Program

U.S. Immigration Policy Program

The U.S. Immigration Policy Program provides analysis of immigration pathways, impacts of enforcement and other policies, and immigrant population characteristics.

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.

Commentary July 29, 2026

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…

People at a pedestrian crosswalk crossing the street

Policy Beat July 30, 2026

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…

A silhouette of a young child looking sad and alone

Commentary May 2026

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…

Male and female business professionals gathered at a conference table

Policy Beat May 28, 2026

Attacked as "De Facto Amnesty," U.S. Temporary Protected Status Is Abruptly Eroded

A woman wearing scrubs in a health-care setting reviews a chart

Commentary March 2026

U.S. Third-Country Deportation Agreements Are More About Fear than Numbers

Image of unauthorized immigrant in shackles entering plane for deportation flight

Policy Beat April 29, 2026

Though Rare, Birth Tourism to the United States Sparks Outsized Concern

Fact Sheet February 2026

A Profile of the Growing Black Immigrant Population in the United States

A Black female nurse in blue scrubs walking outside

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)

A line of people with their hands up taking the oath during a U.S. citizenship ceremony

Get Timely U.S. Immigration Analysis

The monthly U.S. Policy Beat covers, in brief, top developments at U.S., state, and local levels, and in the courts.

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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.

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.

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.

Immigrants in a Changing Labor Market: Responding to Economic Needs

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.