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 531–540 of 821 results
Thinking Regionally to Compete Globally: Leveraging Migration & Human Capital in the U.S., Mexico, and Central America
Shifting demographics and slowing emigration from Mexico and Central America demand a new U.S. regional strategy, this final report of the Regional Migration Study Group makes clear.
A Demographic, Socioeconomic, and Health Coverage Profile of Unauthorized Immigrants in the United States
Unauthorized immigrants are predominantly low-income, working adults, yet 71 percent of adults lacked insurance in 2011.
Sweeping Senate Bill Sets the Stage for Fundamental Overhaul of U.S. Immigration System
While most public attention has focused on the prospect legalization for millions of immigrants, S. 744's deeper ambition was to shift U.S. immigration to labor market-driven admissions.
Changing Dynamics: Immigration, Mexico, and the United States
A discussion with Mexico’s Ambassador to the United States on the changing dynamics of Mexico’s economy, demographics, and large-scale emigration, and their implications for both Mexico and the United States.
Side-by-Side Comparison of the 2013 Senate Immigration Framework with 2006 and 2007 Senate Legislation
The 2013 Senate immigration framework shared broad goals with its 2006 and 2007 predecessors but departed sharply on enforcement triggers and legalization design.
Mexican Migration to the United States: Underlying Economic Factors and Possible Scenarios for Future Flows
Sectoral demand shifts—not just supply-side shocks—explain Mexican migration trends since 1990, and net flows are projected to stay well below 1990s peaks through 2017.
Legal Immigration Policies for Low-Skilled Foreign Workers
The near-absence of U.S. legal low-skilled work visas drives unauthorized immigration. Designing a new program raises fiercely contested questions on wages and portability.
Side-by-Side Comparison of 2013 Senate Immigration Bill with 2006 and 2007 Senate Legislation
The 2013 bipartisan Senate immigration overhaul advanced a more conditional, graduated legalization path and expanded merit-based visas compared to 2006 and 2007 predecessors.
Investing Wisely in the Future: How the U.S. Immigration System Can Better Meet U.S. Labor Market Needs
This discussion, featuring leading economists and MPI experts, launches MPI's book, Immigrants in a Changing Labor Market.
The Fundamentals of Immigration Reform
MPI's President and the Editor-in-Chief of The American Prospect discuss the policies and politics that have created the United States' immigration system and how to create a modern-day, flexible immigration system suited for 21st century competitiveness.
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Michelle Mittelstadt
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