E.g., 04/24/2024
E.g., 04/24/2024
North America

North America

United States
Canada
Mexico

North America is a dynamic migration region, with the United States home to more immigrants than any other country in the world, the Mexico-U.S. corridor the globe's top migration corridor, and Canada a leading destination for migrants. Research collected here focuses on everything from visa policy and border management to immigrant integration, national identity, the demographics of immigrants in the region and their educational and workforce outcomes, and ways to more effectively use migration policy as a lever for national and regional competitiveness.

Graphic image of man's hand touching screen with word skills
Commentaries

Canada's New Tech Talent Strategy Takes Aim at High-Skilled Immigrants in the United States

Canada’s Tech Talent Strategy is highly unusual for its explicit targeting of visa holders in another country. Opening a dedicated stream specifically for high-skilled immigrants in the United States who hold an H-1B visa is the latest salvo in a growing global competition for talent—one in which some countries are racing ahead of the United States in terms of policy dynamism, as this commentary explores.

U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken and other leaders at the 2022 Summit of the Americas
Commentaries

The Los Angeles Declaration Could Represent a Big Step for Real Migration Cooperation across the Americas

The Los Angeles Agreement on Migration and Protection signed by leaders from 20 countries across the Western Hemisphere at the 2022 Summit of the Americas marks a significant step forward in creating a common language and a coherent set of ideas for more cooperatively managing migration movements across a region that has seen very significant mobility in recent years, as this commentary explains.

Recent Activity

Refugee Integration Cover
Reports
June 2015
The Integration Outcomes of U.S. Refugees: Successes and Challenges
By  Randy Capps, Kathleen Newland, Susan Fratzke, Susanna Groves, Michael Fix, Margie McHugh and Gregory Auclair
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Articles
June 3, 2015
Middle Eastern and North African Immigrants in the United States
By Jie Zong and Jeanne Batalova
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Fact Sheets
June 2015
States and Districts with the Highest Number and Share of English Language Learners
By  Ariel G. Ruiz Soto, Sarah Hooker and Jeanne Batalova
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Fact Sheets
June 2015
Top Languages Spoken by English Language Learners Nationally and by State
By  Ariel G. Ruiz Soto, Sarah Hooker and Jeanne Batalova
Articles
May 21, 2015
In Historic Shift, New Migration Flows from Mexico Fall Below Those from China and India
By Muzaffar Chishti and Faye Hipsman
EventPH 2015.4.28 Ready to Meet the Needs of All Children A Closer Look at Diversity in the Early Childhood Workforce
Multimedia
April 28, 2015
Ready to Meet the Needs of All Children? A Closer Look at Diversity in the Early Childhood Workforce
DiwaliinCupertino JitzeCouperus Flickr
Articles
May 6, 2015
Indian Immigrants in the United States
By Jie Zong and Jeanne Batalova
EVENTPH 2015.5.4 No End in Sight The Worsening Syrian Refugee Crisis
Multimedia
May 4, 2015
No End in Sight: The Worsening Syrian Refugee Crisis

Pages

Policy Beat
April 15, 2009
Push for Comprehensive Immigration Reform Grows, But Several Obstacles Remain

MPI's Muzaffar Chishti and Claire Bergeron report on the Obama administration and immigration reform, the shift in enforcement policy, additional resources for the U.S.-Mexico border, fewer requests for H-1B visas, and more.

Feature
April 1, 2009
Immigrants in the United States and the Current Economic Crisis

Immigration flows to the United States have noticeably slowed in the last year, raising fundamental questions for policymakers and analysts about the effect the economic crisis is having on inflows and return migration. MPI's Demetrios G. Papademetriou and Aaron Terrazas assess the potential impacts by examining recent data, the likely behavior of immigrants, and immigration history.

