U.S. Immigration Policy Program
The U.S. Immigration Policy Program provides thought leadership on ways to improve the U.S. immigration system so that it works most effectively in the national interest. To that end, its work focuses on immigration pathways to the United States and immigration enforcement policies and their impacts. It examines the complex demographic, economic, social, political, foreign policy, and other forces that shape U.S. immigration.
Program staff produce data and analyses of immigration trends and the characteristics of U.S. immigrant populations, including unauthorized immigrants. And they conduct original research on the impacts of policy change and the experiences of immigrant populations in diverse parts of the country. This work is frequently informed by private convenings of policymakers and key stakeholders. For more, click here.
Featured
Following Years of High Border Arrivals, the U.S. Unauthorized Immigrant Population Hits New Peak
MPI estimates the U.S. unauthorized immigrant population reached a new peak of 15.8 million as of mid-2024, after holding steady at around 11 million…
Haitian Immigrants in the United States
Haitian immigration to the United States has grown sharply in recent decades, amid a series of profound challenges in Haiti.
In Its Second Term, Trump Administration Quietly Expands Family Separation
Immigration enforcement during the second Trump term is driving a quieter, more diffuse wave of family separations inside the United States, often…
More Featured Work
Key Statistics
Learn more about immigrants and immigration to the United States
14.8%
The immigrant share of the total U.S. population
Learn how this share has evolved (opens in a new tab)50.2 million
The number of immigrants in the United States
Explore Data Profiles by State (opens in a new tab)18.4%
The share of workers in the U.S. civilian labor force who are immigrants
Get the data at U.S. and state levels (opens in a new tab)
Showing 801–810 of 821 results
Does 'Smarter' Lead to Safer? An Assessment of the Border Accords with Canada and Mexico
Post-9/11 U.S. Smart Border accords with Canada and Mexico advanced bilateral security cooperation while keeping trade flowing, but gaps in infrastructure and strategy remained.
Ashcroft: Undocumented Immigrants Subject to Indefinite Detention
May 2003 U.S. immigration updates included the allowing of indefinite detention of unauthorized immigrants who could threaten national security.
Justice, Homeland Security Departments Announce Changes
In April 2003, U.S. Attorney General John Ashcroft authorized indefinite immigrant detention in some cases.
FBI, BICE Interview Iraqi-Born Immigrants; Entry-Exit Rules Changed
U.S. authorities began interviewing thousands of Iraqi immigrants in early 2003, as part of an effort to identify domestic security threats.
Immigration Policy and the Homeland Security Act Reorganization: An Early Agenda for Practical Improvements
The rushed reorganization of immigration functions post-9/11 created gaps requiring fixes to unify policy and operational coordination in the new Department of Homeland Security.
America's Challenge: Domestic Security, Civil Liberties, and National Unity After September 11
This landmark study examines how post-9/11 security measures eroded civil liberties and national unity. It proposes a framework balancing security with constitutional protections.
Revamped Homeland Security Department to Incorporate INS Duties
The U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) absorbed the Immigration and Naturalization Service (INS) on March 1, 2003, dividing its responsibilities across three new bureaus.
Women Immigrants in the United States
Women immigrants face distinct legal and social barriers—from domestic violence to post-9/11 policies—yet remain understudied despite being the majority of legal arrivals.
Census 2010 and the Foreign Born: Averting the Data Crisis
With the proposed end of the U.S. Census Bureau’s decennial long form in 2010, what are the implications for the study of immigrant populations?
INS Continues Registering Foreign Nationals, Ridge Sworn in to Head DHS
In early 2003, the U.S. Immigration and Naturalization Service (INS) Special Registration reached round three; the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) was formally created on January 24.
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Michelle Mittelstadt
202 266 1910 [email protected]