E.g., 03/26/2023
E.g., 03/26/2023
North America

North America

United States
Canada
Mexico

North America is a dynamic migration region, with the United States home to more immigrants than any other country in the world, the Mexico-U.S. corridor the globe's top migration corridor, and Canada a leading destination for migrants. Research collected here focuses on everything from visa policy and border management to immigrant integration, national identity, the demographics of immigrants in the region and their educational and workforce outcomes, and ways to more effectively use migration policy as a lever for national and regional competitiveness.

U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken and other leaders at the 2022 Summit of the Americas
Commentaries

The Los Angeles Declaration Could Represent a Big Step for Real Migration Cooperation across the Americas

The Los Angeles Agreement on Migration and Protection signed by leaders from 20 countries across the Western Hemisphere at the 2022 Summit of the Americas marks a significant step forward in creating a common language and a coherent set of ideas for more cooperatively managing migration movements across a region that has seen very significant mobility in recent years, as this commentary explains.

Recent Activity

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Fact Sheets
April 2017
The First 100 Days: Summary of Major Immigration Actions Taken by the Trump Administration
By  Sela Cowger, Jessica Bolter and Sarah Pierce
EVENT PHOTO 2017.4.24 100 Days into Trumps Term and Immigration Action Muz Doris
Multimedia
April 24, 2017
The First 100 Days: Immigration Policy in the Trump Administration
Guatemalans EricChan Flickr
Articles
April 21, 2017
Inmigrantes Centroamericanos en los Estados Unidos
By Gabriel Lesser and Jeanne Batalova
Attorney General Jeff Sessions in the White House briefing room.
Articles
April 20, 2017
Despite Little Action Yet by Trump Administration on Sanctuary Cities, States and Localities Rush to Respond to Rhetoric
By Muzaffar Chishti and Sarah Pierce
The Economic Integration of Refugees in Canada: A Mixed Record?
Reports
April 2017
The Economic Integration of Refugees in Canada: A Mixed Record?
By  Lori Wilkinson and Joseph Garcea
Guatemalans EricChan Flickr
Articles
April 5, 2017
Central American Immigrants in the United States
By Gabriel Lesser and Jeanne Batalova
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Policy Briefs
April 2017
Trump Executive Order and DHS Implementation Memo on Border Enforcement: A Brief Review
By  Faye Hipsman and Doris Meissner
WatchingCity ICE
Articles
March 22, 2017
Muscular Public Relations Strategy to Paint Immigrants and Immigration as Negatives Embedded Deep Within Trump Executive Orders
By Muzaffar Chishti, Sarah Pierce, and Jessica Bolter

Pages

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Policy Briefs
June 2003
Does 'Smarter' Lead to Safer? An Assessment of the Border Accords with Canada and Mexico
By  Deborah W. Meyers
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Policy Briefs
April 2003
Reconciling Refugee Protection and Security Concerns in Wartime: The Case of Iraq
By  Monette Zard and Erin Patrick
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Policy Briefs
April 2003
Immigration Policy and the Homeland Security Act Reorganization: An Early Agenda for Practical Improvements
By  David A. Martin
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Reports
April 2003
Discussion on Migration and Development: Using Remittances and Circular Migration as Drivers for Development
By  Kevin O'Neil
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Reports
March 2003
America's Challenge: Domestic Security, Civil Liberties, and National Unity After September 11
By  Muzaffar Chishti, Doris Meissner, Demetrios G. Papademetriou, Michael Wishnie, Stephen Yale-Loehr and Jay Peterzell
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Reports
March 2003
Women Immigrants in the United States
By  Deborah W. Meyers and Maia Jachimowicz
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Policy Briefs
February 2003
Census 2010 and the Foreign Born: Averting the Data Crisis
By  Elizabeth Grieco
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Policy Briefs
June 2002
Reconcilable Differences? An Evaluation of Current INS Restructuring Proposals
By  Demetrios G. Papademetriou and Deborah W. Meyers

Pages

Feature
August 2, 2012
Shaping Citizenship Policies to Strengthen Immigrant Integration

In recent years, many governments have tightened their citizenship requirements as a way to promote better immigrant integration. In examining citizenship policy in the United States, Canada, and countries in the European Union, this article considers the balance policymakers face between requirements that may be too difficult for immigrants to meet and ones that will better help them find success in their new countries of residence.

Spotlight
July 26, 2012
European Immigrants in the United States

In the past 50 years, the number and share of European immigrants in the United States have declined significantly. A look at the population's size, geographic distribution, admission categories, and demographic and socioeconomic characteristics.

