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 801–810 of 824 results
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.
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.
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.
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.
Justice, Homeland Security Departments Announce Changes
In April 2003, U.S. Attorney General John Ashcroft authorized indefinite immigrant detention in some cases.
FBI, BICE Interview Iraqi-Born Immigrants; Entry-Exit Rules Changed
U.S. authorities began interviewing thousands of Iraqi immigrants in early 2003, as part of an effort to identify domestic security threats.
Immigration Policy and the Homeland Security Act Reorganization: An Early Agenda for Practical Improvements
The rushed reorganization of immigration functions post-9/11 created gaps requiring fixes to unify policy and operational coordination in the new Department of Homeland Security.
America's Challenge: Domestic Security, Civil Liberties, and National Unity After September 11
This landmark study examines how post-9/11 security measures eroded civil liberties and national unity. It proposes a framework balancing security with constitutional protections.
Revamped Homeland Security Department to Incorporate INS Duties
The U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) absorbed the Immigration and Naturalization Service (INS) on March 1, 2003, dividing its responsibilities across three new bureaus.
- General Inquiries
- Media Inquiries
-
Michelle Mittelstadt
202 266 1910 [email protected]