E.g., 09/21/2023
E.g., 09/21/2023
Immigration Policy & Law

Immigration Policy & Law

Civil Liberties
Comprehensive Immigration Reform
DREAM Act/Deferred Action
Employment-Based Immigration
Family Reunification
Integration Policy
International Students
Legalization/Regularization
Selection Systems
Visa Policy
_ImmigrationPolicy+Law

Immigration legislative and administrative policies, legal statutes and court decisions, and regulations collectively shape nations' immigration systems—from visa allotments and immigrant-selection mechanisms to immigrant integration programs, border controls, and more. As international migration has increased in size and spread and as a number of nations are more flexibly adjusting their immigration systems, the research offered here examines the many permutations of immigration policy and law, often with a comparative lens.

Recent Activity

Beyond Work: Reducing Social Isolation for Refugee Women and Other Marginalized Newcomers
Reports
January 2020
Beyond Work: Reducing Social Isolation for Refugee Women and Other Marginalized Newcomers
By  Natalia Banulescu-Bogdan
CitizenshipWorkshop SEATLEOIRA Flickr AlabastroPhotography
Commentaries
December 2019
USCIS Fee Increase Proposed Rule Could Represent the Latest Step in Reshaping Immigration to United States
By  Jessica Bolter and Doris Meissner
Integrating Refugees and Asylum Seekers into the German Economy and Society: Empirical Evidence and Policy Objectives
Reports
December 2019
Integrating Refugees and Asylum Seekers into the German Economy and Society: Empirical Evidence and Policy Objectives
By  Herbert Brücker, Philipp Jaschke and Yuliya Kosyakova
Refugee Sponsorship Programs: A Global State of Play and Opportunities for Investment
Policy Briefs
December 2019
Refugee Sponsorship Programs: A Global State of Play and Opportunities for Investment
By  Susan Fratzke, Lena Kainz, Hanne Beirens, Emma Dorst and Jessica Bolter
TimesSquareTourists
Articles
December 5, 2019
Temporary Visa Holders in the United States
By Brittany Blizzard and Jeanne Batalova
Cover of the report Volunteers and Sponsors: A Catalyst for Refugee Integration?
Reports
November 2019
Volunteers and Sponsors: A Catalyst for Refugee Integration?
By  Susan Fratzke and Emma Dorst
DACA rally in front of Supreme Court
Articles
November 21, 2019
Will Supreme Court Ruling on DACA Finally Force Congress to Break the Ice on Immigration Reform?
By Muzaffar Chishti and Jessica Bolter
Coverthumb KansasCity Immigrants Health
Policy Briefs
November 2019
Health Insurance Coverage of Immigrants and Latinos in the Kansas City Metro Area
By  Randy Capps and Ariel G. Ruiz Soto

Pages

Thumb RemovalsOverview2014
Reports
April 2014
The Deportation Dilemma: Reconciling Tough and Humane Enforcement
By  Marc R. Rosenblum and Doris Meissner
cover thumb MainstreamingGeneralReport
Reports
March 2014
The Future of Immigrant Integration in Europe: Mainstreaming Approaches for Inclusion
By  Elizabeth Collett and Milica Petrovic
GAState COVERTHUMB
Reports
March 2014
Education Reform in a Changing Georgia: Promoting High School and College Success for Immigrant Youth
By  Sarah Hooker, Michael Fix and Margie McHugh
cover BadActors Papademetriou Somerville
Reports
January 2014
A Strategic Framework for Creating Legality and Order in Immigration
By  Demetrios G. Papademetriou and Will Somerville
cover lessons of IRCA
Policy Briefs
January 2014
IRCA in Retrospect: Guideposts for Today’s Immigration Reform
By  Muzaffar Chishti and Charles Kamasaki
cover BadActors TradeOffs
Reports
January 2014
Trade-Offs in Immigration Enforcement
By  Elizabeth Collett and Will Somerville
Cover ManagingBorders
Books
December 2013
Managing Borders in an Increasingly Borderless World
cover MPIE Benefits
Policy Briefs
November 2013
Reaping the Benefits? Social Security Coordination for Mobile EU Citizens
By  Meghan Benton

Pages

BerlinSeesSyria ekvidi Flickr
Profile
August 31, 2016
The New Reality: Germany Adapts to Its Role as a Major Migrant Magnet

Although long one of the world's top migrant destinations, only in the recent past has Germany come to acknowledge and adjust to its role as a country of immigration. Its welcoming approach—a relatively new development—has been put to the test amid massive humanitarian inflows beginning in 2015. This country profile examines Germany's history on immigration and highlights current and emerging debates.

worldbank bogota traffic
Feature
August 23, 2016
Free Movement in South America: The Emergence of an Alternative Model?

In contrast to increasingly restrictive approaches to migration in the global North—and recent skepticism towards Europe's free mobility project—South America is taking steps in the other direction, toward free movement for regional migrants. This article examines the emerging South American model and discusses its implications for migration in the region and for free movement in general.

CitizenshipF_amily2
Spotlight
August 10, 2016
Naturalization Trends in the United States

More than 653,000 immigrants became U.S. citizens in fiscal year 2014, bringing the total number of naturalized U.S. citizens to 20 million—nearly half the overall immigrant population of 42.4 million. Over the past decade, naturalizations have ranged from about 537,000 yearly to just more than 1 million. Learn more about naturalization trends in the United States with this Spotlight article.

TrumpRNC IdaMaeAstute ABC
Policy Beat
July 28, 2016
Republican and Democratic Party Platforms Reflect Parallel Universes on Immigration Policy

The stark contrast between the Republican and Democratic parties on immigration was codified in their 2016 party platforms, and showcased in the rosters of convention speakers—featuring victims of unauthorized immigrant crimes on the one hand, and unauthorized immigrants living in fear on the other. This article explores the evidence, even compared to earlier platforms, of two divergent universes regarding immigration.

