Donald M. Kerwin
Donald Kerwin served as Vice President for Programs at MPI. He is Executive Director of the Center for Migration Studies of New York, an educational institute of the Congregation of the Missionaries of St. Charles, Scalabrinians, that studies migration policy issues and safeguards the dignity and rights of migrants, refugees, and newcomers.
During his MPI tenure, Mr. Kerwin coordinated the Institute’s national and international programs, and wrote and spoke extensively on legalization, refugee protection, labor standards enforcement, detention, the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), and executive action on immigration.
Prior to his MPI tenure, he worked for more than 16 years at the Catholic Legal Immigration Network, Inc. (CLINIC), serving as Executive Director for nearly 15 years.
He is a 1984 graduate of Georgetown University and a 1989 graduate of the University of Michigan Law School.
Explore Content by Donald M. Kerwin
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Does Respect for Migrant Rights Contribute to Economic Development?
Rights protections in migrant-sending countries likely boost development inputs, but in receiving countries the link is contested.
Immigration Enforcement in the United States: The Rise of a Formidable Machinery
The United States has built a formidable immigration enforcement system, spending nearly $187 billion since 1986—more than on all other principal federal criminal law enforcement combined.
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.
Labor Standards Enforcement and Low-Wage Immigrants: Creating an Effective Enforcement System
Targeted U.S. labor standards enforcement would better protect low-wage immigrants, curb unauthorized employment, and level the playing field for law-abiding employers.
The Faltering U.S. Refugee Protection System: Legal and Policy Responses to Refugees, Asylum Seekers, and Others in Need of Protection
Security-driven policies, new barriers to asylum, and weak integration support have left the U.S. refugee protection system less robust than it was two decades ago.
Executive Action on Immigration: Six Ways to Make the System Work Better
Six executive actions could improve U.S. border control, integration, legal admissions, and fairness in enforcement without new laws.
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.
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.
Arrested on Entry: Operation Streamline and the Prosecution of Immigration Crimes
The U.S. government’s Operation Streamline contributed to a jump in federal prosecutions for immigration offenses.