Feature
July 19, 2012
Limited English Proficient Workers and the Workforce Investment Act: Challenges and Opportunities

Though little recognized as such, the Workforce Investment Act represents one of the most important immigrant integration initiatives in the United States, assisting workers in obtaining the necessary training and language skills to advance in the workforce. Despite a steady increase of immigrants in need of these services, a decreasing share are able to access the programs to keep pace with a changing labor market.

Spotlight
June 27, 2012
Foreign-Born Health Care Workers in the United States

There were 1.8 million immigrant health care workers employed in the United States in 2010, accounting for 16 percent of all civilians working in health care occupations. MPI's Kristen McCabe examines the demographic and labor characteristics of this population, including countries of origin, occupations, gender, and educational and linguistic proficiency.

Policy Beat
June 20, 2012
Challenges Ahead on Implementing Executive Action to Prevent Deportation of Unauthorized Youth

The Obama administration’s decision to shield from deportation unauthorized immigrant youth who meet certain qualifications represents the boldest immigration policy undertaken by this White House. MPI’s Muzaffar Chishti and Faye Hipsman examine what comes next and explore some of the new policy’s unanswered questions and implementation challenges.

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Recent Activity

Fact Sheets
April 2017

The First 100 Days: Summary of Major Immigration Actions Taken by the Trump Administration

During his first 100 days in office, President Trump has taken a sweeping set of actions on immigration, ranging from imposing a travel ban to cutting refugee admissions, "extreme" vetting, and fortifying immigration enforcement at the border and in the U.S. interior. This fact sheet examines the major immigration actions taken to date, legal challenges, and related policy and personnel developments.

Audio
April 24, 2017

The First 100 Days: Immigration Policy in the Trump Administration

As the 100-day milestone for the Trump administration approaches, MPI's Doris Meissner and Muzaffar Chishti are joined by the former Director of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, Julie Myers Wood, and former DHS Assistant Secretary for Policy and Planning C. Stewart Verdery for a discussion of the administration's track record to date on immigration, the policies articulated in its executive orders, legal challenges, reactions by publics and policymakers, and the possible long-term effects of these policies.

Articles
April 21, 2017

Inmigrantes Centroamericanos en los Estados Unidos

La migración centroamericana a los Estados Unidos comenzó en gran números en los años ochenta, impulsada por la inestabilidad política, los desastres naturales y las dificultades económicas. Aproximadamente 3,4 millones de centroamericanos vivieron en los Estados Unidos en 2015, principalmente de El Salvador, Guatemala y Honduras. Dónde viven en los Estados Unidos, su competencia en inglés, su estado legal, las vías de inmigración, y más, están cubiertos en este artículo.

Articles
April 20, 2017

Despite Little Action Yet by Trump Administration on Sanctuary Cities, States and Localities Rush to Respond to Rhetoric

While Donald Trump often pledged as candidate to strip federal funding from jurisdictions—known as sanctuary cities—that do not fully cooperate with federal immigration enforcement, no direct action blocking funding has yet occurred. Still, strong statements from the President and Attorney General have spurred a flurry of responses by state and local governments, some adjusting their policies to cooperate fully, others setting limits.

Reports
April 2017

The Economic Integration of Refugees in Canada: A Mixed Record?

Refugees in Canada have experienced mixed success when it comes to economic outcomes. While they struggle to enter the labor market, over time they catch up to other immigrants and the Canadian born. This report examines the web of programs that facilitate refugee integration, as well as differences in outcomes—including for those who are privately sponsored or resettled by the government.

Articles
April 5, 2017

Central American Immigrants in the United States

Central American migration to the United States began in large numbers in the 1980s, fueled by political instability, natural disaster, and economic hardship. Approximately 3.4 million Central Americans lived in the United States in 2015, primarily from El Salvador, Guatemala, and Honduras. Where they live in the United States, their English proficiency, legal status, immigration pathways, and more are covered in this article.

Policy Briefs
April 2017

Trump Executive Order and DHS Implementation Memo on Border Enforcement: A Brief Review

On January 25, 2017, President Trump signed an executive order laying out a series of border enforcement mandates, including constructing a wall along the U.S.-Mexico border and expanding the use of expedited removal. This brief summarizes and analyzes key provisions of the executive order and accompanying Department of Homeland Security implementation guidance, comparing them to earlier policy and practice.

Articles
March 22, 2017

Muscular Public Relations Strategy to Paint Immigrants and Immigration as Negatives Embedded Deep Within Trump Executive Orders

Beyond representing first steps on key campaign promises, President Trump's executive orders on immigration mandate sweeping data collection and reporting in ways that seek to underscore societal and economic costs with no countervailing attention to positive effects from immigration. This article explores the news-making machinery embedded in the orders and how the reporting requirements might help further the administration's agenda.

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