Legalization/Regularization
Explore all research, analysis, data, and commentary on regularization and legalization, the terms used in different parts of the world to describe the provision of temporary or permanent legal status to migrants resident in the country who lack legal status.
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Showing 151–160 of 183 results
Unauthorized Immigrants in the United States and Europe: The Use of Legalization/Regularization as a Policy Tool
The United States and the European Union have both repeatedly turned to legalization as a policy tool, even as political opposition to it has grown on both sides of the Atlantic.
Up for Grabs: The Gains and Prospects of First- and Second-Generation Young Adults
A discussion on the gains that young adult immigrants or the U.S.-born children of immigrants have made in education and employment.
Regularizations in the European Union: The Contentious Policy Tool
Despite controversy, EU governments have regularized more than 5 million unauthorized immigrants since 1996, using varied programs to tackle informal work and pursue humanitarian aims.
Irregular Migration in Europe
Irregular migration in Europe has declined and shifted routes, but remains reactive to labor demand and enforcement, signaling the need for border controls and broad reforms.
Up for Grabs: The Gains and Prospects of First- and Second-Generation Young Adults
First- and second-generation young adults are one-quarter of 16–26‑year‑olds in the United States,. They have made clear educational gains but experience uneven access to good jobs.
U.S. Immigration Policy and Mexican/Central American Migration Flows: Then and Now
Migration from Mexico and Central America has surged and diversified since the 1970s, while U.S. policy choices since 1965 built unauthorized flows that now constrain reforms.
Earned Legalization: Effects of Proposed Requirements on Unauthorized Men, Women, and Children
The brief models how common requirements in U.S. earned legalization plans, English skills, steady work, long-term U.S. residence, and monetary fines, would affect who qualifies.
More than IRCA: U.S. Legalization Programs and the Current Policy Debate
A century of U.S. registry and population‑specific legalization programs shows that the Immigration Reform and Control Act (IRCA) was just one piece of the puzzle.
Immigrant Legalization in the United States and European Union: Policy Goals and Program Design
Since the 1980s, legalization has given legal status to 3.5 million U.S. and 5 million EU immigrants; inclusive program designs prove more cost effective than restrictive ones.
Structuring and Implementing an Immigrant Legalization Program: Registration as the First Step
An initial registration phase is central to successful legalization, allowing authorities to identify applicants and manage risks at scale.