Refugees & Asylum

Testimony before the National Commission on Terrorist Attacks Upon the United States (9/11 Commission)

Rediscovering Resettlement

Can strengthening U.S. and EU refugee resettlement programs help address concerns over security, the volume and diversity of arrivals, and use of the welfare state?

Notes from the Field: MPI Expert Returns from Iraqi Border

Post-conflict Iraq exposed critical gaps in protection of internally displaced persons (IDPs), as security concerns closed borders and limited international responses.

Austria Adopts More Restrictive Asylum Law

Austria's October 2003 asylum law allows 72-hour processing and deportation during appeals, drawing criticism from groups including the UN High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR).

Refugee Protection in Regions of Origin: Potential and Challenges

Tightened asylum policies in industrialized countries have fueled smuggling, spurring interest in the notion of protection in regions of origin.

Burden-sharing in the New Age of Immigration

Refugee burden-sharing evolved from 1950s solidarity into contested proposals critics say shift responsibility onto developing countries.

The Strategic Use of Resettlement

Expanding EU refugee resettlement would yield strategic, political, and protection benefits—but would not meaningfully curb asylum flows or smuggling.

Perceptions of Afghan Refugees

Post-9/11 indifference to Afghan refugees in the West stemmed from media gaps, entrenched negative perceptions, and governments balancing security against protection duties.

The Feasibility of Setting Up Resettlement Schemes in EU Member States or at EU Level

This EU feasibility study explores expanding refugee resettlement across member states, proposing an integrated protection system and six models for EU-level engagement.

Resettlement in the Nordic Countries

Four of the five Nordic countries hold decades-long refugee resettlement programs.