Randy Capps
Randy Capps was Director of Research for U.S. Programs at MPI. His areas of expertise include immigration trends, the unauthorized immigrant population, immigrants in the U.S. labor force, the children of immigrants and their well-being, and immigrant health-care and public benefits access and use.
Prior to joining MPI, Dr. Capps was a researcher in the Immigration Studies Program at the Urban Institute (1993-96, and 2000-08).
He received his PhD in sociology and his master of public affairs degree from the University of Texas.
Explore Content by Randy Capps
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Changing the Playbook: Immigrants and the COVID-19 Response in Two U.S. Communities
Immigrants in Nashville and the San Francisco Bay area served in essential COVID-19 roles while community groups bridged health gaps and pushed for foreign-born access to pandemic relief.
Biden Immigration Enforcement Priorities Emphasize a Multi-Dimensional View of Migrants
In a major shift, the Biden administration's enforcement guidelines require authorities to consider noncitizens' full circumstances when deciding whether to proceed to arrest and removal.
Medicaid Access and Participation: A Data Profile of Eligible and Ineligible Immigrant Adults
In 2019, 4.3 million income-eligible immigrants were barred from Medicaid by status restrictions, with wide state variation in eligibility and participation.
From Immigrant Detention to a More Effective U.S. Immigration Custody System
The sprawling U.S. immigration detention system has long been controversial for its conditions of care, detention numbers, and costs. This discussion provides a vision for a reimagined immigration custody system.
Immigrants’ U.S. Labor Market Disadvantage in the COVID-19 Economy: The Role of Geography and Industries of Employment
Immigrants faced steeper labor losses than U.S.-born workers during the COVID-19 pandemic, driven by concentration in high-risk industries and geographic clusters hit hardest.
From Jailers to Case Managers: Redesigning the U.S. Immigration Detention System to Be Effective and Fair
U.S. immigration detention cost up to $200 per person per day in fiscal year 2021. Shifting to case management and supervised release can reduce costs and improve outcomes.
Slowing U.S. Population Growth Could Prompt New Pressure for Immigration Reform
The 2020 decennial Census revealed near-record-low U.S. population growth, driven by declining immigration and birth rates. Will this drive immigration policy change?
Nearly 3 Million U.S. Citizens and Legal Immigrants Initially Excluded under the CARES Act Are Covered under the December 2020 COVID-19 Stimulus
The pandemic-recovery stimulus package that passed Congress in December rectified what many had viewed as a significant oversight in the earlier CARES Act: Its exclusion of U.S. citizens and legal immigrants in mixed-status families. MPI researchers estimate nearly 3 million U.S. citizens and legal immigrants excluded from the earlier legislation can receive the later relief, as well as qualify retroactively for the CARES Act payment, as this commentary explores.
Anticipated “Chilling Effects” of the Public-Charge Rule Are Real: Census Data Reflect Steep Decline in Benefits Use by Immigrant Families
Researchers, service providers, and others have long predicted that sweeping revisions by the Trump administration to the definition of who constitutes a public charge would deter large numbers of immigrant-led households from using federal means-tested public benefits for which they are eligible. Recently released Census Bureau data show they were right: During the administration's first three years, program participation declined twice as fast among noncitizens as citizens.
Unauthorized Immigrants in the United States: Stable Numbers, Changing Origins
As of 2018, the unauthorized immigrant population in the United States held at 11 million, with origins shifting away from Mexico toward Asia and Central America.
