Migration Information Source
The number of people in U.S. immigrant detention has grown sharply under President Donald Trump and will likely continue to rise in coming months. The rapid ramp-up has relied on an array of nontraditional facilities as well as private prisons, and has been accompanied by allegations of harsh treatment and rising deaths. This article traces the growth and evolution of the world's largest immigration detention system.
Migration is one of the globe's defining challenges, yet researchers from academia and beyond often fail to impact policy. What is holding them back? This article examines findings from a survey of more than 1,800 academic and other researchers across 101 countries to reveal the key structural barriers they face.
Approximately 2.5 million sub-Saharan African immigrants lived in the United States in 2024—more than triple the number in 2000—with most coming from Nigeria, Ethiopia, Ghana, Kenya, or South Africa. This article offers a range of information about this diverse group, which has higher educational attainment and English proficiency than the overall immigrant population, and tends to have higher income.
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Argentina's founders had a clear desire to encourage immigration, especially from Europe, and the country was for a period among the world’s top immigration destinations. Trends and policies shifted over time, and since the early 1900s overall immigration has declined. Most immigrants now come from neighboring South American countries. This country profile examines Argentina’s migration past and present, including a turn to more restrictive policymaking.
Amid unprecedented migration that began in 2010, Latin America and the Caribbean have entered a new era best defined by volatility. The success of initial policy responses to the displacement of millions of Venezuelans and other migration patterns has dimmed, given incomplete integration outcomes and other pressures. This article details these dynamics across the Caribbean and Central and South America.
The Trump administration has expanded its use of expedited removal in unprecedented ways, transforming what previously had been a somewhat limited authority into a potent tool to assist with its mass deportations drive. This article traces how the administration has sought to expand the reach of the nearly 30-year-old fast-track power beyond the border.
Whether as migrant-sending or migrant-receiving locations—or both—many countries have rich, complex international and internal migration histories. MPI's online journal, the Migration Information Source, offers resources on more than 100 nations. Written by leading scholars, these articles delve into countries' migration histories, demographics, policymaking, and more.
The number of international migrants globally has roughly doubled since 1990. Yet because the world's overall population has grown, the share of all people living outside their country of origin is only slightly higher than it was then. This useful, data-rich article puts the global migrant population in context, offering current and historical statistics about the cross-border movements of workers, students, refugees and asylum seekers, and others.
Find essential statistics about U.S. immigration, immigrants, and the immigration system today and throughout history. This perennially popular article compiles the latest available data on the size and shape of the immigrant population, immigrant families, refugees and asylees, unauthorized immigrants, temporary visitors, and more. It also examines legal immigration processing and immigration enforcement.
Severe weather, rising seas, and other consequences of global climate change are affecting the way people live, work, and move around the planet. While there is no clear, direct line between the impacts of climate change and changing human movement, there are indications that the warming planet is indirectly creating or altering patterns of migration. Our podcast Changing Climate, Changing Migration dives deep into the intersection of climate change and migration to separate fact from fiction.
Recent Articles
The number of people in U.S. immigrant detention has grown sharply under President Donald Trump and will likely continue to rise in coming months. The rapid ramp-up has relied on an array of nontraditional facilities as well as private prisons, and has been accompanied by allegations of harsh treatment and rising deaths. This article traces the growth and evolution of the world's largest immigration detention system.
Migration is one of the globe's defining challenges, yet researchers from academia and beyond often fail to impact policy. What is holding them back? This article examines findings from a survey of more than 1,800 academic and other researchers across 101 countries to reveal the key structural barriers they face.
Approximately 2.5 million sub-Saharan African immigrants lived in the United States in 2024—more than triple the number in 2000—with most coming from Nigeria, Ethiopia, Ghana, Kenya, or South Africa. This article offers a range of information about this diverse group, which has higher educational attainment and English proficiency than the overall immigrant population, and tends to have higher income.
Argentina's founders had a clear desire to encourage immigration, especially from Europe, and the country was for a period among the world’s top immigration destinations. Trends and policies shifted over time, and since the early 1900s overall immigration has declined. Most immigrants now come from neighboring South American countries. This country profile examines Argentina’s migration past and present, including a turn to more restrictive policymaking.
Un nivel histórico de migración está transformando las sociedades y la política en América Latina y el Caribe, dando paso a una etapa definida por la volatilidad. Este artículo analiza estas dinámicas en el Caribe y Centroamérica y Sudamérica, y analiza la probabilidad de que la región se acerque a un punto de inflexión en la gestión de la migración.
Migration is one of the globe's defining challenges, yet researchers from academia and beyond often fail to impact policy. What is holding them back? This article examines findings from a survey of more than 1,800 academic and other researchers across 101 countries to reveal the key structural barriers they face.
Un nivel histórico de migración está transformando las sociedades y la política en América Latina y el Caribe, dando paso a una etapa definida por la volatilidad. Este artículo analiza estas dinámicas en el Caribe y Centroamérica y Sudamérica, y analiza la probabilidad de que la región se acerque a un punto de inflexión en la gestión de la migración.
