Unauthorized Immigration/Irregular Migration
Explore all research, analysis, commentary, and data on unauthorized immigrants and irregular migrants, terms used in different parts of the world to describe the individuals who lack the right to reside legally in their country of destination, as well as the policies and enforcement practices affecting them.
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Diverging Paths: The Impacts of COVID-19 on Migration in the Middle East and North Africa
COVID-19 sharpened divides in the MENA region: The mass departure of migrant workers allowed high-income Gulf states to pursue labor reforms, while North Africa and Lebanon faced compounding crises.
As Europe and the United States Face Similar Migration Challenges, Spain Can Act as a Bridge
Spain and the United States both receive their greatest number of immigrants from Latin America, and have worked collaboratively together on displacement crises and other migration issues. As shared immigration challenges dominate debate on both sides of the Atlantic, Spain can serve as a vital bridge in the policy conversation, this commentary notes.
Standoff at Eagle Pass: A High-Stakes U.S. Border Enforcement Showdown Comes to a Small Texas Park
Texas's seizure of a federal border zone during the Biden administration escalated a constitutional clash over immigration authority, with long-term implications over the federal-state balance of power.
Outmatched: The U.S. Asylum System Faces Record Demands
A record 3.2 million encounters of migrants at U.S. borders in fiscal year 2023 left the U.S. asylum system struggling to protect those eligible for protection or remove those who are not.
China’s Demand for Brides Draws Women from Across Southeast Asia—Sometimes by Force
China's gender imbalance and economic strength are driving marriage migration from Southeast Asia. Voluntary movement and forced trafficking are difficult to distinguish.
Biden at the Three-Year Mark: The Most Active Immigration Presidency Yet Is Mired in Border Crisis Narrative
The Biden administration's record-setting pace of immigration actions increased legal admissions and protections, but record border encounters and a swelling backlog defined the narrative.
European Immigrants in the United States
Once the leading source of immigrants to the United States, Europeans made up just 10 percent of U.S. immigrants in 2022. War in Ukraine pushed more Ukrainians to the United States.
Shifting Realities at the U.S.-Mexico Border: Immigration Enforcement and Control in a Fast-Evolving Landscape
Nearly 2.5 million encounters at the U.S.-Mexico border in fiscal year 2023 exposed a system reacting to rather than managing realities at the border. Real control will require multiagency investment.
Migration at the U.S.-Mexico Border: A Challenge Decades in the Making
Today’s pressures at the U.S.-Mexico border have been decades in the making. A system built to handle Mexican seasonal migration faltered with the arrival of families and asylum seekers from across the hemisphere.
What role could digital technologies play in the new EU Pact on Migration and Asylum?
EU asylum reforms hinge on the effective use of digital tools, but without strong safeguards these same technologies could harm migrants’ rights.