CORPUS CHRISTI, Texas — The journey to become a U.S. citizen is a multi-year process that requires navigating a complex legal system, and immigration experts warn that missteps can have severe consequences, including deportation.

The most common paths to citizenship are through birthright or naturalization. For those who must naturalize, the first and often most difficult step is obtaining lawful permanent resident status, commonly known as a green card.

“A lot of people think you can just jump into being a citizen,” said Hugo Piña, an immigration attorney with the Law Offices of Hugo Piña . “For most people, it's got to be becoming a resident first and it's very difficult even in the best of circumstances.” Navigating the path to U.S. citizenship: A process of complexity and cautio

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