Immigrant and Refugee Resources

“The bosom of America is open to receive not only the Opulent and respectable Stranger, but the oppressed and persecuted of all Nations And Religions; whom we shall welcome to a participation of all our rights and privileges, if by decency and propriety of conduct they appear to merit the enjoyment.”    ― George Washington

Definitions from the U.S. Internal Revenue Service and Homeland Security.
See more complete definitions

Citizenship:  All persons born or naturalized in the United States, and subject to the jurisdiction thereof, are citizens of the United States and the State wherein they reside. (14th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution)

1. An individual born in the United States.
2. An individual whose parent is a U.S. citizen.^*
3. A former alien who has been naturalized as a U.S. citizen
4. An individual born in Puerto Rico.
5. An individual born in Guam.
6. An individual born in the U.S. Virgin Islands.

foreign national:  Person not a citizen or national of the United States.

Naturalization:  the process through which a lawful permanent resident applies for U.S. citizenship.

Alien:  Terminology in Title 8 of U.S. Code to describe a person who is not a citizen or national of the United States. "Alien" is the term in statute; see noncitizen, foreign national.

Immigrant: Any person lawfully in the United States who is not a U.S. citizen, U.S. national, or person admitted under a nonimmigrant category as defined by the INA Section 101(a)(15).

Noncitizen:  Person who is not a citizen or national of the United States.

Nonimmigrant: Any person in the United States not a U.S. citizen or U.S. national who is admitted on a temporary basis to the United States for a specific purpose under a nonimmigrant category as defined by the INA Section 101(a)(15).