E.g., 02/04/2023
E.g., 02/04/2023
Illegal Immigration & Interior Enforcement

Illegal Immigration & Interior Enforcement

Deportations/Removals
Employment Verification
State & Local Enforcement
Worksite Enforcement
_IllegalImm+IntEnforcement

lllegal immigration is a phenomenon confronted by many major immigrant-receiving countries, one that vexes policymakers and publics alike. While much of the focus may be on border enforcement, there are an array of interior enforcement policies aimed at identifying unauthorized immigrants for removal, including worksite enforcement, employment verification, jail-house screening, and state and local law enforcement activity. The research below delves into many facets of illegal immigration and enforcement occcuring away from national borders.

Recent Activity

A refugee receives emergency assistance in Uganda.
Articles
February 2, 2023
Migrants in Need Report Barriers to Assistance and Fragile Trust in Humanitarian Organizations
By Magdalena Arias Cubas, Nicole Hoagland, and Sanushka Mudaliar
President Joe Biden at the U.S.-Mexico border.
Articles
January 26, 2023
Biden at the Two-Year Mark: Significant Immigration Actions Eclipsed by Record Border Numbers
By Muzaffar Chishti and Kathleen Bush-Joseph
People in a business meeting.
Articles
January 12, 2023
Chinese Immigrants in the United States
By Raquel Rosenbloom and Jeanne Batalova
A migrant scheduled to be deported from the United States is escorted to a charter flight.
Articles
December 20, 2022
‘Recalcitrant’ and ‘Uncooperative’: Why Some Countries Refuse to Accept Return of Their Deportees
By Erlend Paasche
Cover image for A Profile of Low-Income Immigrants in the United States
Fact Sheets
November 2022
A Profile of Low-Income Immigrants in the United States
By  Julia Gelatt, Valerie Lacarte and Joshua Rodriguez
Venezuelan migrants at a reception center in Brazil.
Articles
October 27, 2022
Amid Record Venezuelan Arrivals, Biden Administration Embraces Border Expulsions Policy
By Muzaffar Chishti and Kathleen Bush-Joseph
Foto de personas que vuelven a entrar a México después de la expulsión de EE. UU.
Commentaries
October 2022
El número récord de encuentros con migrantes en la frontera México-Estados Unidos encubre la historia más importante
By  Ariel G. Ruiz Soto
A view of Barcelona.
Articles
October 19, 2022
Spain’s Decentralized Immigration System Allows Local Integration Policies to Lead the Way
By Jenna Mazza

Pages

Cover image for A Profile of Low-Income Immigrants in the United States
Fact Sheets
November 2022
A Profile of Low-Income Immigrants in the United States
By  Julia Gelatt, Valerie Lacarte and Joshua Rodriguez
Cover image for Diverging Pathways
Policy Briefs
October 2022
Diverging Pathways: Immigrants’ Legal Status and Access to Postsecondary Credentials
By  Jeanne Batalova and Michael Fix
Cover image for Changing the Playbook
Reports
July 2022
Changing the Playbook: Immigrants and the COVID-19 Response in Two U.S. Communities
By  Randy Capps and Michael Fix
Cover image for Embedding Reintegration Assistance...
Policy Briefs
June 2022
Embedding Reintegration Assistance for Returning Migrants in the Local Context: The Role of Referrals
By  Ravenna Sohst and Camille Le Coz
Cover image for COVID-19’s Effects on U.S. Immigration and Immigrant Communities
Reports
June 2022
COVID-19’s Effects on U.S. Immigration and Immigrant Communities, Two Years On
By  Julia Gelatt and Muzaffar Chishti
Cover image for Leveraging Predeparture Counselling
Policy Briefs
May 2022
Leveraging Predeparture Counseling to Support Returning Migrants’ Sustainable Reintegration
By  Lucía Salgado
Cover image for Better Responses to Differing Immigration Statuses: Spreading and Adapting 2Gen Work
Policy Briefs
May 2022
Better Responses to Differing Immigration Statuses: Spreading and Adapting 2Gen Working Practices
By  Chris Estes, Devin Deaton, Aparna Jayashankar and Margie McHugh
Cover image for COVID-19 and the State of Global Mobility in 2021
Reports
May 2022
COVID-19 and the State of Global Mobility in 2021
By  Meghan Benton, Samuel Davidoff-Gore, Jeanne Batalova, Lawrence Huang and Jie Zong

Pages

A refugee receives emergency assistance in Uganda.
Feature
February 2, 2023
Migrants in Need Report Barriers to Assistance and Fragile Trust in Humanitarian Organizations

Many refugees, asylum seekers, and other migrants do not trust humanitarian actors, are unable to access assistance, or did not have support when they needed it. This article, featuring findings from a large-scale survey involving more than 16,000 migrants in countries around the world, provides an overview of these challenges.

