Julia Gelatt
Associate Director, U.S. Immigration Policy Program
Julia Gelatt is Associate Director of the U.S. Immigration Policy Program at the Migration Policy Institute. Her work focuses on the legal immigration system, demographic trends, and the implications of local, state, and federal U.S. immigration policy.
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Dr. Gelatt previously worked as a Research Associate at the Urban Institute, where her mixed-methods research focused on state policies toward immigrants; barriers to and facilitators of immigrant families’ access to public benefits and public prekindergarten programs; and identifying youth victims of human trafficking. She was a Research Assistant at MPI before graduate school.
Dr. Gelatt earned her PhD in sociology, with a specialization in demography, from Princeton University, where her work focused on the relationship between immigration status and children’s health and well-being. She earned a bachelor of the arts in sociology/anthropology from Carleton College.
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Recent Activity
Debates on immigration policy often discuss calibrating immigration levels to meet the labor needs of the nation’s economy. Indeed, it is clear that immigration strongly affects U.S. labor markets – over the past thirty years, foreign-born workers have grown to record numbers.
MPI's Julia Gelatt reports on the Senate's passage of historic immigration legislation; President Bush's plan for deploying the National Guard at the border; and the waiver of the material support bar for refugees from Burma, plus other immigration news.
En años recientes, un flujo de estadounidenses que aumenta continuamente se ha estado dirigiendo a América Latina, especialmente para su jubilación. A medida de que la generación del “baby boom” envejece, se espera que ese flujo gane velocidad.
This report investigates the demographic characteristics and experiences of American retirees abroad through a focused study of two countries—Mexico and Panama—that have exhibited dramatic growth in the population of United States-born seniors in recent years. Findings on the decision-making process of emigrant retirees, their integration experiences, and their impact on local communities are drawn from an analysis of 17 interviews and nine focus group discussions.
MPI's Julia Gelatt reports on the provisions of the Senate compromise immigration bill; new strategies for internal immigration enforcement; and Georgia's strict new controls regarding unauthorized immigrants, plus other immigration news.
The majority of South American born counted in the 2000 census were from Colombia, Ecuador, and Peru. MPI's David Dixon and Julia Gelatt look at the social and economic profiles of the foreign born from this region.
MPI's Julia Gelatt reports on the Judiciary Committee's proposals for immigration reform, which set the stage for Senate debate on the topic, plus other immigration news.
MPI’s Julia Gelatt reports on funding for immigration in Bush’s 2007 budget proposal, the State of the Union Address, upcoming immigration debate in the Senate, expedited removal along the northern border, and more.
A Turning Point for the Unauthorized Immigrant Population in the United States
A Shrinking Number of DACA Participants Face Yet Another Adverse Court Ruling
Canada's New Tech Talent Strategy Takes Aim at High-Skilled Immigrants in the United States
Straight Path to Legal Permanent Residence for Afghan Evacuees Would Build on Strong U.S. Precedent
Nearly 3 Million U.S. Citizens and Legal Immigrants Initially Excluded under the CARES Act Are Covered under the December 2020 COVID-19 Stimulus
Millions of U.S. Citizens Could Be Excluded under Trump Plan to Remove Unauthorized Immigrants from Census Data
The Public-Charge Rule: Broad Impacts, But Few Will Be Denied Green Cards Based on Actual Benefits Use
Health Insurance Test for Green-Card Applicants Could Sharply Cut Future U.S. Legal Immigration
As the United States Resettles Fewer Refugees, Some Countries and Religions Face Bigger Hits than Others
More Than a DREAM (Act), Less Than a Promise
People Leave Footprints: Millions More Unauthorized Immigrants Cannot Be ‘Hidden’ in Data Estimates
A Narrower Path in the House for Most DREAMers
The Diversity Visa Program Holds Lessons for Future Legal Immigration Reform
The Trump Immigration Plan: A Lopsided Proposal
Legalization for DREAMers: A Realistic Appraisal of Potential Chain Migration
All Eyes Turn to Congress, Following Trump Decision to Terminate DACA Program
The RAISE Act: Dramatic Change to Family Immigration, Less So for the Employment-Based System