Integration Policy

Immigrant integration is the process by which immigrants and their children come to feel and become participants in the life of their country of destination, and in its schools, workplaces, and communities. Governments' policies, initiatives, and programs help determine immigrants' opportunities to participate in society, as well as their guarantees to the same rights and responsibilities as those of the native born. The research offered here explores the many facets of immigrant integration policy—from citizenship and language acquisition to access to education, the workforce, and more.

Recent Activity

Multimedia October 11, 2023 Improving Language Access in Federal Programs: What Is the State of Play?	Reports October 2023 Un camino sinuoso hacia la integración: Regularización de migrantes venezolanos y perspectivas del mercado laboral By Diego Chaves-González and Natalia Delgado
Reports October 2023 A Winding Path to Integration: Venezuelan Migrants’ Regularization and Labor Market Prospects By Diego Chaves-González and Natalia Delgado	Policy Briefs October 2023 Leveraging Data to Ensure Equitable and Effective Adult Skills Programming for Immigrants By Jacob Hofstetter and Margie McHugh
Policy Briefs October 2023 Shared Gains: Immigrant-Origin Students in U.S. Colleges By Jeanne Batalova and Michael Fix	Policy Briefs September 2023 Green Reintegration: Supporting Returning Migrants in Climate-Affected Communities By Camille Le Coz and Ravenna Sohst
Multimedia September 26, 2023 The Power of Refugee Sponsorship: A Sponsor’s Story	Articles September 27, 2023 New York and Other U.S. Cities Struggle with High Costs of Migrant Arrivals By Muzaffar Chishti, Julia Gelatt, and Colleen Putzel-Kavanaugh

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Reports June 2023 Improving Stakeholder Coordination in Refugee Resettlement: A Path to More Effective, Inclusive Programs By Admir Skodo and Maria Belen Zanzuchi	Policy Briefs June 2023 Linking Migrant Reintegration Assistance and Development Goals By Camille Le Coz and Ravenna Sohst
Reports May 2023 Apuesta por la regularidad migratoria: Respuestas de América Latina y el Caribe frente a la crisis del desplazamiento venezolano By Luciana Gandini and Andrew Selee	Reports May 2023 Betting on Legality: Latin American and Caribbean Responses to the Venezuelan Displacement Crisis By Luciana Gandini and Andrew Selee
Reports May 2023 Displaced Ukrainians in European Labor Markets: Leveraging Innovations for More Inclusive Integration By Maria Vincenza Desiderio and Kate Hooper	Reports April 2023 A Path to Meeting the Medical and Mental Health Needs of Unaccompanied Children in U.S. Communities By Jonathan Beier and Karla Fredricks
Policy Briefs March 2023 Recommendations for the Task Force on New Americans By Margie McHugh, Jacob Hofstetter, Jeanne Batalova, Michael Fix, Valerie Lacarte, Maki Park, Delia Pompa and Julie Sugarman	Reports March 2023 Migration, Integration, and Diaspora Engagement in the Caribbean: A Policy Review By Valerie Lacarte, Jordi Amaral, Diego Chaves-González, Ana María Sáiz and Jeremy Harris

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Feature

October 19, 2022

Spain’s Decentralized Immigration System Allows Local Integration Policies to Lead the Way

Spain has an unconventional immigration system. The national government is primarily responsible for border control, granting legal status to migrants, and other issues, but integration is mostly handled by regional and local governments, allowing for some pioneering policies at the subnational level. This article explores what this system has meant for Catalonia and its capital, Barcelona, which have been considered to be a model throughout Europe.

Policy Beat

July 13, 2022

Welcoming Afghans and Ukrainians to the United States: A Case in Similarities and Contrasts

The sluggishness of an overwhelmed U.S. immigration system and long lead times for refugee resettlement pushed government officials to use ad hoc pathways for Afghans and Ukrainians to enter the United States, with a two-year parole status given to most. This article examines the use of parole, the Uniting for Ukraine sponsorship program, and how the use of ad hoc statuses could evolve for future crises.

Image of aspiring pastor and DACA recipient speaking at DACA event in Minneapolis

Policy Beat

June 9, 2022

At Its 10th Anniversary, DACA Faces a Tenuous Future Despite Societal Benefits

The Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program reached its 10th anniversary in June 2022. This article reviews the evidence on DACA’s impacts for Dreamers and the broader society, looks at the increased reliance on similar limited legal statuses to help segments of the unauthorized immigrant population, and examines the legal challenges the program has and is continuing to face.

Merchants sell items on a busy street in San José, Costa Rica.

Feature

November 5, 2021

Costa Rica Has Welcoming Policies for Migrants, but Nicaraguans Face Subtle Barriers

Tens of thousands of Nicaraguans have fled their country since 2018, amid repression and a renewed government crackdown. In neighboring Costa Rica, many migrants have encountered a robust system for protection and integration, yet they still face stigma and discrimination in their daily lives. This article explores this dynamic along one of Central America's most important migratory routes.

Refugees prepare to be resettled in the United Kingdom.

Profile

August 19, 2021

United Kingdom’s Decades-Long Immigration Shift Interrupted by Brexit and the Pandemic

The United Kingdom was once a country primarily of emigration, but in recent decades many more migrants have arrived at its borders than have left. This decades-long transition was interrupted by Brexit and the COVID-19 pandemic, and this article describes the inflection point at which the country finds itself.