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Policy Beat
March 16, 2009
Signs of Change in Immigration Enforcement Policies Emerging From DHS
MPI's Muzaffar Chishti and Claire Bergeron report on 287(g) partnerships, immigration measures in the economic stimulus package, the surge in Mexican asylum seekers, and more.
Spotlight
March 5, 2009
Iraqi Immigrants in the United States in 2007

The 102,000 Iraqi immigrants residing in the United States in 2007 accounted for just 0.3 percent of all U.S. immigrants. MPI's Aaron Terrazas examines their socioeconomic characteristics, where they live, and the category of admission of the Iraqi-born immigrant population.

Policy Beat
February 18, 2009
Obama Administration Signals It May Review a Number of Bush Immigration Policies

MPI's Muzaffar Chishti and Claire Bergeron report on the Obama administration's review of previous immigration policies, access to health care for immigrant children under SCHIP, remittances to Mexico, and more.

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Recent Activity

Reports
June 2015

The Integration Outcomes of U.S. Refugees: Successes and Challenges

Using previously non-public refugee admissions data from the State Department, this analysis finds that even as refugees come to the United States from increasingly diverse origins and linguistic backgrounds, some arriving with very low native-language literacy and education, most integrate successfully over time. The report examines refugees' employment, English proficiency, educational attainment, income and poverty status, and public benefits usage.

Articles
June 3, 2015

Middle Eastern and North African Immigrants in the United States

Immigration to the United States from the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region has increased in recent years, rising to a total population of 1.02 million in 2013. Immigrants from the region come from a diverse range of countries and cultures. This data Spotlight delves into the variations among MENA groups on key socioeconomic indicators, from geographic distribution and language proficiency to employment, immigration pathways, and naturalization.

Fact Sheets
June 2015

States and Districts with the Highest Number and Share of English Language Learners

While English Language Learner (ELL) students are spread throughout the United States, their density, or the share they represent of total public school enrollment, varies greatly by state. This fact sheet, drawing upon data from the U.S. Department of Education, examines the states and districts with the highest shares and populations of ELL students and offers a detailed breakdown of some key statistics.

Fact Sheets
June 2015

Top Languages Spoken by English Language Learners Nationally and by State

This fact sheet, drawing upon data from the U.S. Census Bureau's 2013 American Community Survey and the U.S. Department of Education, describes the home languages spoken by English Language Learner (ELL) students at national and state levels, providing the top five languages by state.

Articles
May 21, 2015

In Historic Shift, New Migration Flows from Mexico Fall Below Those from China and India

Mexico has lost its long-held status as the top source country of new immigrants to the United States, dropping to third place behind China and India. This historic shift is remarkable for the rapid decline in Mexican inflows combined with a steady rise in Asian immigration, largely through high-skilled visa programs. This Policy Beat explores the reasons behind these trends and their potential impact on U.S. demographics.
Video, Audio, Webinars
April 28, 2015

Ready to Meet the Needs of All Children? A Closer Look at Diversity in the Early Childhood Workforce

On this webinar, MPI analysts present the findings from their report Immigrant and Refugee Workers in the Early Childhood Field: Taking a Closer Look, and discuss the issue with a leading expert in the field of child-care worker employment.

Articles
May 6, 2015

Indian Immigrants in the United States

Indian immigrants represent the second-largest origin group in the United States, accounting for 4.7 percent of the total foreign-born population. Generally high-skilled and highly educated, more than half of Indian immigrants have arrived since 2000 and largely attain green cards through employment-based pathways. Indians account for 70 percent of H-1B petitions and are the second-largest group of international students in the United States.

Video, Audio
May 4, 2015

No End in Sight: The Worsening Syrian Refugee Crisis

A discussion on the situation of Syrian refugees, recent developments in the region, and the U.S. humanitarian response, along with reports from recent fact-finding missions to the region by the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops and Refugee Council USA. Speakers from both organizations, as well as a leading official in the State Department's Bureau of Population, Refugees, and Migration, discuss conditions for refugees in camps and urban settings, as well as U.S. policy regarding the Syrian crisis. 

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