetry that celebrates America and our immigrant heritage.

April 6-12: National Library Week  page
Explore the role of Libraries in supporting the formation of new American citizens!

April 12 to April 20 Passover  page

Passover Haggadah celebrating our Immigrant Nation

Apr 13-16: DC Emancipation Day post

Commemorates 1862 act signed by Lincoln which freed the slaves in the District of Columbia.

April 15: Income Tax Day page 
15 question quiz and more

April 18: Good Friday page
GOOD FRIDAY Faith-Based Immigration and Refugee Resources

April 20: Easter page and Pascha page
A U.S. Citizenship Quiz in honor of Western Christians and Eastern Orthodox Christians

April 22: Earth Day page
Citizenship Resources for Earth Day, Arbor Day, and more! 

updated 2025-04-14

Naturalization Ceremony Welcomes 22 New U.S. Citizens: One U.S. citizen Shares Her Journey

 

NBC 41: Naturalization Ceremony Welcomes 22 New U.S. Citizens: One U.S. citizen Shares Her Journey

“I always wanted to get to this point to become a citizen. And I've been waiting and doing everything that I needed to do in order to achieve this goal.”

Passover Haggadahs Celebrating our Immigrant Nation and a Citizenship POP Quiz

Lady Liberty Opening the gate to a immigrant Jewish family. Source.

The United States is a Nation of Immigrants.  Each immigrant group brings it unique story.

Passover (Pesach) is the Jewish holiday that celebrates the emancipation of the Jews from slavery in ancient Egypt.

The Haggadah is a Jewish text that is read every year during the Passover meal (Seder).  

Here are  four haggadahs which remember that the Jews were once refugees, too, and are obligated to seek justice for "the Stranger."

ADL: FOUR QUESTIONS: SEEKING IMMIGRANT AND REFUGEE JUSTICE ON PASSOVER A Haggadah Supplement
This Passover, let us all embrace the lessons of this holiday’s story and extend a hand of friendship to our immigrant and refugee neighbors and advocate for their rights. 

AWJS: Next Year in a Just World
This year, put social justice on your Seder table. Use the AJWS Global Justice Haggadah to spark meaningful conversations at your Seder — and connect our shared story of liberation with people fighting for freedom around the world today.

HIAS: Passover Resources
Explore the connections between the ancient Passover story and today's refugees. For ideas about how to incorporate the HIAS Haggadah at your Seder, watch the HIAS webinar, Bringing Refugee Stories to Your Seder. 

Mishkan Chicago: Not Only Them but Us Haggadah

New England ADL: A Nation of Immigrants Community Seder Haggadah

RAC: Passover Resources

Many good resources, including 16 modern haggadot.

ReCustom: Passover Haggadah

This collection features several social justice haggadadot.

Also see:

VOANews: New York Mosque Hosts Passover Celebrations


POP QUIZ

100:03. The idea of self-government is in the first three words of the Constitution. What are these words?

100:09. What are two rights in the Declaration of Independence?

100:10. What is freedom of religion?

100:51. What are two rights of everyone living in the United States?

100:55. What are two ways that Americans can participate in their democracy?

100:58. What is one reason colonists came to America?

100:76. What did the Emancipation Proclamation do?

100:84. What movement tried to end racial discrimination?

100:95. Where is the Statue of Liberty?*

100:100. Name two national U.S. holidays.

Also visit: 

• more U.S. Citizenship Resources for April

updated 2025-04-11

First-Generation Chinese-American Uncovers Her Family’s Immigration Story

PBS: First-Generation Chinese-American Uncovers Her Family’s Immigration Story 

A short film offering a glimpse into how an immigrant family remains comfortably estranged and elusive of its history. The "why" got lost along the way. A first-generation Chinese-American daughter laments lost opportunities to hear unheard history, but maybe it was never meant to be hers to hear.

