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It Is Too Simple to Call 2021 a Record Year for Migration at the U.S.-Mexico Border

While there were more encounters of migrants seeking to cross the U.S.-Mexico border without authorization during fiscal 2021 than any prior year, this does not necessarily mean that more migrants were intercepted or illicitly entered the country than was the case 21 years ago, a new commentary explains.

U.S. Border Patrol agents prepare to process migrant encountered near Arizona

Refugee Resettlement and Complementary Pathways: Opportunities for growth

Resettlement reaches fewer than 1 percent of refugees annually. To scale protection, labor, education, and sponsorship pathways are being used but face persistent barriers.

An Ethiopian resettled refugee mother and her son in the United States, where she works as a caseworker with other refugees

Migration Management and Border Security: Lessons Learned

Former CBP Commissioner Alan Bersin draws on North American and European migration crises to recommend a multilateral, networked approach to border management.

Healing the Gap: Building inclusive public-health and migrant integration systems in Europe

COVID-19 deepened migrant health disparities in Europe. This report suggests a coordinated, prevention-focused approach that shifts beyond emergency-driven responses.

An Eritrean refugee is examined by a nurse at a Swiss clinic

‘Diversifying’ Social Investment: European welfare states and immigrant integration in the wake of the COVID-19 crisis

COVID-19 exposed deep welfare gaps for migrants in Europe. Diversifying social investment with tailored, needs-based support can advance integration outcomes and social cohesion.

Mother and daughter sitting at a desk for an appointment

Immigrants’ U.S. Labor Market Disadvantage in the COVID-19 Economy: The Role of Geography and Industries of Employment

Immigrants faced steeper labor losses than U.S.-born workers during the COVID-19 pandemic, driven by concentration in high-risk industries and geographic clusters hit hardest.

Different Statuses, Different Benefits: Determining Federal Assistance for Afghan Evacuees

Afghans evacuated to the United States are entering with a range of legal statuses, with important implications for their ability to access benefits and services that will help them settle into their new communities. This commentary outlines the different statuses and resulting consequences for eligibility for assistance, based on whether the arrivals are recognized as refugees, Special Immigrant Visa (SIV) recipients, or parolees.

Photo of Secretary of State Antony J. Blinken meeting with Afghan evacuees in Germany

From Jailers to Case Managers: Redesigning the U.S. Immigration Detention System to Be Effective and Fair

U.S. immigration detention cost up to $200 per person per day in fiscal year 2021. Shifting to case management and supervised release can reduce costs and improve outcomes.

Immigrants in an outdoor space at Eloy Federal Contract Facility

Taking the Long View: Options for inclusive post-pandemic labor markets

Migrants in Europe bore outsized COVID-19 job losses. Entrepreneurship, social economy pathways, and employment services reform can support a more inclusive recovery.

German seamstress works with a trainee Syrian refugee at a fashion workshop

Biden Administration Asylum Processing Revamp at the U.S. Border Could Be a Game Changer

The Biden administration’s proposed asylum processing rule represents a fundamental retooling of the asylum system that preserves asylum as a bedrock element of the U.S. immigration system while also recognizing that a secure border and deterring unlawful crossings are legitimate and necessary attributes of an effective, credible immigration system, as this commentary explains.