Which term describes a person without lawful immigration status?

• A. Citizen
• B. Visa holder
• C. Undocumented immigrant
• D. Refugee/asylee

Answer: (C)

Being without lawful immigration status means you are in the country without authorization to reside or work. The term that describes a person in that situation is an undocumented immigrant. This label focuses on the absence of legal status and is commonly used to refer to someone who does not have a valid immigration status such as a visa, green card, asylum status, or other lawful permission.

The other terms describe people who do have some form of lawful status: a citizen has full legal status by birth or naturalization; a visa holder has permission to stay temporarily based on a visa; a refugee or asylee has protection granted due to persecution concerns and typically holds recognized asylum status. So, the term that best fits “without lawful immigration status” is the one denoting lack of authorization: undocumented immigrant.