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
202 266 1910 [email protected]
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Toward a Better Immigration System: Fixing Immigration Governance at the U.S. Department of Homeland Security
DHS's fragmented immigration structure undermines effective governance. Immigration functions should be consolidated under stronger DHS leadership, along with IT modernization and stronger oversight.
Retreating from Climate Disaster in the United States
As climate threats intensify across the United States, what would it take to build a coordinated, equitable framework for communities facing the prospect of managed retreat?
African Migration through the Americas: Drivers, Routes, and Policy Responses
African migrants increasingly transit the Americas via the Darién Gap, though COVID-19 disrupted flows in 2020. Coordinated regional policy responses are needed.
It Is Too Simple to Call 2021 a Record Year for Migration at the U.S.-Mexico Border
While there were more encounters of migrants seeking to cross the U.S.-Mexico border without authorization during fiscal 2021 than any prior year, this does not necessarily mean that more migrants were intercepted or illicitly entered the country than was the case 21 years ago, a new commentary explains.
18th Annual Immigration Law and Policy Conference
The 2021 annual Immigration Law and Policy Conference featured a keynote conversation with Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro N. Mayorkas and top experts analyzing immigration in the early months of the Biden administration.
Two Decades after 9/11, National Security Focus Still Dominates U.S. Immigration System
National security continues to shape U.S. immigration policy, driving federal immigration enforcement spending to $25 billion annually.
From Immigrant Detention to a More Effective U.S. Immigration Custody System
The sprawling U.S. immigration detention system has long been controversial for its conditions of care, detention numbers, and costs. This discussion provides a vision for a reimagined immigration custody system.
Immigrants’ U.S. Labor Market Disadvantage in the COVID-19 Economy: The Role of Geography and Industries of Employment
Immigrants faced steeper labor losses than U.S.-born workers during the COVID-19 pandemic, driven by concentration in high-risk industries and geographic clusters hit hardest.
Different Statuses, Different Benefits: Determining Federal Assistance for Afghan Evacuees
Afghans evacuated to the United States are entering with a range of legal statuses, with important implications for their ability to access benefits and services that will help them settle into their new communities. This commentary outlines the different statuses and resulting consequences for eligibility for assistance, based on whether the arrivals are recognized as refugees, Special Immigrant Visa (SIV) recipients, or parolees.
From Jailers to Case Managers: Redesigning the U.S. Immigration Detention System to Be Effective and Fair
U.S. immigration detention cost up to $200 per person per day in fiscal year 2021. Shifting to case management and supervised release can reduce costs and improve outcomes.
