Permanent Residents Are Entitled to the Bill of Rights

Currently, the most expedient and easiest way to get a green card in the United States is the Green Card Lottery. Also known as the Diversity Visa Lottery, this program which is administered by the Department of State, but mandated by the United States Congress, is only open for registration for a month out of the year. This year, the registration period runs from October 2 to November 3. Sign up for the Green Card Lottery with us today and ensure your entry!

There are a variety of benefits to be derived from becoming a permanent resident of the United States. The most obvious being the rights to live, work and study in the United States. However, it is easy to forget some of the more subtle privileges and rights that residents of the United States enjoy.

The Bill of Rights, a document appended to the United States Constitution shortly after its ratification includes a variety of amendments that establish certain legal rights that anyone within the United States are entitled to. If you are a resident of the United States it is probably a good idea to be familiar with these rights.

The Fourth Amendment, commonly referred to the search and seizure amendment, ensures that peoples’ personal property cannot be ransacked by the authorities without them first obtaining a warrant. The warrant must say what the authorities want to search and what they are looking for. This means that if the police come to your house and say that they want to come in, you do not have to let them into your home. If they come with a warrant, they can enter your home with or without your permission, but it is a good idea to read the warrant and understand why you are being searched.

The Fifth Amendment, often called “The Fifth” and jokingly used to indicate an unwillingness to confess, covers a variety of legal issues. It guarantees you the right to have your rights recognized in court, your right to not incriminate yourself (such as being called to be a witness against yourself), you also cannot be tried for the same crime twice, often called double jeopardy.

The Sixth Amendment ensures that if you are brought to court your case will be “fair and speedy”. This means that your trial will not wallow in bureaucratic stagnation forever. You are also entitled to be informed of your charges, to confront your accuser and your right to a lawyer in your trial.

Every aspiring American should know and take advantage of these rights. Find out how you can get your permanent resident card today!