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 751–760 of 824 results
United States-Canada-Mexico Fact Sheet on Trade and Migration
This fact sheet examines the trilateral relationship between the United States, Canada, and Mexico in the decade since the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) and provides facts and figures relating to trade and migration among the three countries.
Aftermath of Katrina Affects Immigration Enforcement
After Hurricane Katrina, the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) suspended employer sanctions.
CAFTA Brings Immigration Debate, Local Enforcement Tactics Struck Down
U.S. President George W. Bush signed the Central American Free Trade Act (CAFTA) in August 2005; its immigration effects remain contested.
Reflections on Restoring Integrity to the United States Immigration System: A Personal Vision
The 1986 Immigration Reform and Control Act failures suggest durable U.S. immigration reform requires enforcing laws, expanding visas, and creating a fair path to earned legal status.
Immigration Reform Bill and DHS Restructuring Focus on Enforcement and Facilitation
A U.S. Senate bill introduced July 19, 2005, pairs $12 billion in new enforcement with a temporary worker program requiring migrants to apply from abroad.
Lessons From The Immigration Reform and Control Act of 1986
While the 1986 Immigration Reform and Control Act was a landmark effort to achieve comprehensive immigration reform, its key design and implementation failures offer lasting lessons.
Secure Borders, Open Doors: Visa Procedures in the Post-September 11 Era
This comprehensive review finds post-9/11 visa reforms have made entry more secure but administratively burdensome; it charts a path toward balance and smarter border management.
Free Flights and New Enforcement Proposals Address Unauthorized Migrants
A U.S.-Mexico repatriation program resumed in June 2005, offering free flights from Arizona to the interior of Mexico while Congress debated competing immigration bills.
Independent Task Force on Immigration and America's Future: The Roadmap
This roadmap for MPI's Task Force on Immigration and America’s Future lists where immigration policy is failing and details rule of law, security, economy, and integration reforms.
Backlogs in Immigration Processing Persist
U.S. immigration processing backlogs grew more than 1,000 percent between 1990 and 2003, driven by rising naturalization applications and post-9/11 screening requirements.
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Michelle Mittelstadt
202 266 1910 [email protected]