ÉMIGRÉS | PBS Short Docs

U.S. Citizenship Resources for Arab American Heritage Month

Created with MS Designer Image Creator, 04/02/2024

Arab American Foundation: Arab American Heritage Month page

Arab American institute: Arab American Heritage Month is official! page

Arab American National Museum: Core Galleries page

A Cut Above Teaching: Arab American Heritage Month Posters Instant Download for $10

History: Arab American Heritage Month, 2024 page

News Center Maine: The history behind April becoming National Arab American Heritage Month video

Now This News: Why We Need Arab American Heritage Month video

NYC Public School: Arab American Heritage Month page

NYPL: American American Heritage Month page

Smithsonian: Arab American Heritage Month page

Thirteen: Arab American Heritage Month page

White House: A Proclamation on Arab American Heritage Month, 2024 statement

uscitizenpod:

• Citizenship Interview Quiz for Esam Omeish (Libya) pdf 
• Easy Practice U.S. Citizenship Interview with Hafida Elidrissi video
• Basic U.S. Citizenship Interview with Hafida and Teacher Jennifer video
• A Typical U.S. Citizenship Interview with Hafida and Teacher Jennifer video
• A Quick U.S. Citizenship Interview featuring Voting and Taxes video
• Citizenship Interview Quiz for Louay Safi (Syria) pdf
• Citizenship Interview Quiz for Mohamed Awad Elhassan (Sudan) pdf
• Citizenship Interview with Nahil Ireiqat (Jerusalem) and Josefina Rios (Mexico) video
• Citizenship Interview Quiz for Nimco Ahmed (Somalia) pdf
• Citizenship Interview Quiz for Rend al-Rahim (Iraq) pdf
• Citizenship Interview Quiz for Safa Aldabyani (Yemen) pdf
• Citizenship Interview with Samia Amed (Yemen) mp3

USCIS:

10 Steps to Naturalization (Arabic) (PDF, 808.47 KB)

يمكنك أن تصبح مواطناً أمريكياً بالولادة أو عبر التجنّس. يولد الأفراد مواطنين أمريكيين بصفة عامة إذا ولدوا في الولايات المتحدة أو إذا ولدوا في الخارج لأبوين أمريكيين. يمكنك أيضاً الحصول على الجنسية الأمريكية إذا كنت بعمر يقل عن الثامنة عشر وكنت مقيماً بصفة قانونية دائمة عندما تم تجنيس أحد والديك أو كليهما، أو بعد تبنيك من قبل والد أمريكي.

USCIS Welcomes Refugees and Asylees Brochure (Arabic) (PDF, 1.38 MB)

ترحب USCIS بالالجئين وطالبي اللجوء

100 Civics Questions and Answers (Arabic) (PDF, 195.18 KB)

أسئلة حول التربية المدنية (التأريخ والحكومة) لاختبار التجن  

Civics Questions for the 65/20 Special Consideration (Arabic) (PDF, 155.59 KB)

 أسئلة التربية المدنية للمتمتعين بالإعفاء 20/65 

2024-2025 MAE Citizenship Class 25

NY Historical Society: Voting Rights // The Citizenship Project [E10]

This is the ninth class of our semester.  

• Future Citizenship: Civil Rights Mvmt; Sept 11 pg 47-54; Unit 3:3 pg 152-155
• Citizenship Questions in Honor of Martin Luther King, Jr kahoot
• Union City Flight 93 Memorial
• Employment and Taxes plus Quiz 16: Civic Responsibilities
• Income Tax Day video | mp3 | pdf | Kahoot

Learn more:

• US Civics and Citizenship Resources for Financial Literacy Month post
• USCIS Fee Reduction Fact Sheet

Happy Birthday, 17th Amendment!

Center for Civic Education: The 17th Amendment

The 17th Amendment says that the people can directly vote for U.S. senators. this amendment was added to the U.S. Constitution on April 8, 1913. Before 1913, state governments chose the senators. People did not like this. They wanted to vote for senators themselves. They thought the old way was unfair and could lead to corruption."

