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 141–150 of 824 results
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.
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.
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Michelle Mittelstadt
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