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 541–550 of 824 results
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.
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.
Avoiding the Pitfalls on the Road to Reform: Issues that Must Be Addressed to Build an Effective U.S. Immigration System
A discussion on some of the most complex issues that must be addressed for effective reform of the U.S. immigration system, featuring MPI experts Doris Meissner, Michael Fix, Demetrios G. Papademetriou, and Muzaffar Chishti.
Sequester Affects Immigration Enforcement — and Invites Attention to Detention Policy
When the U.S. sequester forced the release of 2,228 immigration detainees, the political fallout spotlighted the high cost and contested logic of U.S. immigration detention.
Major U.S. Immigration Laws, 1790 - Present
U.S. immigration law has swung between openness and restriction since 1790, with each era's legislation shaped by labor needs, national security fears, and racial politics.
Going to the Back of the Line: A Primer on Lines, Visa Categories, and Wait Times
No single immigration "line" leads to lawful U.S. permanent residence, and existing re-entry bars trap many unauthorized immigrants who would otherwise be eligible to legalize.
Key Immigration Laws and Policy Developments Since 1986
Since enactment of the Immigration Reform and Control Act of 1986, U.S. immigration enforcement has expanded steadily while comprehensive reform has repeatedly stalled in Congress.
Immigration and U.S. Economic Competitiveness: A View from the Midwest
This release event for the report of The Chicago Council's independent task force on U.S. Economic Competitiveness at Risk: A Midwest Call to Action on Immigration Reform, introduced attendees to immigration initiatives being undertaken throughout the Midwest to promote the region’s economic competitiveness.
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Michelle Mittelstadt
202 266 1910 [email protected]