Donald M. Kerwin
Donald Kerwin is the Editor-in-Chief of the Journal on Migration and Human Security and a leading migration expert. Previously, he served as Vice President for Programs at MPI, during which time he coordinated the Institute’s national and international programs, and wrote and spoke extensively on refugee protection, legalization, labor standards enforcement, detention, the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), and executive action on immigration.
He has also served as Executive Director of the Catholic Legal Immigration Network, Inc.; Executive Director of the Center for Migration Studies of New York; Vice President of Advocacy, Research, and Partnerships at the Jesuit Refugee Service/USA; and Senior Fellow at the Woodstock Theological Center, among other roles.
Kerwin holds a JD from the University of Michigan and a BA in theology from Georgetown University.
He is a member of the Advisory Council for the Religion and Refugees Project from MPI’s Refugee and Forced Displacement Initiative.
Explore Content by Donald M. Kerwin
Showing 1-10 of 15 total results
Does Respect for Migrant Rights Contribute to Economic Development?
Rights protections in migrant-sending countries likely boost development inputs, but in receiving countries the link is contested.
Immigration Enforcement in the United States: The Rise of a Formidable Machinery
The United States has built a formidable immigration enforcement system, spending nearly $187 billion since 1986—more than on all other principal federal criminal law enforcement combined.
Unauthorized Immigrants in the United States and Europe: The Use of Legalization/Regularization as a Policy Tool
The United States and the European Union have both repeatedly turned to legalization as a policy tool, even as political opposition to it has grown on both sides of the Atlantic.
Labor Standards Enforcement and Low-Wage Immigrants: Creating an Effective Enforcement System
Targeted U.S. labor standards enforcement would better protect low-wage immigrants, curb unauthorized employment, and level the playing field for law-abiding employers.
The Faltering U.S. Refugee Protection System: Legal and Policy Responses to Refugees, Asylum Seekers, and Others in Need of Protection
Security-driven policies, new barriers to asylum, and weak integration support have left the U.S. refugee protection system less robust than it was two decades ago.
Executive Action on Immigration: Six Ways to Make the System Work Better
Six executive actions could improve U.S. border control, integration, legal admissions, and fairness in enforcement without new laws.
More than IRCA: U.S. Legalization Programs and the Current Policy Debate
A century of U.S. registry and population‑specific legalization programs shows that the Immigration Reform and Control Act (IRCA) was just one piece of the puzzle.
Structuring and Implementing an Immigrant Legalization Program: Registration as the First Step
An initial registration phase is central to successful legalization, allowing authorities to identify applicants and manage risks at scale.
Arrested on Entry: Operation Streamline and the Prosecution of Immigration Crimes
The U.S. government’s Operation Streamline contributed to a jump in federal prosecutions for immigration offenses.