E.g., 07/08/2026
E.g., 07/08/2026
MPI Newsroom

MPI Newsroom

A small boat flying the Turkish flag moving through the sea.
iStock.com/BT1976

Previously niche strategies of recruiting partner countries to help manage irregular migration have become mainstream. Governments in multiple migrant-receiving countries have engaged other countries to screen, detain, remove, or otherwise transfer migrants elsewhere—in effect pushing the border outwards. While some externalization approaches have been criticized, the range of models is more nuanced than is commonly understood.

Male and female business professionals gathered at a conference table
iStock.com/Ridofranz

Immigration is central to America’s economic future, yet political debate remains fixated on border crises and past policy failures instead of how a modern legal immigration system could power U.S. growth and competitiveness in an era of demographic decline. This short read argues for shifting the conversation toward flexible, employment-based immigration policies that match today’s labor market needs, strengthen enforcement through legal pathways, and treat immigrants as a source of national strength.

A pregnant woman at an airport.
iStock.com/encrier

Birth tourism is at the center of the Trump administration’s legal argument to end the guarantee of birthright citizenship. Estimates suggest the practice is quite rare, and a range of government actions, including enforcement operations on "maternity hotels," has sought to eradicate it. This article examines birth tourism to the United States, offering a look at trends, policy responses, and its role in the legal fight over ending birthright citizenship.

Image of a hand holding a passport with the stamp 'rejected' on a passport page
iStock.com/AnnaStills

While much attention has focused on its efforts to tackle unauthorized immigration, the Trump administration has been methodically shutting down a wide array of legal immigration pathways and slowing immigration case processing. With U.S. birth rates declining and the population aging, the consequences could tip the U.S. population into stagnation—or even decline for the first time since 1918. 

Image of unauthorized immigrant in shackles entering plane for deportation flight
ICE

The Trump administration has signed deportation agreements with 27 countries, with outreach planned to dozens of others, to help facilitate its mass deportations agenda. Yet these third-country deportation arrangements account for a fraction of overall deportations—suggesting this policy is more about creating a climate of fear than facilitating large numbers of removals.

Immigrants take the oath of allegiance during a naturalization ceremony.
Tia Dufour/DHS

This essential resource offers top statistics about immigration, immigrants, and the immigration system in the United States, drawing on authoritative sources and the latest data available. The article offers insights on the size and characteristics of the immigrant population, the scope of temporary and permanent immigration via all pathways, enforcement actions, and much more.

Recent MPI News

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Short Reads
June 2026
By  Camille Le Coz and Ravenna Sohst
Male and female business professionals gathered at a conference table
Short Reads
May 2026
By  Julia Gelatt, Doris Meissner and Andrew Selee

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