Conclusions and Recommendations “The issue of statelessness has been left to fester in the shadows for far too long. It is time to take the necessary steps to rid the world of a bureaucratic malaise that is, in reality, not so difficult to resolve. It is simply a question of political will and legislative energy”. António Guterres, U.N. High Commissioner for Refugees and Louise Arbour, former U.N. High Commissioner for Human Rights146 “Without the ‘right to have rights,’ stateless people are among the most vulnerable in the world.” Eric P. Schwartz, former Assistant Secretary, Bureau of Population, Refugees, and Migration, U.S. Department of State147 Individuals in the United States who are stateless constitute a discrete but vulnerable population that deserves the attention of policy and lawmakers, civil society, and the public in general. These individuals are, by definition, trapped in the United States. Thus, it is the U.S. Government’s responsibility to recognize this vulnerable population within its borders and take adequate measures to protect them, and to provide them a permanent solution, which requires establishing a means for stateless individuals to seek and obtain U.S. citizenship. Accordingly, this report urges U.S. Government officials to implement the following recommendations. Recommendations for the White House 1. As pledged by the U.S. Government in December 2011, support and encourage Congressional efforts to enact legislation that 30 provides a path for stateless individuals in the United States to seek lawful permanent residency and, ultimately, U.S. citizenship. 2. In the absence of a legislative framework addressing statelessness in the United States, engage in dialogue with the Department of Homeland Security to grant deferred action, or temporary permission to reside in the United States, to eligible stateless individuals. Recommendations for the United States Congress 3. Enact legislation that provides a path for stateless individuals in the United States to seek lawful permanent residency and U.S. citizenship to address the lack of options and permanent solutions currently available to them. 4. Amend existing laws to allow stateless individuals to be released from immigration Citizens of Nowhere: