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 711–720 of 824 results
President Agrees to Delay of Real ID Act Requirements
In March 2007, the Bush administration proposed allowing extensions of the Real ID deadline to 2009 as Congress stalled on immigration reform.
President Calls for $13 Billion in Border and Enforcement Funding in 2008
President George W. Bush's FY 2008 budget requested $13 billion for immigration enforcement, while the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) proposed fee hikes.
New Congress Takes First Steps toward Immigration Reform
In early 2007, the new Democratic U.S. Congress pushed comprehensive immigration reform.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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Michelle Mittelstadt
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