60-Second Civics, Episode 5299: January 29, 2025 (a rebroadcast of Episode 5049: January 9, 2023)

Subscribe and take the Daily Civics Quiz at http://civiced.org/60-second-civics

Also see:

• National Archives: 17th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution: Direct Election of U.S. Senators (1913)
• National Constitution Center: The 17th Amendment
• Senate.gov
• VOA Learning English: What Is the US Senate?

POP QUIZ

USCIS 100:07. How many amendments does the Constitution have?

USCIS 100:16.  Who makes federal laws?

USCIS 100:17.   What are the two parts of the U.S. Congress?*

USCIS 100:18.  How many U.S. Senators are there?

USCIS 100:19.  We elect a U.S. Senator for how many years? 

USCIS 100:20.  Who is one of your state’s U.S. Senators now?*

USCIS 100:24.  Who does a U.S. Senator represent?

Birthright Citizenship: Citizenship, Part 5

Center for Civic Education; Birthright Citizenship: Citizenship, Part 5

What is birthright citizenship and how might American citizenship change in the future? Professor Henry L. Chambers Jr. of the University of Richmond School of Law explains the concept of birthright citizenship and discusses way that the concept of citizenship might change over time.

Civil Discourse: An American Legacy is funded under the 2022 Leonore Annenberg Civic Mission of the Nation Initiative,  sponsored by the Leonore Annenberg Institute for Civics. LAIC is a project of the Annenberg  Public Policy Center of the University of Pennsylvania.

60-Second Civics, Episode 5346, April 4, 2025 (a rebroadcast of Episode 4986, September 29, 2023)

Subscribe and take the Daily Civics Quiz at http://civiced.org/60-second-civics

Also see:

VOX: Why the US has birthright citizenship

Rep Ted Lieu: Birthright citizenship is as American as apple pie.

VOA Learning English: News Words: Executive Order | Birthright Citizenship

VOA News: What is birthright citizenship?

Rights of Citizenship: Citizenship, Part 4

Center for Civic Education: Rights of Citizenship: Citizenship, Part 4 

What types of rights are associated with citizenship? Professor Henry L. Chambers Jr. of the University of Richmond School of Law explains some useful ways to think about citizenship, including how the rights of citizens have changed over the years.

Civil Discourse: An American Legacy is funded under the 2022 Leonore Annenberg Civic Mission of the Nation Initiative,  sponsored by the Leonore Annenberg Institute for Civics. LAIC is a project of the Annenberg  Public Policy Center of the University of Pennsylvania.

60-Second Civics, Episode 5345, April 3, 2025 (a rebroadcast of Episode 4985, September 28, 2023)

Subscribe and take the Daily Civics Quiz at http://civiced.org/60-second-civics

The 14th Amendment Transforms Citizenship: Citizenship, Part 3

Center for Civic Education: The 14th Amendment Transforms Citizenship: Citizenship, Part 3

How did the 14th Amendment transform citizenship in America? Professor Henry L. Chambers Jr. of the University of Richmond School of Law explains the impact of the 14th Amendment on citizenship and its particular effect on formerly enslaved Americans who were born in the United States.

Civil Discourse: An American Legacy is funded under the 2022 Leonore Annenberg Civic Mission of the Nation Initiative,  sponsored by the Leonore Annenberg Institute for Civics. LAIC is a project of the Annenberg  Public Policy Center of the University of Pennsylvania.

60-Second Civics: Episode 4984, September 27, 2023

Subscribe and take the Daily Civics Quiz at http://civiced.org/60-second-civics

Citizenship Before the Civil War: Citizenship, Part 2

Center for Civic Education: Citizenship Before the Civil War: Citizenship, Part 2

What was citizenship in America before the Civil War? Professor Henry L. Chambers Jr. of the University of Richmond School of Law explains the uncertain status of citizenship before the Civil War, particularly for Black Americans.

Civil Discourse: An American Legacy is funded under the 2022 Leonore Annenberg Civic Mission of the Nation Initiative,  sponsored by the Leonore Annenberg Institute for Civics. LAIC is a project of the Annenberg  Public Policy Center of the University of Pennsylvania.

