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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U.S. Third-Country Deportation Agreements Are More About Fear than Numbers
The Trump administration's third-country deportation agreements with 27 governments represent a small share of U.S. removals. But fear may be their main function.
Escalation of ICE Operations Emboldens State and Local Lawmakers to Constrain Its Operations
As ICE enforcement intensified in 2026, a record number of states enacted laws limiting or expanding their cooperation, creating a growing patchwork.
Graduating into Uncertainty: Unauthorized Immigrant Students in U.S. High Schools
About 75,000 unauthorized immigrants graduate from U.S. high schools annually, MPI estimates. Amid immigration policy and enforcement changes, many are graduating into uncertainty.
Tras Maduro, un enfoque mesurado de la migración venezolana es más esencial que nunca
Ante un posible escenario pos-Maduro para Venezuela, la mayoría de los casi 8 millones de venezolanos que se encuentran en el extranjero esperan con cautela, y es probable que muchos continúen construyendo sus vidas en los países de acogida. En este contexto de incertidumbre, los gobiernos deberían priorizar la regularización y la integración sostenidas por encima de los retornos, avanzar hacia una coordinación regional genuina y reactivar la financiación, sostiene este foco analítico.
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.
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.
Trump Administration Actions Jeopardize Decades of Progress in Adult Education and Immigrant Integration
A move by the Trump administration to limit immigrants' use of federal programs stands to significantly destabilize the U.S. adult education system, which has helped millions of immigrant adults learn English and build foundational skills. In the process, this will harm the White House's stated desire to help immigrants learn English, build skills, and integrate into U.S. society, as this short read outlines.