President Joe Biden at the U.S.-Mexico border.
Policy Beat
January 26, 2023
Biden at the Two-Year Mark: Significant Immigration Actions Eclipsed by Record Border Numbers

At his term's midpoint, President Joe Biden has relied on executive action to advance his immigration agenda more than his predecessors, including Donald Trump. Yet many of the changes to interior enforcement, humanitarian protection, and other areas have been overshadowed by the record pace of arrivals at the U.S.-Mexico border, which has presented the administration with major policy and operational challenges.

People in a business meeting.
Spotlight
January 12, 2023
Chinese Immigrants in the United States

The number of Chinese immigrants in the United States had grown swiftly for decades but shrank amid the COVID-19 pandemic. As a whole, Chinese immigrants tend to have more education and higher salaries than other immigrants, although they are less likely to be fluent in English. This article provides a sociodemographic profile of Chinese immigrants in the United States, their top destination globally.

A migrant scheduled to be deported from the United States is escorted to a charter flight.
Feature
December 20, 2022
‘Recalcitrant’ and ‘Uncooperative’: Why Some Countries Refuse to Accept Return of Their Deportees

Every year, thousands of migrants ordered deported from EU Member States, the United States, and elsewhere are not returned to their origin countries. Why? One reason is the multiple nations that refuse to cooperate on readmitting their nationals abroad. This article explores the motivations behind countries’ lack of cooperation and how deporting states have responded.

Venezuelan migrants at a reception center in Brazil.
Policy Beat
October 27, 2022
Amid Record Venezuelan Arrivals, Biden Administration Embraces Border Expulsions Policy

The Biden administration’s policy to expel some Venezuelan border arrivals to Mexico marks a significant reversal. For the first time, the U.S. government is invoking the controversial Title 42 expulsions policy not on public-health grounds but as an explicit immigration enforcement measure. The expulsions are being paired with a new humanitarian parole program for up to 24,000 Venezuelans. This article assesses the policy and the uneven treatment of humanitarian migrants by nationality.

Pages

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Photo of individuals re-entering Mexico after U.S. expulsion
Commentaries
October 2022
Record-Breaking Migrant Encounters at the U.S.-Mexico Border Overlook the Bigger Story
By  Ariel G. Ruiz Soto
Foto de personas que vuelven a entrar a México después de la expulsión de EE. UU.
Commentaries
October 2022
El número récord de encuentros con migrantes en la frontera México-Estados Unidos encubre la historia más importante
By  Ariel G. Ruiz Soto
U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken and other leaders at the 2022 Summit of the Americas
Commentaries
June 2022
The Los Angeles Declaration Could Represent a Big Step for Real Migration Cooperation across the Americas
By  Andrew Selee
U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken and other leaders at the 2022 Summit of the Americas
Commentaries
June 2022
La Declaración de Los Ángeles podría representar un gran paso para la cooperación migratoria real en las Américas
By  Andrew Selee
Image of Central American migrant caravan passing through Chiapas, Mexico
Commentaries
April 2022
Beyond the Border: Opportunities for Managing Regional Migration between Central and North America
By  Ariel G. Ruiz Soto and Andrew Selee
Home Secretary Priti Patel & Rwandan Foreign Affairs Minister Vincent Biruta hold asylum accord
Commentaries
April 2022
The UK-Rwanda Agreement Represents Another Blow to Territorial Asylum
By  Hanne Beirens and Samuel Davidoff-Gore
U.S. Border Patrol agents prepare to process migrant encountered near Arizona
Commentaries
October 2021
It Is Too Simple to Call 2021 a Record Year for Migration at the U.S.-Mexico Border
By  Jessica Bolter
Commentaries
August 2021
Biden Administration Asylum Processing Revamp at the U.S. Border Could Be a Game Changer
By  Doris Meissner
Photo of woman in Central African Republic participating in cash for work program
Commentaries
June 2021
Lessons from Europe: The U.S. Opportunity to Rethink the Links Between Development Assistance and Migration
By  Camille Le Coz and Ariel G. Ruiz Soto
Commentaries
April 2021
European Strategy on Voluntary Return and Reintegration Advances Action within Bloc, Leaves More to Discuss with Countries of Migrant Origin
By  Camille Le Coz

Pages

Explainer IllegalImmigration Art
Explainers
April 2019

Explainer: Illegal Immigration in the United States

How has the size of the unauthorized population in the United States changed over time? How is illegal immigration changing, and where do unauthorized immigrants come from? This explainer answers basic questions about illegal immigration, the changing patterns from Mexico, and more.

Attorney General William Tong
Video
September 20, 2022

19th Annual Immigration Law & Policy Conference

Focusing on top immigration policy issues at federal and state levels, this 2022 Immigration Law and Policy Conference featured keynotes by Connecticut Attorney General William Tong and Arkansas Governor Asa Hutchinson exploring the growing role states are taking in the national immigration debate.

