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 711–720 of 821 results
Elections Improve Odds for Immigration Reform in 2007
The 2006 U.S. midterm elections shifted Congress to Democratic control and improved prospects for comprehensive immigration reform.
La inmigración y el futuro de los Estados Unidos: Un nuevo capítulo
Una reforma integral de la inmigración en Estados Unidos resulta esencial para satisfacer las necesidades económicas, demográficas y de seguridad del siglo XXI.
President Signs DHS Appropriations and Secure Fence Act, New Detainee Bill Has Repercussions for Noncitizens
U.S. President George W. Bush signed the Secure Fence Act and the Military Commissions Act, authorizing border fencing and indefinite detention of noncitizen enemy combatants.
Mexican-Born Persons in the U.S. Civilian Labor Force
In 2006, Mexican-born workers outpaced U.S.-born peers in labor force participation yet remained concentrated in service and construction jobs.
Legal Immigration to United States Increased Substantially in FY 2005
More than 1.1 million people gained U.S. permanent residence in fiscal year 2005, with family ties and employment driving a 17 percent year-over-year surge.
New Estimates of Unauthorized Youth Eligible for Legal Status under the DREAM Act
MPI estimates about 1.1 million unauthorized youth could gain legal status under the DREAM Act of 2006, about 360,000 with immediate eligibility.
House Calls for Tighter Internal Enforcement and Border Fence, USCIS Claims to Meet Backlog Reduction Deadline
The U.S. Congress passed border fencing and enforcement bills in fall 2006, while Boeing was awarded a $2.5 billion virtual fence contract.
Fall Forecast: Immigration Reform Unlikely, Census Bureau Issues New Data on the U.S. Foreign-Born Population
With comprehensive immigration reform stalled in Congress in 2006, U.S. census data showed a 16 percent growth in the U.S. foreign-born population from 2000 to 2005.
Immigration and America's Future: A New Chapter
A comprehensive U.S. immigration overhaul spanning admissions, enforcement, and integration is essential to meet 21st-century economic, demographic, and security needs.
America's Human Rights Challenge: International Human Rights Implications of U.S. Immigration Enforcement Actions Post-September 11
Post-9/11 U.S. immigration enforcement, from detention without cause to racial profiling, violate due process protections enshrined in international human rights law.
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Michelle Mittelstadt
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