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WASHINGTON, DC — The refugee resettlement consultation process between federal, state and local stakeholders is falling short as the U.S. government has turned to new temporary and emergency humanitarian pathways to bring in sizeable numbers of people in need of protection, a Migration Policy Institute (MPI) report out today finds.
WASHINGTON — Migrants and displaced persons increasingly are making the move from rural areas and settling in small and mid-sized urban cities, particularly in sub-Saharan Africa, which is one of the world’s most rapidly urbanizing regions. Drawn by the promise of greater job opportunities and more direct access to health, education and social services, these newcomers are part of a growing population boom in cities of 150,000 to 5 million people.
WASHINGTON — The Houston metro area, a vibrant region known for its dynamic economy and cultural diversity, has seen significant growth and change in its immigrant population. Nearly one-quarter of the population in the nine-county metro area is comprised of immigrants, well above the Texas share of 17 percent and U.S. share of 13.6 percent. In fact, just under half of all children under age 18 in the Houston area live in a household with at least one immigrant parent.
BRUSSELS — As governments increasingly involve communities in supporting the reception and integration of arriving refugees, success turns how well matched the newcomers are with individual sponsors and local supports and services, as well as the quality of relationships with employers, mentors and hosts.
A fact sheet from MPI’s National Center on Immigrant Integration Policy draws on analysis of U.S. Census Bureau and U.S. Department of Education data to explore the characteristics of recently arrived immigrant children.
BRUSSELS — The widespread use of private hosting in response to the displacement of nearly 6 million Ukrainians elsewhere in Europe offers valuable lessons for welcoming refugees through resettlement, sponsorship and asylum systems, new research from the Building Capacity for Private Sponsorship in the European Union (CAPS-EU) Project finds.
WASHINGTON, DC — For a range of economic, social and security-related reasons, governments in Latin America and the Caribbean have opted to regularize a significant share of the estimated 6.5 million Venezuelans living in their countries. Registration and regularization programs have allowed Venezuelan migrants and refugees to access basic services and formal labor market opportunities, as well as promoted their long-term integration and socioeconomic inclusion.
WASHINGTON, DC — Los gobiernos de América Latina y el Caribe han tomado la decisión de regularizar a una parte considerable de los aproximadamente 6,5 millones de venezolanos que residen en sus respectivos territorios, motivados por diversas razones de índole económica, social y de seguridad. Estos programas de registro y regularización han posibilitado que los migrantes y refugiados venezolanos tengan acceso a servicios básicos y oportunidades en el mercado laboral formal, así como han contribuido a impulsar su integración a largo plazo y su inclusión socioeconómica.
WASHINGTON, DC — One in every six adults in the United States is an immigrant. These immigrant adults contribute to the vitality of the U.S. economy and local communities, but at the same time often face barriers to their integration and economic mobility. These barriers include limited English proficiency, lower levels of formal education, persistent employment in low-wage jobs and unfamiliarity with U.S. institutions and society.
WASHINGTON, DC — Even as U.S. college enrollment has been on the decline since peaking in 2011, immigrant-origin students have comprised ever-larger shares of students on college and university campuses, in the process ushering in growing diversity, a new Migration Policy Institute (MPI) analysis finds.
WASHINGTON, DC — The reintegration challenges that returned migrants typically confront, including finding work and accessing basic services, are compounded in areas where slow- and rapid-onset climate events are negatively affecting livelihoods, housing supply and community dynamics. With many of the low- and middle-income countries that receive returnees experiencing some of the harshest impacts of climate change, the issue of “green” approaches to reintegration is getting some attention.
BRUSSELS — In response to recent humanitarian crises — Syria, Venezuela, Afghanistan and Ukraine among them — and the recognition that fewer than 4 per cent of refugees are resettled yearly, more countries in Europe and beyond are exploring the potential of sponsorship programmes to open up more pathways for refugee protection and integration.
WASHINGTON, DC — The Migration Policy Institute (MPI) today released its newest estimates of the size and top countries of origin of the unauthorized immigrant population in the United States, estimating the number at 11.2 million in 2021. That figure is up from 11.0 million in 2019—a larger annual growth rate than seen since 2015.
WASHINGTON, DC — The U.S. labor force is trending towards a demographic cliff—spurred by low birth rates and an aging population. Automation and artificial intelligence continue to significantly transform the workplace. And the United States is facing growing competition from other countries for international talent. All of these trends underscore the need for U.S. policymakers and higher education and workforce development leaders to deliver a skilled and productive workforce that can adapt to emerging technologies and uphold U.S. global competitiveness.
WASHINGTON, DC — While the COVID-19 pandemic took a harsh toll on all students in U.S. elementary and secondary classrooms, it had a disproportionate impact on the nation’s 5 million English Learners (ELs). The move to remote instruction exacerbated existing inequities EL students face, as they were less likely to have access to broadband and more likely to experience family language barriers with school officials. They also saw their access to essential English language development services and learning support disrupted.
WASHINGTON — The U.S. immigration courts—and the federal immigration enforcement system they support—are facing an unprecedented crisis. With a backlog of nearly 2 million cases, more than 700,000 of which were received last fiscal year, as well as resource and decision-making constraints, it can take years for the system’s 650 or so immigration judges to render decisions. Asylum seekers, who represent 40 percent of the courts’ caseload, now wait four years on average for their initial asylum hearing to be scheduled, with final decisions farther off.
BRUSSELS — Refugee resettlement programs globally are facing tough times. Resettlement numbers were dramatically cut during the COVID-19 pandemic, with just 34,400 refugee admissions in 2020 as compared to 107,800 the year before. Additionally, large-scale displacement crises, including in Ukraine and Afghanistan, have diverted resources and attention away from resettlement programs towards emergency responses.
WASHINGTON, DC — While European assisted voluntary return and reintegration (AVRR) programs are meant to provide a safer and more dignified way for migrants to return to their countries of origin, their results have been mixed. The effectiveness of short-term assistance has been hindered by community and structural conditions in origin countries, including weak public services and limited opportunities in local economies.
WASHINGTON, DC — After recent years in which the number of refugees resettled in the United States hit historical lows, U.S. refugee resettlement is slowly increasing. In the first eight months of fiscal year (FY) 2023, nearly 31,800 refugees were resettled in the United States—up from the all-time low of 11,400 in FY 2021 and more than any year since FY 2017, according to a Migration Policy Institute (MPI) article released today.
WASHINGTON, DC — Despite the growing focus on engaging refugees to ensure their unique knowledge and perspectives are considered as pressing protection and displacement challenges are addressed, there is little evidence whether this participation is occurring in meaningful ways or resulting in effective policy design and implementation.