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
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…
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…
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)
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Michelle Mittelstadt
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Showing 131–140 of 819 results
COVID-19’s Effects on U.S. Immigration and Immigrant Communities, Two Years On
COVID-19 slashed U.S. immigration to decade lows, hit immigrant workers hardest, and excluded many from federal relief because of immigration-status rules.
The Los Angeles Declaration Could Represent a Big Step for Real Migration Cooperation across the Americas
The Los Angeles Agreement on Migration and Protection signed by leaders from 20 countries across the Western Hemisphere at the 2022 Summit of the Americas marks a significant step forward in creating a common language and a coherent set of ideas for more cooperatively managing migration movements across a region that has seen very significant mobility in recent years, as this commentary explains.
Rise in Maritime Migration to the United States Is a Reminder of Chapters Past
Caribbean maritime migration to the United States has surged to 1990s-level highs, driven by crises in Haiti and Cuba and constrained legal pathways.
Seeking Safety: Regional Protection Options for Central Americans
Speakers offered analysis on regional resettlement and humanitarian channels for Central Americans, along with specific actions the United States and Canada could take.
En Busqueda de Seguridad: Opciones de protección regional para personas de Centroamérica
Con motivo de la publicación de un informe del Instituto de Política Migratoria sobre posibles vías de protección para las personas centroamericanas, este webcast ofrece un análisis sobre las vías humanitarias y de reasentamiento que ya se utilizan en la región así como las oportunidades y los obstáculos para expandir estos programas.
For Overwhelmed Immigration Court System, New ICE Guidelines Could Lead to Dismissal of Many Low-Priority Cases
New prosecutorial discretion guidelines aim to reduce a 1.8 million backlog in U.S. immigration courts by dismissing low-priority cases. But implementation challenges remain.
With Millions of Unfilled U.S. Jobs, What Role Is There for Immigration?
With the United States having 11.3 million unfilled jobs as of March 2022 and facing an aging population, declining fertility, and shifting skills needs, what role can immigration serve in filling labor market needs? Experts explore on this webcast.
Leveraging the Skills of Immigrant Health-Care Professionals in Illinois and Chicago
Licensing barriers left an estimated 12,000 immigrant health professionals underemployed in Illinois in 2019, despite critical workforce shortages across the state.
Beyond the Border: Opportunities for Managing Regional Migration between Central and North America
With migration from Central America increasing, the region from Canada to Panama faces an opportunity to build an effective regional approach to migration by focusing on several areas that are ripe for significant policy innovation. This commentary sketches a vision, offering a road map to more detailed research that outlines strategies for cooperation on legal pathways, humanitarian protection, migration management, and sustainable development.
Controversial U.S. Title 42 Expulsions Policy Is Coming to an End, Bringing New Border Challenges
The end of the use of Title 42 after 1.7 million expulsions at the U.S.-Mexico border promises to reshape processing, but the transition poses major challenges for the Biden administration.