A food and goods distribution to returned migrants in Burkina Faso
Video, Audio
June 27, 2022

Forging Partnerships to Make the Reintegration of Migrants More Effective and Sustainable

This MPI Europe webinar examines how referral mechanisms can be designed so that returnees receive the core services they need, while also ensuring support is embedded within the local community. 

The border area of Haquillas is home to several Venezuelans waiting of their documentation to be formally processed in order to enter in Peru regularly.
Video
June 9, 2022

Towards Regional Governance on Migration and Forced Displacement: A Side Event of the Ninth Summit of the Americas

On the sidelines of the Ninth Summit of the Americas, this event co-sponsored by MPI examines tools and concrete actions taken on regional migration governance, best practices and lessons learned, and the role of regional mechanisms to respond to migration and forced displacement.

Video, Audio
March 16, 2022

Understanding Drivers of Irregular Migration from Guatemala

This event explores changing migration patterns from Guatemala, how policymakers and development practitioners can help create livelihood options and address other drivers of migration, and the broader lessons for policy approaches in sending and receiving countries that could help better manage migration and provide alternatives to irregular migration.

Video, Audio
March 16, 2022

Comprendiendo los factores que impulsan la migración irregular desde Guatemala

En este evento de presentación del informe, los ponentes hablan sobre los cambios en los patrones de migración desde Guatemala.

Pages

Recent Activity

Articles
February 2, 2023

Migrants in Need Report Barriers to Assistance and Fragile Trust in Humanitarian Organizations

Many refugees, asylum seekers, and other migrants do not trust humanitarian actors, are unable to access assistance, or did not have support when they needed it. This article, featuring findings from a large-scale survey involving more than 16,000 migrants in countries around the world, provides an overview of these challenges.

Articles
January 26, 2023

Biden at the Two-Year Mark: Significant Immigration Actions Eclipsed by Record Border Numbers

At his term's midpoint, President Joe Biden has relied on executive action to advance his immigration agenda more than his predecessors, including Donald Trump. Yet many of the changes to interior enforcement, humanitarian protection, and other areas have been overshadowed by the record pace of arrivals at the U.S.-Mexico border, which has presented the administration with major policy and operational challenges.

Articles
January 12, 2023

Chinese Immigrants in the United States

The number of Chinese immigrants in the United States had grown swiftly for decades but shrank amid the COVID-19 pandemic. As a whole, Chinese immigrants tend to have more education and higher salaries than other immigrants, although they are less likely to be fluent in English. This article provides a sociodemographic profile of Chinese immigrants in the United States, their top destination globally.

Articles
December 20, 2022

‘Recalcitrant’ and ‘Uncooperative’: Why Some Countries Refuse to Accept Return of Their Deportees

Every year, thousands of migrants ordered deported from EU Member States, the United States, and elsewhere are not returned to their origin countries. Why? One reason is the multiple nations that refuse to cooperate on readmitting their nationals abroad. This article explores the motivations behind countries’ lack of cooperation and how deporting states have responded.

Fact Sheets
November 2022

A Profile of Low-Income Immigrants in the United States

Immigrants in the United States experience strong economic mobility overall. But for some, limited educational attainment and English proficiency, and the challenges of restarting life in a new country, can result in low incomes and economic hardship. This fact sheet looks at the origins, states of residence, demographic and socioeconomic characteristics, and employment of low-income immigrants.

Articles
October 27, 2022

Amid Record Venezuelan Arrivals, Biden Administration Embraces Border Expulsions Policy

The Biden administration’s policy to expel some Venezuelan border arrivals to Mexico marks a significant reversal. For the first time, the U.S. government is invoking the controversial Title 42 expulsions policy not on public-health grounds but as an explicit immigration enforcement measure. The expulsions are being paired with a new humanitarian parole program for up to 24,000 Venezuelans. This article assesses the policy and the uneven treatment of humanitarian migrants by nationality.

Commentaries
October 2022

El número récord de encuentros con migrantes en la frontera México-Estados Unidos encubre la historia más importante

Los titulares enfocados en la cifra récord de 2,4 millones de migrantes encontrados en la frontera México-Estados Unidos durante el año fiscal 2022 encubren la historia más importante: Los flujos migratorios se han diversificado rápidamente más allá de México y el norte Centroamérica, y como resultado, las políticas de control migratorio son incongruentes con la realidad de hoy. Esto demuestra la evidente necesitad de nuevos enfoques regionales, argumenta este comentario.

Articles
October 19, 2022

Spain’s Decentralized Immigration System Allows Local Integration Policies to Lead the Way

Spain has an unconventional immigration system. The national government is primarily responsible for border control, granting legal status to migrants, and other issues, but integration is mostly handled by regional and local governments, allowing for some pioneering policies at the subnational level. This article explores what this system has meant for Catalonia and its capital, Barcelona, which have been considered to be a model throughout Europe.

Pages