E.g., 01/15/2021
E.g., 01/15/2021

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.

Aerial view of Juarez, Mexico and El Paso, Texas
Reports

Building a New Regional Migration System: Redefining U.S. Cooperation with Mexico and Central America

Addressing regional cooperation around migration will be among the immigration challenges and opportunities facing the incoming Biden administration. This report examines how movement between the United States, Mexico, and Central America has evolved in recent decades, and lays out a four-part strategy to expand opportunities for legal migration, address humanitarian protection needs, improve enforcement, and mitigate some of the forces driving people to emigrate.

Recent Activity

Books
September 2009
Closing the Distance: How Governments Strengthen Ties with Their Diasporas
Articles
September 1, 2009
Moving to the Land of Milk and Cookies: Obesity among the Children of Immigrants
By Jennifer Van Hook, Balistreri Kelly, Elizabeth Baker
Articles
August 17, 2009
New and Revised ICE Agreements with State and Local Law Enforcement Met with Criticism
By Muzaffar Chishti, Claire Bergeron
Articles
August 5, 2009
Spotlight on Naturalization Trends in 2008
By Jeanne Batalova
Multimedia
July 30, 2009
The Next Generation of E-Verify: Getting Employer Verification Right
Multimedia
July 20, 2009
E-Verify: An Assessment of its Strengths and Weaknesses
Articles
July 15, 2009
DHS Rescinds "No-Match" Rule, Moves Forward with E-Verify as It Shifts Enforcement Focus to Employers
By Muzaffar Chishti, Claire Bergeron
Articles
July 13, 2009
Refugees and Asylees in the United States in 2008
By Jeanne Batalova

Pages

Feature
May 1, 2003
What Immigrants Say About Life in the United States
Steve Farkas, Senior Vice President of the research group Public Agenda, reveals some of the findings of a new survey on the attitudes of immigrants in America.
Feature
May 1, 2003
Immigration and National Security Post-Sept. 11: Updated Chronology
This updated timeline of key developments since September 11 tracks the latest connections between immigration and national security.
Spotlight
April 1, 2003
'Special Registration' Program
MPI Research Assistants Maia Jachimowicz and Ramah McKay outline the government's "Special Registration" program, which is designed to register foreign visitors from certain designated countries who are already in the United States.
Feature
April 1, 2003
Consular ID Cards: Mexico and Beyond

The Sept. 11 attacks prompted greater government scrutiny of undocumented immigrants in the United States. MPI Research Assistant Kevin O'Neil takes a look at how many Mexicans living in the U.S. without authorization have turned to a Mexican government ID called the "matrícula consular" to better establish their identity.

Spotlight
April 1, 2003
Iraqi Immigrants in the United States
With the war in Iraq intensifying, the media has focused on the Iraqi foreign born in the United States. To ensure the accuracy of public debate, MPI Data Manager Elizabeth Grieco uses U.S. Census Bureau statistics to describe the size of the Iraqi immigrant population.

Pages

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Recent Activity

Reports
September 2009

Immigrant Detention: Can ICE Meet its Legal Imperatives and Case Management Responsibilities?

This report explores whether U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) is capable of fully complying with the law and managing its sprawling detention system, and provides a roadmap for meeting the data needs essential for making humane, cost-effective, and legally sound decisions related to those in custody.

Reports
September 2009

Migration and the Global Recession

This report, commissioned by the BBC World Service, seeks to explore the myriad impacts of the global financial crisis that began in September 2008 on migration flows, immigration policies, remittances, and on migrants themselves. Select countries and regions are examined in detail to highlight overarching trends and regional differences.

Articles
August 17, 2009

New and Revised ICE Agreements with State and Local Law Enforcement Met with Criticism

MPI's Muzaffar Chishti and Claire Bergeron report on the expansion of the 287(g) immigration enforcement program, ICE's planned detention overhaul, immigration from Mexico and more.

Articles
August 5, 2009

Spotlight on Naturalization Trends in 2008

Over one million immigrants—one-third from Mexico, India, and the Philippines—became U.S. citizens in 2008. MPI's Jeanne Batalova takes a detailed look at the latest naturalization trends in the United States.

Audio, Webinars
July 30, 2009

The Next Generation of E-Verify: Getting Employer Verification Right

A webinar that examines the E-Verify system, with report co-author Marc R. Rosenblum, MPI Senior Policy Analyst.

Video
July 20, 2009

E-Verify: An Assessment of its Strengths and Weaknesses

This discussion focuses on E-Verify, the federal government's electronic employment verification system, and the release of an MPI report that assesses the program's strengths and weaknesses.
Articles
July 15, 2009

DHS Rescinds "No-Match" Rule, Moves Forward with E-Verify as It Shifts Enforcement Focus to Employers

MPI's Muzaffar Chishti and Claire Bergeron report on immigration enforcement policy changes, Obama's immigration summit, grants to states for incarcerating unauthorized immigrants, and more.

Articles
July 13, 2009

Refugees and Asylees in the United States in 2008

In 2008, the United States raised the ceiling on refugee admission by 10,000, admitted more than 60,000 refugees for resettlement, and granted asylum to nearly 23,000 people. MPI's Jeanne Batalova takes a detailed look at refugee and asylum statistics in the United States.

Pages