Deportations/Returns: Research
El perfil de los migrantes guatemaltecos que están siendo forzados a retornar a Guatemala ha mostrado señales de cambio. Con frecuencia los migrantes retornados han permanecido fuera del país por períodos más prolongados y han establecido raíces en el extranjero. Este informe analiza las oportunidades para fortalecer los servicios de reintegración, dadas las características cambiantes de los migrantes retornados.
The profile of Guatemalans forcibly returned to Guatemala is shifting, with returnees often having been outside of the country for longer periods and establishing roots abroad. This report examines opportunities to strengthen reintegration services, given the changing characteristics of returnees.
Policymakers across the European Union are seeking ways to incentivize third-country nationals with return orders to comply and voluntarily depart. This study examines whether and how two such measures—return counselling and reintegration assistance—can play a role in migrant decision-making, taking the Netherlands as a case study.
The U.S. immigration court system faces an unprecedented crisis, with nearly 3.8 million pending cases as of mid-2025. This years-long backlog has undermined both timely immigration enforcement and grants of asylum to those in need of protection. This policy brief offers concrete actions that could make proceedings more efficient and more fair.
Many migrant-origin countries are developing policies and institutional structures to support their returning nationals, driven by safety concerns, emergencies, and in some cases pressure from destination countries. This policy brief examines these developments and identifies opportunities to better align local services, national policies, and donor support to strengthen international cooperation on migrant returns and reintegration.
No country has been more critical to U.S. border enforcement than Mexico, with Mexican policies central to reductions in irregular border arrivals witnessed since the start of 2024. As the United States and Mexico navigate the next chapter in their long-standing engagement on migration issues, this policy brief provides an account of how migration patterns and policy responses changed in recent years and the challenges ahead.
With heightened pressure to tackle irregular migration, many European governments are exploring the potential of outreach and counselling for irregular migrants. Various initiatives have sought to connect with this hard-to-reach population to inform migrants about programs including return assistance or regularization. This MPI Europe issue brief explores the diversity of actors and approaches in the field.
Numbers play a major role in European debates and policymaking related to irregular migration. Yet, reliable data and estimates of irregular migrant populations, border crossings, and other relevant topics are often patchy. This policy brief explores factors that contribute to this uneven data landscape, how this affects policymaking, and potential strategies for strengthening the evidence base.
Pages
