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.
The Latest Research
U.S. Deportations and “Self-Deportations” in the First 18 Months of the Second Trump Term
Filling a gap amid a slowdown in official data reporting from the federal government, this analysis offers a window into deportation and "self…
Featured
Physicians in an Era of Changing Immigration Policy: The Case of Nephrology
The care of kidney disease in the United States relies heavily on international medical graduates (IMGs). Recent policy changes could deepen…
Temporary Visa Holders in the United States
The number of U.S. temporary visas plummeted during the COVID-19 pandemic, rebounded, and then fell again in fiscal year (FY) 2025. Preliminary data…
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…
More Featured Work
From Counterterrorism to Immigration Enforcement: 25 Years On, Post-9/11 U.S. Changes Have Been Repointed
Post-9/11 national security tools have been repurposed for immigration, expanding the U.S. government’s capacity for surveillance, data sharing, and…
Attacked as "De Facto Amnesty," U.S. Temporary Protected Status Is Abruptly Eroded
The Trump administration moved to terminate most of the 17 Temporary Protected Status (TPS) designations in place when its second term began,…
Though Rare, Birth Tourism to the United States Sparks Outsized Concern
While rare, birth tourism has become a central but contested justification in the Trump administration's push to end the guarantee of birthright…
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 11–20 of 824 results
The Immigration Debate America Needs—and Is Not Having
Immigration is central to America’s economic future, yet debate fixates on border crises and policy failures instead of how a modern legal immigration system could power U.S. competitiveness.
Though Rare, Birth Tourism to the United States Sparks Outsized Concern
While rare, birth tourism has become a central but contested justification in the Trump administration's push to end the guarantee of birthright citizenship.
Trump Restrictions on Legal Immigration Could Sharply Reduce U.S. Population Growth
President Donald Trump's second-term curbs on legal immigration, spanning visas, refugees, and family reunification, could meaningfully slow U.S. population growth.
The Trump Administration’s Immigration Policies Encounter Resistance in the Courts
Federal courts have become a key check on the Trump administration’s second-term immigration agenda, frequently halting or narrowing marquee policies.
U.S. Third-Country Deportation Agreements Are More About Fear than Numbers
The Trump administration's third-country deportation agreements with 27 governments represent a small share of U.S. removals. But fear may be their main function.
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.
A Profile of the Growing Black Immigrant Population in the United States
The Black immigrant population in the United States reached 4.7 million in 2024, growing faster than the overall foreign-born population, with near-equal African and Caribbean shares.
Graduating into Uncertainty: Unauthorized Immigrant Students in U.S. High Schools
About 75,000 unauthorized immigrants graduate from U.S. high schools annually, MPI estimates. Amid immigration policy and enforcement changes, many are graduating into uncertainty.
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.
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Michelle Mittelstadt
202 266 1910 [email protected]