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Video, Audio

June 30, 2022

Migrant Integration Governance After the Pandemic: Lasting Adaptations?

On this webinar, speakers examine how government strategies, practices, and instruments of integration policymaking have adapted during the pandemic both in Europe and North America, and what lessons there are for the future.

Picture of female Venezuelan migrant in Colombia, leaning over balcony railing

Video

June 7, 2022

A Path to Self-Sufficiency: Advancing Venezuelan Refugee Integration in the Americas

The presidents of Colombia and Ecuador speak at this high-level event held on the sidelines of the Ninth Summit of the Americas, focusing on the critical need for succcessful integration of Venezuelans in the Americas.

Displaced Ukrainians who have just crossed the Medyka border in Poland getting assistance from IOM

Video, Audio

May 4, 2022

Public Narratives on Refugees: Sustaining Solidarity in Times of Crisis

Experts consider what is known about public opinion and narratives on refugees, looking at the Ukrainian and Syrian crises, and how post-crisis solidarity can be harnessed towards sustainable protection.

Help Wanted sign offers employment in a restaurant in Bethesda, Maryland

Video, Audio

April 20, 2022

With Millions of Unfilled U.S. Jobs, What Role Is There for Immigration?

Experts on this webinar examined the scope and reality of skills shortages and the role of immigrants in the U.S. labor market, ways to address the underemployment of highly skilled immigrants, and how immigrants and immigration policy can be used to fulfil needs in the education sector, STEM occupations, and other skills needs.

Video, Audio

February 24, 2022

Bridging the Digital Divide for U.S. Children in Immigrant Families

Marking the release of an MPI report, this webinar takes stock of lessons learned about remote learning during the pandemic and examines how governments, schools, and service providers can advance digital equity for children in immigrant families.

Recent Activity

Reports

April 2024

How Immigrants and Their U.S.-Born Children Fit into the Future U.S. Labor Market

The level of education and training expected of workers in the United States has increased considerably in recent decades, and this trend looks set to continue. This report explores the forces driving this change and how the education levels of immigrant-origin and other workers compare to those likely to be needed in the future U.S. workforce, overall and in key occupational groups.

Policy Briefs

April 2024

Supporting Self-Sufficiency: Considerations for Refugees’ Transition out of Sponsorship and Complementary Pathways Programs

As more countries launch refugee sponsorship and complementary pathways programs, planning for and supporting refugees’ transition out of these programs is essential. While often receiving less attention than other elements of program design, a clear transition plan can promote refugees’ self-sufficiency, social cohesion, and overall program sustainability. This MPI Europe issue brief explores common transition challenges as well as promising practices.

Articles

March 20, 2024

Global Affordable Housing Shortages Can Harm Migrant Reception and Integration

One-fifth of the planet lacks adequate housing. That scarcity, expected to affect 3 billion people by 2030, is a problem for native-born and immigrant communities alike. The global housing shortage can aggravate tensions over immigration and lead to integration challenges for new arrivals, as this article details.

Reports

January 2024

Immigrants’ Eligibility for U.S. Public Benefits: A Primer

Immigrants’ eligibility for public benefits in the United States is governed by a complex patchwork of rules that make many groups of noncitizens eligible for some benefits but not others, while other noncitizens are excluded completely. This report provides an overview of immigrants’ eligibility for programs related to general assistance, health and nutrition, employment and income, education, housing, driver’s licenses, and more.

Reports

January 2024

Expanding Protection Options? Flexible Approaches to Status for Displaced Syrians, Venezuelans, and Ukrainians

The massive and rapid displacement of Syrians, Venezuelans, and Ukrainians presented neighboring countries with an impossible task: providing legal status and assistance, even though their asylum systems lacked the capacity to handle such a large influx. This report examines the costs and benefits of the flexible approaches taken to providing status in these three cases, identifying lessons for future crises.

Reports

January 2024

Confronting Compassion Fatigue: Understanding the Arc of Public Support for Displaced Populations in Turkey, Colombia, and Europe

Large-scale displacement can trigger instability and feelings of threat in refugee host countries. But in certain cases, it can also uncover deep wells of solidarity that create space for generous policy responses. This report explores factors that can foster and erode public support for forced migrants, drawing examples from attitudes towards Syrians in Turkey, Venezuelans in Colombia, and Ukrainians in Europe.

Video, Audio, Webinars

November 30, 2023

The Importance of Community Consultations in the U.S. Refugee Resettlement Network

Coordination and communication among key stakeholders in the resettlement network have never been more critical. This conversation focuses on how consultation supports capacity building and where it can, at times, fall short. The discussion also focuses on key recommendations from a report, The Unmet Potential of Community Consultations in U.S. Refugee Resettlement, and actionable steps toward a more inclusive, collaborative, and adaptable consultation process.

Articles

December 6, 2023

Often Shut Out of the Financial System, Refugees and Other Migrants Face Economic Integration Challenges

Credit cards, bank accounts, and other financial services are often critical in order to fully participate in the modern world. Yet many refugees and other forced migrants have trouble obtaining these seemingly simple tools, preventing them from full integration. This article outlines humanitarian migrants’ needs for financial services and the barriers that can arise.

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