Kathleen Bush-Joseph
Kathleen Bush-Joseph was a Policy Analyst with the U.S. Immigration Policy Program at MPI.
Prior to joining MPI, she worked at the National Immigrant Justice Center in Chicago, where she represented unaccompanied immigrant children. Earlier, she consulted for the United Nations Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) in Geneva, and represented tenants in New York City Housing Court as a staff attorney at the Legal Aid Society.
Ms. Bush-Joseph earned her juris doctor at UCLA School of Law with a specialization in international and comparative law. She earned a bachelor of arts in history from Georgetown University. She is barred in the Third Department of New York.
Explore Content by Kathleen Bush-Joseph
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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.
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.
U.S. Immigration Courts at a Crisis Point
U.S. immigration courts are facing record backlogs and structural challenges. MPI examined the Biden and Trump administrations' policies and what reforms are needed to improve efficiency and fairness.
Breaking the Cycle of Dysfunction at the U.S. Immigration Courts
With 3.8 million deportation cases pending as of mid-2025, the U.S. immigration courts faced a deepening crisis requiring urgent legislative and administrative reform.
Trump Administration’s Expansion of Fast-Track Deportation Powers Is Transforming Immigration Enforcement
The Trump administration is using fast-track deportation powers on an unprecedented scale as it seeks to carry out 1 million deportations annually.
Beyond ICE: State and Local Authorities Become Central to Trump Administration Deportations Strategy
The Trump administration is deputizing state and local officers at record scale, reshaping U.S. immigration enforcement through 287(g) agreements, new funding, and legal pressures.
Immigration Actions in First 100 Days of Trump Second Term
Analysts assessed the most consequential immigration actions taken during the first 100 days of President Trump's second term, detailed the litigation picture, and analyzed some of the early effects of policies on U.S. communities.
In First 100 Days, Trump 2.0 Has Dramatically Reshaped the U.S. Immigration System, but Is Not Meeting Mass Deportation Aims
President Donald Trump's second term has produced the most sweeping U.S. immigration changes since 9/11, but some deportation goals remain out of reach.
Arrestos y deportaciones de ICE desde el interior de Estados Unidos
Esta guía explicativa tiene respuestas a preguntas comunes sobre la función del Servicio de Inmigración y Control de Aduanas (ICE, por sus siglas en inglés) de EE. UU., en la identificación de personas para arresto, detención, y deportación.