Amid unprecedented migration that began in 2010, Latin America and the Caribbean have entered a new era best defined by volatility. The success of initial policy responses to the displacement of millions of Venezuelans and other migration patterns has dimmed, given incomplete integration outcomes and other pressures. This article details these dynamics across the Caribbean and Central and South America.
When agricultural communities are displaced by conflict or the impacts of climate change, women often assume new roles as primary providers while men lose their traditional breadwinner status. This shift can create both opportunities and risks. This article details the dynamics, focusing on experiences in Mozambique and Zimbabwe.
The United States remains the top destination for Chinese students studying internationally, although numbers have declined significantly in recent years. Most Chinese students at U.S. colleges and universities say they have experienced discrimination, and those who have are much more likely to want return to China, according to survey data contained in this article.
Approximately 2.5 million sub-Saharan African immigrants lived in the United States in 2024—more than triple the number in 2000—with most coming from Nigeria, Ethiopia, Ghana, Kenya, or South Africa. This article offers a range of information about this diverse group, which has higher educational attainment and English proficiency than the overall immigrant population, and tends to have higher income.
People from the Philippines comprise the fourth largest U.S. immigrant group. Characteristics of this group reflect the long history of migration, dating back to before the islands' time as a U.S. colony. Filipino immigrants are more likely to be U.S. citizens, have a college degree, and higher median household incomes than immigrants overall. This article offers insights on the population's current and historical trends.
Central Americans comprise one of the fastest-growing immigrant groups in the United States, and now account for nearly one in every ten immigrants. Most Central American immigrants come from either El Salvador, Guatemala, or Honduras. Notably large shares are in the U.S. labor force and arrived since 2010. This article provides useful current and historical data and other information about this population.
Las personas de América Central representan casi uno de cada diez inmigrantes en los Estados Unidos, una población en rápido crecimiento. La mayoría de los inmigrantes centroamericanos provienen de El Salvador, Guatemala o Honduras. Este artículo proporciona información sobre la población inmigrante centroamericana en los Estados Unidos.
Worldwide, more international students head to the United States than any other country. These students contribute billions of dollars to the U.S. economy and account for about 6 percent of U.S. college and university enrollment, but trends may be changing amid new U.S. restrictions and a shifting global landscape. This article offers data about international students enrolled in U.S. higher education.
Argentina's founders had a clear desire to encourage immigration, especially from Europe, and the country was for a period among the world’s top immigration destinations. Trends and policies shifted over time, and since the early 1900s overall immigration has declined. Most immigrants now come from neighboring South American countries. This country profile examines Argentina’s migration past and present, including a turn to more restrictive policymaking.
Canada has long been viewed as a global leader in creating welcoming immigration policies. But amid pressures on housing and services, as well as a surge in admission of temporary migrants, most Canadians now say there is too much immigration. With the government lowering its targets for new arrivals, this country profile examines the factors behind Canada's policy evolution.
Denmark has gradually moved to a restrictive approach toward humanitarian protection, in a shift that has made it something of a leader for other countries—and an anomaly as it has done so under a center-left government. As this country profile explains, Danish policymakers have pioneered policies that limit protection, including making it temporary.
Norway has transformed from a historically homogeneous society to one where one-fifth of residents are immigrants or the children of immigrants. Economic opportunities, a strong welfare state, and humanitarian commitments have been instrumental for immigration, which has been both a driver of growth and a source of debate. This article provides an overview of the history and key trends in Norway.
New Zealand, once chiefly a destination for British and Irish settlers, has become a destination for temporary labor and student migration from Asia and beyond. Immigrants comprised 29 percent of the population as of 2023, but many have temporary statuses that do not offer full residence rights. This article provides a wide-ranging overview of the country's past and present trends and policies.
The number of people in U.S. immigrant detention has grown sharply under President Donald Trump and will likely continue to rise in coming months. The rapid ramp-up has relied on an array of nontraditional facilities as well as private prisons, and has been accompanied by allegations of harsh treatment and rising deaths. This article traces the growth and evolution of the world's largest immigration detention system.
The Trump administration has expanded its use of expedited removal in unprecedented ways, transforming what previously had been a somewhat limited authority into a potent tool to assist with its mass deportations drive. This article traces how the administration has sought to expand the reach of the nearly 30-year-old fast-track power beyond the border.
U.S. immigration enforcement is undergoing a marked transformation, as state and local law enforcement authorities—once largely on the sidelines—have become central partners to the Trump administration. State and local participation is growing in size and scope, including the signing of hundreds of 287(g) deputization agreements, opening of Florida's Alligator Alcatraz, and Texas's multibillion-dollar Operation Lone Star.
The Trump administration has launched an ambitious campaign to encourage “self-deportation” as a complement to its muscular immigration enforcement operations. While a somewhat similar U.S. attempt in 2008 was considered a failure and international "pay-to-go" programs have occurred on a smaller scale than envisioned by Trump officials, the administration is hoping it can now succeed through an unmatched combination of carrots and sticks, as this article details.
In its bid to ramp up deportations, the Trump administration is granting ICE access to a swath of government databases that were previously off limits for immigration enforcement, including sensitive tax and Social Security records. This article details the growing digital arsenal of government and commercial databases that ICE can tap to identify and arrest removable noncitizens, and how this unprecedented data sharing has its roots in the post-9/11 era.
