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 631–640 of 824 results
Obama Administration's Steps Point to Significant Shift in Immigration Enforcement Policy
The Obama administration's shift to prioritize criminal removals via prosecutorial discretion drew Republican charges of “back-door amnesty.”
Federal Judge Blocks Key Provisions of Arizona Law, Setting Stage for Long Legal Battle
A federal judge blocked four key provisions of Arizona's SB 1070 in July 2010; polls showed 64 percent of Americans supported the law.
Focus Remains on Arizona as Justice Department Files Lawsuit against SB 1070
The Justice Department's lawsuit against Arizona's SB 1070 argued federal supremacy, setting it apart from all six other challengers.
DREAM vs. Reality: An Analysis of Potential DREAM Act Beneficiaries
Roughly 2.1 million people could qualify under the 2010 DREAM Act, but only about 825,000 would be likely to obtain permanent legal status.
Marc Rosenblum Testimony Video: Immigration and U.S. Immigration Policy
Testimony of Marc Rosenblum, MPI Senior Policy Analyst, before the National Commission on Fiscal Responsibility and Reform.
7th Annual Immigration Law and Policy Conference
The conference focused on Current Topics in Immigration Law and Policy; Reforming the U.S. Immigration Court System; Humanitarian Relief, Access to Protection, and U.S. Asylum Policies; and Enforcement of Immigration Law. Eric P. Schwartz, Assistant Secretary, Bureau of Population, Refugees, and Migration, U.S. Department of State spoke on U.S. policy on international migration.
Political Considerations Surround Decision to Deploy National Guard to Southwest Border
The Obama administration planned to send 1,200 National Guard troops to the Southwest border, fewer than senators demanded, with no authority to make arrests.
Immigrants: Contributors to the Economy or Competitors for American Jobs?
Briefing and discussion of the release of the latest paper by MPI's Labor Markets Initiative. Speakers are report author Giovanni Peri, UC Davis Professor of Economics; Ross Eisenbrey, Vice President, Economic Policy Institute; and Demetrios G. Papademetriou, MPI President.
The Impact of Immigrants in Recession and Economic Expansion
Immigration delivers long-run productivity but can reduce native employment during economic slowdowns. Linking visa numbers to employer demand can yield better outcomes.
Reform of the Immigration Removal Adjudication System
A discussion on possible reforms to the immigration adjudication system and the recent report on the topic by the American Bar Association's Commission on Immigration. The event was moderated by MPI Vice President for Programs Donald Kerwin, and the panelists were: Robert A. Katzmann, U.S. Circuit Judge, U.S. Court of Appeals, Second Circuit; Karen T. Grisez, Chair, ABA Commission on Immigration; and Lawrence A. Schneider, Senior Partner, Arnold & Porter LLP, who led the ABA report research team.
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Michelle Mittelstadt
202 266 1910 [email protected]