60-Second Civics, Episode 5343, April 1, 2025 (a rebroadcast of Episode 4983, September 26, 2023)

Subscribe and take the Daily Civics Quiz at http://civiced.org/60-second-civics

Citizenship at the Founding: Citizenship, Part 1

 

Center for Civic Education: Citizenship at the Founding: Citizenship, Part 1

What was citizenship at the founding of our country? Professor Henry L. Chambers Jr. of the University of Richmond School of Law explains how citizenship was initially decided by each individual state, and how this presented a challenge as the United States gained independence and evolved into a more mature republic.

Civil Discourse: An American Legacy is funded under the 2022 Leonore Annenberg Civic Mission of the Nation Initiative,  sponsored by the Leonore Annenberg Institute for Civics. LAIC is a project of the Annenberg  Public Policy Center of the University of Pennsylvania.

60-Second Civics, Episode 5342, March 31, 2025 (a rebroadcast of Episode 4982, September 25, 2023)

Subscribe and take the Daily Civics Quiz at http://civiced.org/60-second-civics

(AI summary)  At the beginning of the United States, citizenship was not very clear. Each of the 13 states had its own rules for who was a citizen. When the states joined together, U.S. citizenship was a mix of all these state citizenships. The Constitution showed that citizenship was important, but it did not fully explain what it meant. For example, only people born in the U.S. or citizens at that time could become president.

2024-2025 MAE Citizenship Class 24

NY Historical Society: World War II // The Citizenship Project [E06]

This is the eighth class of our new semester.  

• Future Citizenship: WWI, WWII, 20th Century Wars 39 -46; Unit 3:2 pg 150-151
• 08 Practice Citizenship Interview based on the USCIS Form N-400 (2024)
• N-400 Quiz 6
• Preparing for the Oath: 1900s

Learn more:

• US Citizenship Resources for Women's History Month post  

Celebrating America during National Poetry Month

v

TED-ed: "New Colossus" by Emma Lazarus

An animated interpretation of Emma Lazarus' poem "New Colossus"

For an analysis of this poem, watch this video: http://bit.ly/TEDEdColossusAnalysis

This animation is part of our series, "There's a Poem for That," which features animated interpretations of poems both old and new that give language to some of life's biggest feelings. Check out the full series here: http://bit.ly/TEDEdTheresAPoemForThat

More Resources

American English at State: An American Poetry Project for Low Intermediate ESL Adults

American English at State: Poetry Resources

American Writers Museum: Honoring Immigrant and Refugee Experiences

Arapahoe Libraries: Immigrant Poets and the Poetry of Immigration 

Angel Island Immigration Station: Poems and Inscriptions

Facing History: Angel Island Poetry

Gilder Lehrman Institute: "America the Beautiful," 1893

LitHub: Read every presidential inauguration poem ever performed (there are fewer than you think).

LOC: U.S. Poet Laureate | Poet Laureate Projects | Living Nations, Living Words

NPS: Poetry in Parks 2024

PBS/KQED: Poetry in America

Poetry Foundation: Poems on Immigration

Poets.org: Thirty Ways to Celebrate National Poetry Month in the Classroom

Poets.org: Poems about Migration

Poets.org: Poems about Politics and Patriotism

Citizenship Resources for Cesar Chavez Day

On the last Monday of March, schools in California, Texas, and Colorado observe Cesar Chavez Day.

]

uscitizenpod: Cesar Chavez and Dolores Huerta

Cesar Chavez and Dolores Huerta started the United Farm Workers union, because farm workers did not have

"the legal right to organize and to vote for collective bargaining. They didn't have the right to have clean drinking water, access to portable toilets, lunch breaks, or short rest breaks during workdays. And they were not entitled to the minimum wage or unemployment insurance."

• Cesar Chavez Day resources from California Department of Education
• EL Civics Cesar Chavez Day 
• ESL Library Cesar Chavez
• ListenAndReadAlong: Biography - CC - Cesar Chavez - Hero of the Migrant Farm Workers Labor Union
• NPS: Cesar E. Chavez National Monument
• UFW: The Story of Cesar Chavez
• UFW: Cesar Chavez: Embrace the Legacy
• VOANews: Cesar Chavez Day in California - Reflecting on Immigration (2018)

USCIS 100:51. What are two rights of everyone living in the United States?