VisaApplicant USConsulate GeneralChennai Flickr
Feature
July 21, 2016
Chasing Growth: The Role of National Economies in U.S. Visa Refusal Rates

As many as half of all unauthorized immigrants in the United States entered legally and overstayed a visa. This article explores a possible way to refine visa policies: Examine the economic growth of travelers' home countries. The author examines the correlation between economic growth and the rate at which a country’s nationals are denied visas, and explores how this might inform visa policy.

Pages

archive >
_Airports
Audio
August 26, 2011

Through the Prism of National Security: Major Immigration Policy and Program Changes in the Decade since 9/11

With the ten year anniversary of the September 11, 2001 attacks approaching, the Migration Policy Institute held a conference call to discuss the most significant changes that have occurred in the immigration arena in the decade since the attacks.

EVENT%20PHOTO%202011.6.13%20Recession1web[1]
Audio
June 13, 2011

Migration and Great Recession: The Transatlantic Experience

This Migration Policy Institute event was held to discuss the release of MPI's book, Migration and the Great Recession: The Transatlantic Experience, which reviews how the financial and economic crisis of the late 2000s marked a sudden and dramatic interruption in international migration trends.

multimedia 8thLAPC
Video
April 26, 2011

8th Annual Immigration Law and Policy Conference

The conference offered law and policy analysis and discussion on cutting-edge immigration issues. Featured panelists included high-ranking government officials, academics, advocates, and other immigration experts.
multimedia ExecAction
Video, Audio
March 14, 2011

Steps to Fix the U.S. Immigration System: What Can the Administration Do?

This discussion focuses on the MPI report, "Executive Action on Immigration: Six Ways to Make the System Work Better," which outlines administrative actions that can be implemented to improve the immigration system.

event_holzer_2011
Video, Audio
January 13, 2011

Does Low-Skilled Immigration Hurt the U.S. Economy? Assessing the Evidence

In a report by MPI's Labor Markets Initiative, noted economist and Georgetown University Public Policy Institute Professor Harry J. Holzer examines the economic reasoning and research on these questions and looks at the policy options that shape the impact of less-skilled immigration on the economy. The discussion is on what policy reform would best serve native-born American workers, consumers, and employers, as well as the overall U.S. economy.

Pages

Recent Activity

Reports
January 2020

Beyond Work: Reducing Social Isolation for Refugee Women and Other Marginalized Newcomers

As migrant- and refugee-receiving countries in Europe, North America, and beyond prioritize services that are focused on employment, language instruction, and civic integration, newcomers who are not in the workplace are at high risk for social isolation. As a result, societies should reconsider what successful integration looks like for vulnerable newcomers who will never find traditional employment or who need a longer-than-average timeline to get there.

Commentaries
December 2019

USCIS Fee Increase Proposed Rule Could Represent the Latest Step in Reshaping Immigration to United States

While much attention has been given to the move by U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services to raise its application fees—including an 83 percent hike to apply for U.S. citizenship—the policy changes embedded in the proposed rule have been less scrutinized. The changes, including the elimination of most fee waivers for lower-income applicants, would likely reduce the number and shift the profile of those getting a green card or other immigration status.

Reports
December 2019

Integrating Refugees and Asylum Seekers into the German Economy and Society: Empirical Evidence and Policy Objectives

As the top destination in Europe for asylum seekers in recent years, Germany has rolled out a number of integration policy changes. Based on an early look at how newcomers’ integration is progressing, the report finds the policies have had ambiguous implications. The report also provides insights into the demographic and socioeconomic characteristics of the asylum seeker and refugee population.

Policy Briefs
December 2019

Refugee Sponsorship Programs: A Global State of Play and Opportunities for Investment

From Argentina to New Zealand and points beyond, a growing number of countries have begun exploring refugee sponsorship as a way to expand protection capacity at a time of rising need, involving individuals and communities more directly in resettlement. This brief takes stock of what both new and well-established programs need to succeed, and outlines opportunities for private philanthropic actors to support them.

Articles
December 5, 2019

Temporary Visa Holders in the United States

In fiscal year 2018, the U.S. State Department issued 9 million temporary visas, a 7 percent decrease from the previous year. Temporary visa issuance has been declining in recent years, and the Trump administration’s immigration priorities may help explain this trend. This Spotlight explores visa issuance and admission, and highlights key demographic information on visitors for pleasure and business, temporary workers, and foreign students.

 

Reports
November 2019

Volunteers and Sponsors: A Catalyst for Refugee Integration?

Rising numbers of refugees and asylum seekers in Europe and North America have been matched by an equally unprecedented outpouring of public support. How can service providers most effectively harness this volunteering? This report considers where community members can add the most value to integration efforts and offers recommendations for how policymakers can facilitate the effective engagement of communities in integration initiatives.

Articles
November 21, 2019

Will Supreme Court Ruling on DACA Finally Force Congress to Break the Ice on Immigration Reform?

The fate of the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program has ping ponged between all three branches of government. But with the Supreme Court poised to decide DACA's future in spring 2020, Congress may finally be forced to act to resolve the status of DREAMers after nearly two decades of considering various DREAM Act bills. Could this break the long stalemate Congress has had on passing substantive immigration legislation, and pave the way for other actions?

Policy Briefs
November 2019

Health Insurance Coverage of Immigrants and Latinos in the Kansas City Metro Area

Latinos and immigrants are at least twice as likely to lack health insurance coverage as the overall population in the Kansas City metropolitan area. This gap that has significant implications for the region, as Latinos and immigrants will form an ever-growing share of the area’s labor force and tax base amid anticipated declines in the native-born, non-Latino population.

Pages