Commentary
Showing 21–30 of 193 results
Repealing Birthright Citizenship Would Significantly Increase the Size of the U.S. Unauthorized Population
Repealing birthright citizenship for babies born on U.S. soil to unauthorized immigrants or temporary visa holders would have a contrary result from its stated aim of reducing the unauthorized immigrant population. Projections from MPI and Penn State show that ending birthright citizenship would increase the unauthorized population by 2.7 million as of 2045 and by 5.4 million as of 2075.
Schools and Immigrant Students Navigate an Era of Rising Immigration Enforcement
U.S. schools are developing guidance to govern responses in the event of ICE operations. Safe zone initiatives, rooted in legal protections such as the Fourth Amendment, Plyler v. Doe, and 1964 Civil Rights Act, aim to keep schools in compliance with federal and state law, minimize classroom disruption, and ensure consistent attendance, though their success depends on effective implementation, as this short read explains.
The Forgotten Side of Deportation: The Cost of Ignoring Returnees’ Reintegration Challenges
As the U.S. government seeks to ramp up deportations, greater focus should be given to the reception and reintegration of returnees to Mexico and Central America. Despite modest improvements, reception and reintegration programs in these countries have been largely ineffective at improving returnees' long-term conditions—often the same ones that prompted their original migration.
El lado olvidado de la deportación: El costo de ignorar los retos de reintegración de los retornados
A medida que el gobierno estadounidense busca intensificar las deportaciones, se debe poner mayor enfoque a la recepción y reintegración de los retornados a México y Centroamérica. A pesar de modestos mejoramientos, los programas de recepción y reintegración en estos países han sido en gran medida ineficaces para aliviar las condiciones a largo plazo de los retornados, de hecho, a menudo son las mismas que motivaron su migración original.
Can Innovation Help Blunt the Impact of Foreign Aid Cuts on Migration Management Programs?
The termination of what MPI estimates is up to $2.3 billion in yearly U.S. foreign aid earmarked for migration and displacement projects leaves a vast gap that other international donors are unlikely to fill, particularly as European countries are themselves cutting their assistance. This short read posits three scenarios that may emerge, including one in which these funding shocks unleash long-discussed innovations and efficiencies in migration management and displacement programming.
Shifting Priorities: How the Official English Executive Order Could Affect Language Access Efforts
President Trump’s executive order proclaiming English the country's official language marks a major shift in federal language access policy—revoking longstanding mandates and leaving federal agencies with broad discretion in provision of information and services in other languages. The action raises questions about how federal, state, and local agencies administering federally funded programs will adapt to ensure language barriers do not impede public access to essential services.
The Unauthorized Immigrant Population Expands amid Record U.S.-Mexico Border Arrivals
The U.S. unauthorized immigrant population stood at 13.7 million as of mid-2023. The result of strong U.S. economic recovery from the pandemic and displacement in Latin America, the increase in the size of the unauthorized population is accompanied by a diversifying makeup in nationalities. As Mexico's share of the overall unauthorized population has declined, the shares from Central and South America, in particular, have increased.
Amid Tariff Threats, Migration Management Is Key to the Evolving Trump-Sheinbaum Relationship
The Trump administration is threatening tariffs on Mexico to achieve migration management aims, as it did in 2019. The landscape is far different in 2025, though. Mexican cooperation is at far higher levels than in 2019 and Mexico is essential to many of the Trump border goals—giving it greater leverage than before. Negotiations that recognize both countries' goals, capacities, and legal frameworks are essential to effective outcomes, this short read argues.
Entre amenazas arancelarias, la gestión de la migración es clave para la evolución de la relación Trump-Sheinbaum
La administración Trump amenaza con imponer aranceles a México para lograr sus objetivos de gestión migratoria, como lo hizo en 2019. Sin embargo, el panorama es muy diferente en 2025. La cooperación mexicana para el control migratorio alcanza niveles mucho más altos que en 2019, lo que le otorga mayor influencia que antes. Este Foco analítico sostiene que las negociaciones que reconozcan los objetivos y las capacidades de ambos países son esenciales para lograr resultados efectivos.
Policy Paradox: How robust host-country support for Ukrainian refugees can foster integration and return
European governments hosting Ukrainian refugees have an opportunity to craft policies that deepen local inclusion while also fortifying Ukrainians if they seek to return home. By prioritizing comprehensive and durable support systems now, leaders can lay the groundwork for a future that benefits both those who stay and those who eventually choose to return, as this MPI Europe short read explains.
