North America

Unanswered Questions Surround ICE's Secure Communities Program

The U.S. Secure Communities program operated in 1,080 jurisdictions in 2011.

Middle Eastern and North African Immigrants in the United States

In 2008, Middle Eastern and North African immigrants in the United States outpaced the overall foreign born in college attainment.

A New Architecture for Border Management

Information-driven, risk-based “smart border” systems push controls away from the physical frontier toward advance data screening, while raising ethical concerns.

Executive Action on Immigration: Six Ways to Make the System Work Better

Six executive actions could improve U.S. border control, integration, legal admissions, and fairness in enforcement without new laws.

Securing the Border: Building on the Progress Made

Transatlantic Cooperation on Travelers' Data Processing: From Sorting Countries to Sorting Individuals

Transatlantic cooperation on traveler data now targets individuals. Lasting agreements must bridge U.S.–EU gaps on privacy and redress.

Re-envisioning Security and the Movement of People

Post-9/11 policies recast U.S. immigration as a security tool, but "mobility security" argues that protecting legal migration is just as vital as preventing terrorist travel.

Filling Labor Shortages through Immigration: An Overview of Shortage Lists and their Implications

Shortage lists aim to fill high-need occupations through immigration, but measurement gaps and time lags mean they often miss the mark.

Quiet Demise of the Virtual Fence

After more than $1 billion in funding, the United States’ virtual border fence program was cancelled in January 2011.

Immigrants in New-Destination States

In 2009, U.S. immigrants in new-destination states tended to be younger.