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)- General Inquiries
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Michelle Mittelstadt
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Showing 141–150 of 819 results
Straight Path to Legal Permanent Residence for Afghan Evacuees Would Build on Strong U.S. Precedent
Dating to the 1950s, Congress on multiple occasions has provided a direct path to permanent residence for Hungarians, Vietnamese, Cubans, and others fleeing upheaval in their countries. Given this precedent, this commentary suggests Congress should act to provide a more secure future for the more than 72,000 Afghans who were airlifted to the United States under an uncertain immigration status known as parole.
Mounting Backlogs Undermine U.S. Immigration System and Impede Biden Policy Changes
Immigration case backlogs reached record levels across the U.S. government, slowing legal immigration and threatening to derail the Biden policy agenda.
Four Years of Profound Change: Immigration Policy during the Trump Presidency
President Donald Trump's administration completed 472 executive actions from 2017 to 2021, narrowing humanitarian protections and restricting legal immigration.
Biden at One: Assessing the Administration’s Immigration Record
One year into President Joe Biden's term, this discussion examined the administration's track record on immigration and what lay ahead.
Biden at the One-Year Mark: A Greater Change in Direction on Immigration Than Is Recognized
The Biden administration 's first year brought sweeping but underappreciated immigration changes even as border challenges remained unresolved.
Court-Ordered Relaunch of Remain in Mexico Policy Tweaks Predecessor Program, but Faces Similar Challenges
The court-ordered revival of Remain in Mexico for certain asylum seekers affects a Trump-era program with a troubled record.
Relaunching the Central American Minors Program: Opportunities to Enhance Child Safety and Family Reunification
The Central American Minors Program relaunch in 2021 expanded family reunification access. But it needs dedicated funding, simpler processing, and stronger integration support to succeed.
El relanzamiento del Programa de Menores Centroamericanos: Oportunidades para realzar la protección infantil y la reunificación familiar
El relanzamiento del Programa para Menores Centroamericanos en 2021 expandió el acceso a la reunificación familiar, pero aún requiere más financiamiento localizado, procesamientos más sencillos y mayor apoyo a la integración.
Thinking Regionally to Act Locally in Immigration Policy
Mexico is becoming a country of immigration, Central America a region of transit, and South America is improvising; what does a regional migration system look like?
MPI 20th Anniversary Conference: Migration & Humanitarian Protection in a Rapidly Evolving World
MPI’s 20th Anniversary featured the Director-General of the International Organization for Migration, António Vitorino, in an armchair conversation with MPI co-founder and President Emeritus Demetrios G. Papademetriou, and a panel discussion with UN High Commissioner for Refugees Filippo Grandi and MPI co-founder Kathleen Newland.