Latin America and Caribbean Initiative
MPI's Global Program launched the Latin America and Caribbean Initiative (LACI) in 2018 to make sense of a rapidly changing migration landscape and to generate practical ideas for managing diverse mobility while harnessing its benefits. The Initiative combines rigorous, policy-relevant research with direct engagement with decisionmakers to help governments and institutions build functional migration systems that are orderly, rights respecting, and aligned with broader development goals. For more on LACI's work, visit its About page.
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Spain and Latin America Take Diverging Paths on Regularization
Spain’s 2026 regularization drew nearly 1.2 million applications, even as many Latin American countries have pulled back from similar measures for Venezuelans.
Rebuilding Lives in Guatemala: Understanding Returnee Profiles and Reintegration Challenges
Guatemalan returnees’ profile is changing, as they often have lived outside Guatemala for longer and have deep roots elsewhere. This report analyzes ways to strengthen reintegration services.
America’s Closing Door: Where Do Cuban Migrants Go Now?
When Cuba faces blackouts, shortages, and vanishing legal pathways, how will Latin America, the Caribbean, and Europe respond to growing Cuban displacement?
What Future for Cuban Migrants?
María José Espinosa Carrillo, Executive Director of the Center for Engagement and Advocacy in the Americas (CEDA), analyzes potential future migration patterns from Cuba as the United States closes its door.
Post-Maduro, a Measured Approach to Venezuelan Migration Is More Essential than Ever
Facing a post-Maduro future for Venezuela, most of the nearly 8 million Venezuelans abroad are cautiously waiting, and many are likely to keep building lives in their host country. In this uncertain context, governments should prioritize sustained regularization and integration over returns, genuine regional coordination, and renewed financing, this short read argues.
Security Reforms in Ecuador Should Not Be the Last Word
Ecuador's reform of its law on human mobility imposes stricter immigration controls and speeds deportations, linking migration of Venezuelans to spiraling crime rates. Yet this linkage is not supported by the facts, and Ecuador should now move to a phase two in its policymaking: one focused on immigrant integration and development, this short read argues.
On the Move: Rapidly Evolving Migration Trends and Policies in Latin America and the Caribbean
How has Latin America and the Caribbean responded to the surge in migration in the region? This webinar looked at surprising patterns and related policy questions.
Small Islands, Big Challenges: Climate Change and Migration in the Caribbean
What does climate change mean for migration — and economic stability — across one of the world's most geographically exposed regions?
Making Migrant Return and Reintegration Sustainable: Lessons from two continents
This conversation explored emerging models, policy shifts, and lessons learned from the European and Latin American approaches to reintegration and support for returning migrants.
Key Considerations for Future Temporary Protection and Regularization Programs in Latin America
Drawing on 11 country case studies, MPI finds that more than 24 temporary protection programs in Latin America have helped millions but often do not lead to permanent status.
