Jessica Bolter
Jessica Bolter was an Associate Policy Analyst with the U.S. Immigration Policy Program at MPI. Her research focused on migration patterns at the U.S.-Mexico border, extracontinental migration in the Americas, immigration enforcement, and asylum and refugee issues.
She previously interned with MPI, the Capital Area Immigrants’ Rights Coalition, the Ohio Commission on Hispanic and Latino Affairs, and the Center for Democracy in the Americas.
Ms. Bolter holds a bachelor’s degree in American studies and Spanish area studies from Kenyon College, where she focused on relations between the United States and Latin America.
Explore Content by Jessica Bolter
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U.S. Immigration Policy under Trump: Deep Changes and Lasting Impacts
President Donald Trump has driven deep changes to U.S. immigration in his first year, but courts, Congress, and state and local resistance have blocked the most ambitious aims.
Crisis at the Border? Not by the Numbers
Despite the declaration of crisis at the U.S.-Mexico border, May 2018 apprehensions matched levels from 2013 to 2016, as flows shifted toward families and asylum seekers.
House Bills Would Largely Dismantle Asylum System at U.S.-Mexico Border
Two 2018 House Republican bills would sharply curtail the U.S. asylum system by declaring Mexico a safe third country and eliminating protections for unaccompanied minors.
Family Separation and “Zero-Tolerance” Policies Rolled Out to Stem Unwanted Migrants, But May Face Challenges
The April 2018 “zero-tolerance” policy criminalizing all irregular border crossers will strain courts and detention, with little evidence it will deter unauthorized arrivals.
Revving Up the Deportation Machinery: Enforcement under Trump and the Pushback
Interior immigration arrests rose 42 percent during Donald Trump's first eight months, but “sanctuary” policies limited enforcement and created uneven outcomes nationwide.
Even as Congress Remains on Sidelines, the Trump Administration Slows Legal Immigration
Bypassing Congress, which has been silent on changes to the U.S. immigration system for decades, the Trump administration is slowing legal immigration through regulatory change.
Trump Administration Ratchets up Pressure on “Sanctuary” Jurisdictions
After courts blocked the Trump administration’s 2017 order cracking down on “sanctuary” cities, the Justice Department turned to other authorities.
Shifting Gears, Trump Administration Launches High-Profile Worksite Enforcement Operations
Chile's immigrant population quadrupled over two decades, outpacing every other country in Latin America and stoking backlash and a rightward political shift.
Trump’s First Year on Immigration Policy: Rhetoric vs. Reality
During its first year, the Trump administration sought to cancel DACA, Temporary Protected Status, and refugee protections, but the border wall stalled in Congress and courts.
In Latin America, Spike in Migrant Arrivals Prompts Flurry of Responses
Venezuela's political and economic crisis and Haitian displacement drove rising migration flows across Latin America in 2017, prompting new legal pathways and signs of emerging backlash.
