Enforcement & Borders

Immigration and the United States: Recession Affects Flows, Prospects for Reform

The U.S. recession reshaped immigration flows and dimmed prospects for reform, even as the Obama administration revamped enforcement and legal immigration systems.

Illegal Immigration's Effects on the U.S. Economy and Policy

Paper release with Gordon Hanson, University of California, San Diego Economics Professor; Jeanne Butterfield, National Immigration Forum Senior Advisor; Marc Rosenblum, MPI Senior Policy Analyst; and Michael Fix, MPI Senior Vice President and Director of Studies.

Moving Toward More Effective Immigration Detention Management

More Countries Entering into Post 9/11-Era Information-Sharing Agreements

After years of slow progress, 2009 brought a wave of information-sharing agreements among major destination countries.

Enforcement Tactics Shift in the Obama Era - But What About Immigration Reform?

The Obama administration shifted U.S. immigration enforcement in 2009, even as broad legislative reform slipped toward 2010.

The Economics and Policy of Illegal Immigration in the United States

The net economic impact of illegal immigration is close to zero, evidence shows. Converting unauthorized flows to legal ones delivers stronger gains than enforcement alone.

Immigration Enforcement in the United States

In 2008, U.S. immigration apprehensions fell to their lowest level since 1975, yet detentions reached a record high.

Pay to Go: Countries Offer Cash to Immigrants Willing to Pack Their Bags

Pay-to-go programs in Japan, Spain, and the Czech Republic attracted fewer participants than planned in 2009.

Paper Citizens - A Book Discussion on the Illicit Market for Citizenship in the Developing World

Discussion with book author Dr. Kamal Sadiq, Assistant Professor of Political Science at the University of California at Irvine, and Susan Ginsburg, MPI Director of the Mobility and Security Program.

Memo to President Obama Regarding Immigration Policy

A balanced immigration agenda should secure borders, restore legality through earned legal status, and modernize legal immigration channels, a U.S. advocate argues.