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 661–670 of 824 results
Immigrant Detention: Can ICE Meet Its Legal Imperatives and Case Management Responsibilities?
Report release with Donald Kerwin, MPI Vice President for Programs; Serena Lin, MPI Data/Statistical Analyst; Dora Schriro, Director, ICE Office of Detention Policy and Planning; and Andrea Black, Detention Watch Network Coordinator.
Immigrant Detention: Can ICE Meet Its Legal Imperatives and Case Management Responsibilities?
A panel discussion exploring whether ICE is capable of meeting legal standards and manage its detention system with ICE's Dora Schriro, Detention Watch Network's Andrea Black, and MPI expert Donald Kerwin.
Immigrant Detention: Can ICE Meet its Legal Imperatives and Case Management Responsibilities?
Weak data and oversight hinder U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s ability to meet detention standards, spurring calls for risk-based custody.
New and Revised ICE Agreements with State and Local Law Enforcement Met with Criticism
By expanding the 287(g) program to 77 jurisdictions, the Obama administration drew sharp criticism from both immigrant advocates and enforcement proponents.
The Next Generation of E-Verify: Getting Employer Verification Right
This webinar featured a presentation on MPI’s recommendations to improve E-Verify and examined proposed congressional approaches to employment verification.
A New Proposal to Address U.S. Immigration Future Flow Needs
Report release with MPI Senior Fellow and Director of the U.S. Immigration Policy Program; MPI Associate Policy Analyst; MPI Senior Policy Analyst; National Immigration Forum Senior Advisor; and ImmigrationWorks USA President.
E-Verify: An Assessment of its Strengths and Weaknesses
This discussion focused on E-Verify, the federal government's electronic employment verification system, and assessed the program's strengths and weaknesses.
E-Verify: An Assessment of its Strengths and Weaknesses
This discussion focused on E-Verify, the federal government's electronic employment verification system, and the release of an MPI report that assesses the program's strengths and weaknesses.
DHS Rescinds "No-Match" Rule, Moves Forward with E-Verify as It Shifts Enforcement Focus to Employers
The U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) has signaled a turn toward targeting employers rather than unauthorized immigrants in worksite enforcement.
The Next Generation of E-Verify: Getting Employment Verification Right
A redesigned E-Verify employment verification system should boost accuracy and coverage while protecting workers’ rights and limiting burdens on U.S. employers.
- General Inquiries
- Media Inquiries
-
Michelle Mittelstadt
202 266 1910 [email protected]