Applications for U.S. citizenship are on the rise since President Donald Trump took office.
Immigrants considered "permanent residents" cannot vote, nor can they sponsor relatives for a Green Card.
Houston immigration attorney Gordon Quan says being a U.S. citizen also protects against policies being adopted in Washington, and now Austin.
"As they're seeing what's happening with travel, as they're seeing the fact that people are getting tough on crime, as a permanent resident you can still be deported, but as a citizen you cannot be deported," says Quan.
Quan says there is an air of uncertainty surrounding the entire U.S. immigration process.
"Certainly there's an atmosphere that people face and the fear that people have because they're hearing these stories and thinking things are going to happen to me," he says.
At the same time, there are fewer foreigners applying for visas to work in the U.S.
"President Trump has come out with this buy American, hire Americans first and all this, and he's talked about wanting to target the H-1B visa category," says Quan.