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
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…
In Its Second Term, Trump Administration Quietly Expands Family Separation
Immigration enforcement during the second Trump term is driving a quieter, more diffuse wave of family separations inside the United States, often…
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…
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)
Showing 441–450 of 821 results
Recent Court Rulings Block Deferred Action Programs and Raise Questions for Accessing Birthright Citizenship
Court fights over deferred action and birth certificates highlight how legal battles are reshaping executive power and practical access to U.S. citizenship.
Profile of Syrian Immigrants in the United States
Syrian immigrants are more educated and skilled than most immigrants. But high child poverty and low female workforce participation complicate this profile.
12th Annual Immigration Law and Policy Conference
This annual conference offers timely policy and legal analysis and discussion on key immigration topics featuring panels with government officials, researchers, advocates, and other immigration experts.
Unaccompanied Child Migrants in the United States: How Are They Faring?
Marking the release of a MPI brief, this webinar will examine data on where unaccompanied child migrants are being placed in the United States, how they are faring in immigration courts, what services are available to them, and how U.S. communities are adapting to their arrival.
Fifty Years On, the 1965 Immigration and Nationality Act Continues to Reshape the United States
Fifty years after passage, the 1965 immigration law still anchors U.S. policy, driving more diverse inflows, uneven integration, and recurring political battles.
The U.S. Record Shows Refugees Are Not a Threat
Since 2001, only three of 784,000 resettled refugees faced terrorism charges. This commentary offers a data-driven rebuttal to security objections over Syrian refugee admissions.
Unaccompanied Child Migrants in U.S. Communities, Immigration Court, and Schools
The U.S. immigration court system has failed to resolve most unaccompanied children's legal status, leaving communities and schools with minimal federal support.
Ten Facts About U.S. Refugee Resettlement
Despite funding constraints, the U.S. refugee resettlement program achieves broad self-sufficiency, though outcomes vary substantially by origin group.
The Immigration Act of 1965: Then and Now
Commemorating the 50th anniversary of passage of the Immigration Act of 1965, a symposium with distinguished experts on the political and policy dynamics that came together to make the law possible, how it changed the U.S. legal immigration system and the country's demographics, and what these and other changes mean for the nation’s future.
Left Behind: How the Well-Being of Children Is Affected by Parental Deportation
Report release where authors discuss the effects of parental deportation on the children of immigrants, the related needs for health and social services, and U.S. policy responses to protect these children.
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Michelle Mittelstadt
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