Deportations/Returns

DHS and Immigration: Taking Stock and Correcting Course

The Department of Homeland Security's immigration system remains fragmented six years into its existence, spurring the need for clearer roles and stronger oversight.

Return Migration: Changing Directions?

Return programs in Europe and the United States found few takers in 2008.

American Immigration Reform from a Scandinavian Perspective

A Norwegian migration official argues the U.S. problem is unauthorized status—not numbers—and urges a managed, employer-driven work permit system with no cap on labor visas.

Immigration Enforcement Spending Since IRCA

U.S. immigration enforcement spending more than quadrupled between 1985 (the year before the Immigration Reform and Control Act was passed) and 2002, with 60 percent aimed at the border.

Revisiting the Need for Appointed Counsel

Lack of appointed counsel for noncitizens in deportation proceedings harms case outcomes. This policy brief examines three low-cost models to expand legal representation.

The Department of Homeland Security's First Year: A Report Card on Immigration

One year in, the Department of Homeland Security showed real gains in border and interior enforcement. But its promise was hampered by case backlogs and poor internal coordination.

Does 'Smarter' Lead to Safer? An Assessment of the Border Accords with Canada and Mexico

Post-9/11 U.S. Smart Border accords with Canada and Mexico advanced bilateral security cooperation while keeping trade flowing, but gaps in infrastructure and strategy remained.

Immigration Policy and the Homeland Security Act Reorganization: An Early Agenda for Practical Improvements

The rushed reorganization of immigration functions post-9/11 created gaps requiring fixes to unify policy and operational coordination in the new Department of Homeland Security.

Authority of State and Local Officers to Arrest Aliens Suspected of Civil Infractions of Federal Immigration Law