• freedom of expression
• freedom of speech
• freedom of assembly
• freedom to petition the government
• freedom of worship
• the right to bear arms

Listen:

• Cesar Chavez and Civil Rights mp3

Family Fun:

• education.com: Cesar Chavez Coloring Page (fixed)
• education.com: Dolores Huerta Coloring Page

NEW (Jan 2019) New Readers Press: Field of Vision - Novel 
Scenes Reader, Low-Intermediate Level by Ana Gianola

Rafael is a farmworker foreman who takes pride in his work. After putting off eye surgery, an emergency in the field changes everything. Teacher Guide

Central Valley High School welcoming nearly 50 new U.S. citizens in naturalization ceremony

KREM: Central Valley High School welcoming nearly 50 new U.S. citizens in naturalization ceremony

Should American Samoans be Automatic U.S. Citizens?

PBS: Should American Samoans be Automatic U.S. Citizens?

Explore the debate around the unique legal status of American Samoa, a U.S. territory whose residents are not U.S. citizens, and as a result, retain Indigenous ownership over their land. Two American Samoans share their opposing viewpoints: a traditional chief who wants to maintain the status quo and a U.S. Marine veteran who believes in the right to citizenship for his people. Both perspectives bring forward questions about American Samoans’ relationship to land, family, and identity.

'HOMEGROWN: A Part Of/Apart From' is a collection of short films from the U.S. territories and Hawaiʻi exploring issues of cultural identity, sovereignty, and agency, as residents and members of the diaspora grapple with what it means to be “a part of and apart from” the mainland U.S.

Watch the whole series: Not a U.S. Citizen | HOMEGROWN

Happy National AI Literacy Day!

 

Generated with MS Image Designer AI· March 27, 2025 at 11:49 PM

AI tools, such as ChatGPT, can enhance civic and citizenship education for adult learners, specifically for the U.S. naturalization process.  For more info, see this presentation.  Below are key points.  Happy National AI Literacy Day!

1. AI and Digital Literacy in Civics Education

• AI tools help create level-appropriate materials for citizenship and civics courses.
• Emphasis on **Critical Democratic Literacy**, which includes:
• Civic Literacy (history, government, civil society)
• Information Literacy (evaluating sources)
• Digital Literacy (safe use of tech)
• Media Literacy (analyzing media messages)

2. AI-Powered Naturalization Preparation

• USCIS N-400 Online Preparation
• Teaching digital skills: creating strong passwords, safe data sharing, using email.
• Using AI for Level-Appropriate Materials
• AI-generated adaptations of the USCIS Civics Textbook (One Nation, One People) at different English levels.
• AI-Assisted N-400 Interview Practice
• Mobile AI apps simulate USCIS interviews with realistic questioning sequences.

3. AI Tools for Civic Engagement and Instruction

• AI for Question Generation
•   Tools like Magic School generate quizzes from YouTube videos.
• AI-Driven Research Projects**
•   Claude 3.0 App for learning about government services and civic participation.
• AI Historical Simulations
• Humy.AI enables students to “interview” historical figures like Harriet Tubman, creating deeper personal connections to history.

4. AI and Media Literacy

• AI’s Role in Media Analysis
•  AI-powered comparison of articles for bias and reliability.
• Fun tools like Simulator and IFakeTextMessage.com simulate social media misinformation scenarios.
• Fun tools like Claude, Fodey, MS Designer can simulate traditionl media misinformation scenarios.
• AI Hallucination & Information Verification**
• AI-generated misinformation awareness (e.g., USCIS case processing times).

5. AI for Advocacy and Data-Driven Decision Making

• Use USCIS LPR Eligible to Naturalize and Census data for civic participation projects.
• Use demographics tools like California Immigrant Data Portal and USC Dornsife’s Literacy Maps to target services and requests for funding.

