United States

A Wall Cannot Fix Problems at Border; Smart Solutions for Asylum Crisis Can

Rather than spend $5.7 billion on a wall, it would be far more effective to use the money to retool an overwhelmed U.S. asylum system and tackle the factors propelling Central Americans to flee.

Sustainable Reintegration: Strategies to Support Migrants Returning to Mexico and Central America

Mexico and Central American countries expanded reintegration services for returning migrants after 2015, but limitations in coverage, resources, and coordination persist.

Pushing Migration to the Forefront, Populists Make New Strides

Far-right populists claimed Brazil's presidency in 2018, collapsed Belgium's government, and pushed harder immigration policies across Austria, Denmark, Hungary, Italy, and Sweden.

Shaping a Narrative of "Crisis" at Border, Trump Administration Takes Muscular Action

The Trump administration deployed 5,200 troops to the U.S.-Mexico border in 2018, advancing sweeping enforcement even as unauthorized crossings remained below their peak.

Children on the Frontlines

Children were at the center of global migration crises in 2018; in the United States, more than 2,600 were separated from parents under a “zero-tolerance” enforcement policy.

Pushback to the Resistance: Criminalization of Humanitarian Actors Aiding Migrants Rises

Hungary's "Stop Soros" law and prosecutions of volunteers in France and Arizona helping migrants marked a 2018 wave of criminal action against humanitarians.

Asylum Hangover? Governments Seek to Narrow Avenues for Humanitarian Protection

Facing public pressure, the United States and European Union moved in 2018 to narrow asylum grounds, shorten application deadlines, increase detention, and offshore protection.

Transnational Organized Crime Groups, Immigration, and Border Security: Connections, Distinctions, and Proposals for Effective Policy

Promoting Refugee Integration in Challenging Times: The Potential of Two-Generation Strategies

Falling arrivals and funding cuts strain U.S. refugee resettlement, but two-generation strategies can deepen whole-family integration without significant new spending.

Trump Administration’s Unprecedented Actions on Asylum at the Southern Border Hit Legal Roadblock

The Trump administration's November 2018 asylum ban barring asylum for migrants who crossed the border illegally was blocked by a federal judge.