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.
All Content
Showing 781–790 of 813 results
The Declining Enforcement of Employer Sanctions
Since peaking around 1990, U.S. employer sanctions enforcement fell sharply by fiscal year 2003.
Reflections on Restoring Integrity to the United States Immigration System: A Personal Vision
The 1986 Immigration Reform and Control Act failures suggest durable U.S. immigration reform requires enforcing laws, expanding visas, and creating a fair path to earned legal status.
Unauthorized Migrants Living in the United States: A Mid-Decade Portrait
Unauthorized immigrants in the United States were estimated to number 10.3 million in 2004.
The Global Struggle with Illegal Migration: No End in Sight
With an estimated 30 million to 40 million unauthorized migrants globally, enforcement tactics alone have failed.
The "Regularization" Option in Managing Illegal Migration More Effectively: A Comparative Perspective
Regularization programs alone cannot solve unauthorized migration, but "earned" legalization paired with enforcement and expanded legal channels can play a meaningful role.
Solving the Unauthorized Migrant Problem: Proposed Legislation in the U.S.
Four bills before the 109th Congress sought to tackle unauthorized immigration through mixes of enforcement, legalization, and guest worker provisions.
Lessons From The Immigration Reform and Control Act of 1986
While the 1986 Immigration Reform and Control Act was a landmark effort to achieve comprehensive immigration reform, its key design and implementation failures offer lasting lessons.
Immigration Reform Bill and DHS Restructuring Focus on Enforcement and Facilitation
A U.S. Senate bill introduced July 19, 2005, pairs $12 billion in new enforcement with a temporary worker program requiring migrants to apply from abroad.
Independent Task Force on Immigration and America's Future: The Roadmap
This roadmap for MPI's Task Force on Immigration and America’s Future lists where immigration policy is failing and details rule of law, security, economy, and integration reforms.
Twilight Statuses: A Closer Examination of the Unauthorized Population
Up to 1.5 million unauthorized immigrants held legally recognized “twilight" statuses as of 2005, conferring some protection from deportation but no pathway to permanence.