Border Enforcement

U.S. Deportations and “Self-Deportations” in the First 18 Months of the Second Trump Term

Filling a gap amid a slowdown in official data reporting from the federal government, this analysis offers a window into deportation and "self-deportation" trends in an era of unprecedented resources and policy focus on immigration enforcement.

Following Years of High Border Arrivals, the U.S. Unauthorized Immigrant Population Hits New Peak

MPI estimates the U.S. unauthorized immigrant population reached a new peak of 15.8 million as of mid-2024, after holding steady at around 11 million throughout the 2010s.

A New Prime Minister, a New Deal: Time for an ambitious UK–EU pact on small boats

The arrival of a new UK Prime Minister offers a window to strike an ambitious UK-EU deal on Channel crossings, trading increased returns for humanitarian routes from Europe.

The Future of Reintegration Is a Key Missing Piece in Europe’s Focus on Returns

As EU return policy tightens, reintegration is being overlooked—including the need for more coherent strategies and locally embedded systems.

Countries Are Pushing Borders Outward to Expand Deterrence and Protection Alike

Externalization—the enlistment of partner countries to manage migration before people arrive or assist with removals and returns—has shifted from the policy fringe into the mainstream. Models range from deterrence to protection.

Weaponized Mass Migration: A Security Risk to Europe and the United States

What Drives Anti-Migrant Vigilantes

Anti-migrant vigilante groups use performative patrols and viral imagery to reframe asylum seekers as security threats, distorting public debate and pushing policy in a more restrictive direction.

Beyond “Shock and Awe”: Immigration Actions in the First Year under Trump 2.0

Analysts assessed the sweeping immigration enforcement actions, executive orders, and legal challenges marking Trump's second term's first year.

Unleashing Power in New Ways: Immigration in the First Year of Trump 2.0

The Trump second-term immigration overhaul—500-plus policy actions in the first year, record enforcement, and sweeping legal rollbacks—is reshaping who is welcome in America.

U.S. Immigration Courts at a Crisis Point

U.S. immigration courts are facing record backlogs and structural challenges. MPI examined the Biden and Trump administrations' policies and what reforms are needed to improve efficiency and fairness.