Final Reflections

• Students: How does AI impact trust in online information and civic participation?
• Educators: How does AI reshape civic education and teaching strategies?

This presentation highlights AI’s transformative role in citizenship education, enhancing learning through personalized, interactive, and data-driven approaches.

Native American Women in the Colonial Era

 
Center for Civic Education: Native American Women in the Colonial Era

Europeans were surprised that Native American women had so much power and influence, particularly within the Haudenosaunee nations. In those nations, women held political power within the tribes, appointing and removing chiefs at their discretion.

60-Second Civics, Episode 5326, March 10, 2025 (a rebroadcast of Episode 4276: March 6, 2021)

Subscribe and take the Daily Civics Quiz at http://civiced.org/60-second-civics

POP QUIZ:

• USCIS 100: 59.  Who lived in America before the Europeans arrived?
• USCIS 100:87.  Name one American Indian tribe in the United States.

Learn more: 

• PBS: Women in Haudenosaunee Culture lesson plan
• WNED: Haudenosaunee Influence on the Women's Suffrage Movement

2024-2025 MAE Citizenship Class 23

NY Historical Society: Emancipation Proclamation // The Citizenship Project [E08]

This is the seventh class of our new semester.  

• Future Citizenship: The Civil War; Abraham Lincoln pg 27-34; Unit 2:2, 2:3 pg 146-147
• 07 Practice Citizenship Interview based on the USCIS Form N-400 (2024)
• N-400 Quiz 5
• Preparing for the Oath: 1800s

Learn more:

• US Citizenship Resources for Women's History Month post  

Under what circumstances can a US green card be revoked?

Source: USCIS

VOA News: Under what circumstances can a US green card be revoked? (full article by Aline Barros)

Here is a summary about the circumstances under which a U.S. green card can be revoked:

• What is a Green Card?

  • A green card allows a person to live and work in the United States permanently.

• Reasons a Green Card Can Be Taken Away:

  • Serious Crimes: If a person commits major crimes, like selling drugs or fraud, they might lose their green card.

  • Lying to the Government: Giving false information to get the green card can lead to losing it.

  • Threats to the Country: If someone is seen as a danger to the U.S., such as having ties to terrorist groups, their green card can be revoked.

• How the Process Works:

  • The U.S. government starts the process if they believe someone broke immigration laws.

  • The person will go to immigration court.

  • Officials will show evidence to explain why the green card should be taken away.

• Important to Know:

  • Having a green card is not the same as being a U.S. citizen.

  • Green card holders have rights, but they must follow U.S. laws to keep their status.

It's essential for green card holders to understand these rules to maintain their residency in the United States.

Also see: USCIS: Rights and Responsibilities of a Green Card Holder (Permanent Resident)

Your Rights at Airports and Border Crossings

 

Generated with MS Designer AI· March 23, 2025 at 10:28 PM

Read "Entering the U.S.? Here are your rights at airports and border crossings" by Daniel Wu, Washington Post 2023-03-21.  

Here is a simple summary:

1. Border Officers Can Check Your Belongings

• When you enter the U.S., officers can look inside your bags, phone, and computer.

2. Checking Phones and Computers

• Some people say officers should need permission to check devices, but the rules are not clear. (more from ACLU)
• U.S. citizens: Officers cannot stop you from entering, but they can take your device.
• Visitors: If you do not let them check your device, they may not let you enter.

3. How to Protect Your Information

• Do not keep too much personal data on your device.
• Use a strong password.
• Turn off face or fingerprint unlock before you travel.

4. Your Rights at the Border

• You can stay quiet, but if you do not answer, they may not let you enter.
• Visitors and green card holders may not have the right to a lawyer during questioning.

5. If You Have Problems

• If you have trouble entering the U.S., you can report it to the government through a program called DHS TRIP.

6. Documents You Need

• Visitors get a form called I-94, which shows when they arrive and must leave.

7. Border Search Rules

• Officers do not need a reason to check people at the border or at airports.
• Rules can change, so check official websites before you travel.