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
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…
Trump Restrictions on Legal Immigration Could Sharply Reduce U.S. Population Growth
President Donald Trump's second-term curbs on legal immigration, spanning visas, refugees, and family reunification, could meaningfully slow U.S…
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)
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Michelle Mittelstadt
202 266 1910 [email protected]
Showing 791–800 of 819 results
DHS Secures Funding, Authority in Visa Matters
The U.S. Congress approved a $37.6 billion Homeland Security budget in October 2003, as the agency assumed oversight of visa policy.
Visitor Tracking Technology Faces Obstacles
Key fall 2003 U.S. policy developments included biometric passport delays, a new California driver's license law, and the annual H-1B visa cap falling to 65,000.
Unauthorized Immigration to the United States
An estimated 9 million unauthorized immigrants lived in the United States in 2003, a population growing by about 350,000 annually between 1990 and 1999.
Security Concerns Spur Policy Changes
Fall 2003 U.S. policy changes included suspending visa-free transit programs, new border student visa categories, and extension of Temporary Protected Status (TPS) for 2,700 Liberian nationals.
Immigration Since September 11, 2001
After 9/11, nonimmigrant entries fell 15 percent and U.S. refugee admissions hit a 25-year low, even as legal permanent resident numbers held steady.
Government Widens Efforts to Scrutinize Foreign Visitors
Mid-2003 U.S. measures mandated visa interviews for about 13 million annual visitors.
Report Alleges Abuse of Immigrant Detainees Post-Sept. 11
A June 2003 U.S. Justice Department report found abuse of hundreds of post-September 11 immigrant detainees; a court upheld secrecy on more than 1,200 detainee names.
Does 'Smarter' Lead to Safer? An Assessment of the Border Accords with Canada and Mexico
Post-9/11 U.S. Smart Border accords with Canada and Mexico advanced bilateral security cooperation while keeping trade flowing, but gaps in infrastructure and strategy remained.
Comprehensive Visitor Tracking Program Moves Forward
June 2003 U.S. immigration news spanned U.S. Visitor and Immigrant Status Indictor Technology (US-VISIT) biometric rollout, Somali Bantu resettlement, and more.
Ashcroft: Undocumented Immigrants Subject to Indefinite Detention
May 2003 U.S. immigration updates included the allowing of indefinite detention of unauthorized immigrants who could threaten national security.