Sarah Pierce
Sarah Pierce was a Policy Analyst for the U.S. Immigration Policy Program at MPI, focusing on U.S. legal immigration processes and actors, the employment-based immigration system, and unaccompanied child migrants.
Prior to joining MPI, Ms. Pierce practiced immigration law with a Chicago-based law firm, appearing before the immigration court, Board of Immigration Appeals, U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS), and U.S. consulate offices abroad. She also worked for and volunteered with a number of nonprofit organizations and government entities, including Human Rights Watch, the National Immigrant Justice Center, and the U.S. Department of Labor.
Ms. Pierce holds a master of arts in international affairs from the George Washington University, with a focus on migration and development. She also holds a J.D. from the University of Iowa College of Law and a B.A. from Grinnell College.
Explore Content by Sarah Pierce
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Policy Solutions to Address Crisis at Border Exist, But Require Will and Staying Power to Execute
A range of policy responses would more effectively address the complex factors fueling Central American migration than closing the U.S.-Mexico border and cutting off aid to Central America.
Executive Power Showdown: Congress and White House Quarrel over Immigration Spending
A standoff over immigration spending in 2019 pit Congress against the White House, reshaping the boundaries of executive enforcement authority.
A Wall Cannot Fix Problems at Border; Smart Solutions for Asylum Crisis Can
Rather than spend $5.7 billion on a wall, it would be far more effective to use the money to retool an overwhelmed U.S. asylum system and tackle the factors propelling Central Americans to flee.
Trump Administration’s Unprecedented Actions on Asylum at the Southern Border Hit Legal Roadblock
The Trump administration's November 2018 asylum ban barring asylum for migrants who crossed the border illegally was blocked by a federal judge.
Sessions: The Trump Administration’s Once-Indispensable Man on Immigration
In under two years, Attorney General Jeff Sessions limited asylum, stripped immigration judges of key tools, and pushed the immigration court backlog past 1 million cases.
Trump Administration’s New Indefinite Family Detention Policy: Deterrence Not Guaranteed
Proposed to deter Central American families, indefinite family detention faces major legal hurdles. And it may not slow unauthorized arrivals at the U.S.-Mexico border.
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.
In Upholding Travel Ban, Supreme Court Endorses Presidential Authority While Leaving Door Open for Future Challenges
A divided U.S. Supreme Court upheld the Trump first-term travel ban. But the justices said they would require future bans be grounded in an evidentiary finding of harm.
Far from a Retreat, the Trump Administration’s Border Policies Advance its Enforcement Aims
President Donald Trump's June 2018 order ending family separation advanced a broader strategy to detain all asylum-seeking families and narrow credible-fear claim grounds.
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.
