Case Western Reserve Journal of International Law 53 (2021) Ghosts in America: Working Towards Building a Legal Framework for Stateless Individuals in the United States contrary to the public interest.” 382 The words to focus on here are “may” and “in his or her discretion.” This discretionary authority means that while some stateless individuals released from detention may work, others may not. There is a need to combat this inconsistency and ensure that stateless individuals can financially support themselves and participate fully in the United States’ economy. This need can be met by DHS’s automatic provision of fee-exempt identity and work authorization documents that does not require annual renewal to individuals determined to be stateless. This recommendation is practical because DHS has provided limited administrative measures for stateless individuals on a case-by-case basis. 383 DHS can expand these administrative measures to make them more accessible to a greater number of stateless individuals. 4) Freedom to Travel Stateless individuals in the United States are restricted from international travel and those under orders of supervision cannot travel outside of their state of residence or region. 384 These travel restrictions make it difficult for them to see family abroad and domestically. 385 They can also impede a stateless individual’s career by making it difficult for them to attend business trips and travel for conferences. 386 This impediment can be solved by DHS eliminating domestic travel restrictions for stateless persons and allowing them to move and settle where they want in the United States. DHS and DOS should also offer documentation that allows stateless persons to return to the United States after international travel. Further, state and local governments should provide stateless residents with identification cards so that they can travel within the United States. Conclusion Statelessness is an intractable problem for the United States and the international community. They have no country to call home and no country wants to welcome them. Without the protection of a country, they are essentially “ghosts” and their needs are invisible. Their invisibility makes them vulnerable to exploitation, slavery, child 382. 8 U.S.C § 1231(a)(7)(A); 8 C.F.R. § 241.5(c)(2). 383. Citizens of Nowhere, supra note 3, at 28. 384. KERWIN ET AL., supra note 183, at 71. 385. Id. 386. Id. at 200. 399