Illegal Immigration & Interior Enforcement

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.

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Articles August 15, 2019 Inmigrantes centroamericanos en los Estados Unidos By Allison O’Connor, Jeanne Batalova y Jessica Bolter	Articles August 15, 2019 Central American Immigrants in the United States By Allison O’Connor, Jeanne Batalova, and Jessica Bolter
Policy Briefs August 2019 Rethinking U.S. Immigration Policy: New Realities Call for New Answers By Doris Meissner	Reports August 2019 From Control to Crisis: Changing Trends and Policies Reshaping U.S.-Mexico Border Enforcement By Randy Capps, Doris Meissner, Ariel G. Ruiz Soto, Jessica Bolter and Sarah Pierce
Commentaries July 2019 As the Trump Administration Seeks to Remove Families, Due-Process Questions over Rocket Dockets Abound By Sarah Pierce	Articles July 25, 2019 Democrats Under Pressure: Political Calendar Exposes Ideological Differences on Immigration By Muzaffar Chishti and Jessica Bolter
Commentaries July 2019 Soluciones estratégicas para afrontar la crisis migratoria en Estados Unidos y México By Andrew Selee, Silvia E. Giorguli-Saucedo, Claudia Masferrer and Ariel G. Ruiz Soto	Articles July 18, 2019 Lack of Opportunities and Family Pressures Drive Unaccompanied Minor Migration from Albania to Italy By Fatma Alakbarova

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Policy Briefs June 2005 Independent Task Force on Immigration and America's Future: The Roadmap By Michael Fix, Doris Meissner and Demetrios G. Papademetriou	Policy Briefs June 2005 Twilight Statuses: A Closer Examination of the Unauthorized Population By David A. Martin
Policy Briefs April 2005 Revisiting the Need for Appointed Counsel By Donald M. Kerwin	Reports March 2004 The Department of Homeland Security's First Year: A Report Card on Immigration By T. Alexander Aleinikoff
Fact Sheets October 2003 Unauthorized Immigration to the United States By Elizabeth Grieco	Policy Briefs June 2003 Does 'Smarter' Lead to Safer? An Assessment of the Border Accords with Canada and Mexico By Deborah W. Meyers
Policy Briefs April 2003 Immigration Policy and the Homeland Security Act Reorganization: An Early Agenda for Practical Improvements By David A. Martin	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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Policy Beat

December 1, 2017

Tens of Thousands in United States Face Uncertain Future, as Temporary Protected Status Deadlines Loom

The Trump administration’s announcement that it will end Temporary Protected Status (TPS) for nationals of Haiti, Nicaragua, and Sudan has brought unprecedented attention to the program and its future. Established in 1990, TPS offers work authorization and deportation relief to foreign nationals already in the United States unable to return to countries embroiled in conflict or the effects of a natural disaster. This Policy Beat explores past and current TPS designations and debates surrounding the program.

Policy Beat

October 19, 2017

Will White House Immigration Wish List Tank Emerging DREAMer Momentum in Congress?

The Trump administration has released a list of hardline immigration demands—including border wall funding, restrictions on federal grants to “sanctuary” cities, and cuts to legal immigration—in exchange for legislation protecting DREAMers. This article examines the prospects for these proposals and more broadly for a legislative fix to resolve the status of unauthorized immigrants brought to the United States as children.

Feature

October 11, 2017

Criminalizing Irregular Migrant Labor: Thailand’s Crackdown in Context

Thailand has become a key destination for migrant workers, primarily from Myanmar, Cambodia, and Laos. Many lack authorization, however, and as their numbers have grown, so has the government's intent in regulating their movement—sometimes provoking unintended results. This article explores recent patterns in labor migration to Thailand and examines the likely impacts of a 2017 decree criminalizing illegal employment.

Feature

October 5, 2017

Chasing the Dubai Dream in Italy: Bangladeshi Migration to Europe

Bangladeshis in 2017 suddenly emerged as one of the top migrant groups entering Europe illegally. While Europe is a new destination, Bangladeshi labor migration has been an important part of the country's development since the 1970s, with growing numbers heading abroad, largely to the Gulf Cooperation Council countries. This article explores and contextualizes the new phenomenon of Bangladeshi migration to Europe.

Supporters of the DREAM Act at a September 2017 march in Los Angeles.

Policy Beat

September 15, 2017

Trump Administration Rescinds DACA, Fueling Renewed Push in Congress and the Courts to Protect DREAMers

The Trump administration’s decision to terminate the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) deportation-relief program launched in 2012 has sparked new urgency to find a longer-term fix for "DREAMers," the unauthorized immigrants brought to the United States as children. This Policy Beat article examines movement in the courts and in Congress on the DREAM Act and similar proposals, exploring likely paths forward.

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Articles

August 15, 2019

Inmigrantes centroamericanos en los Estados Unidos

Si bien se ha prestado mucha atención a los centroamericanos recién llegados a la frontera entre los Estados Unidos y México, casi la mitad de los aproximadamente 3.5 millones que vivían en los Estados Unidos en 2017 llegaron antes de 2000. Aproximadamente un tercio son ciudadanos estadounidenses y tienden a participar en la fuerza laboral con más frecuencia que otros extranjeros y estadounidenses. Descubra más en este artículo lleno de datos.

Articles

August 15, 2019

Central American Immigrants in the United States

While much attention has been paid to recent Central American arrivals at the U.S.-Mexico border, nearly half of the approximately 3.5 million Central Americans resident in the United States in 2017 arrived before 2000. About one-third are naturalized U.S. citizens, and they tend to participate in the labor force at a higher rate than foreign- and U.S.-born adults. Discover more about this population in this data-rich article.

Policy Briefs

August 2019

Rethinking U.S. Immigration Policy: New Realities Call for New Answers

The U.S. immigration system is in desperate need of an overhaul. What has been missing is an alternate vision for a path forward that treats immigration as a strategic resource while also accounting for heightened security and rule-of-law imperatives, which together can further U.S. interests, values, and democratic principles as a society. This concept note outlines a new MPI initiative, Rethinking U.S. Immigration Policy, that seeks to fill this gap.

Reports

August 2019

From Control to Crisis: Changing Trends and Policies Reshaping U.S.-Mexico Border Enforcement

How did the U.S. border enforcement picture go in the span of two years from the lowest levels of illegal immigration since 1971 to a spiraling border security and humanitarian crisis? This report draws on enforcement and other data as well as analysis of changing migration trends and policies to tell this story. The authors outline key elements for a new strategy that can succeed over the long term.

Commentaries

July 2019

As the Trump Administration Seeks to Remove Families, Due-Process Questions over Rocket Dockets Abound

The U.S. government is operating accelerated dockets to handle the rising number of cases of families in immigration court. While it is essential to have timely, fair case processing and removal of those who have truly had their day in court and been found to be removable, using “rocket” dockets to speed up proceedings only heightens the breakdowns that are a recurring feature of the court system on its best day, as this commentary explains.

Articles

July 25, 2019

Democrats Under Pressure: Political Calendar Exposes Ideological Differences on Immigration

Ideological differences in the Democratic Party over immigration that were once masked by unity against President Trump’s border wall and immigration agenda are now being exposed as Democratic presidential candidates seek to stand out in a crowded field and amid controversy over an emergency border spending bill. As the 2020 electoral calendar accelerates, how the party navigates the gulf between its most liberal and conservative wings will become a greater challenge for its leaders.

Commentaries

July 2019

Soluciones estratégicas para afrontar la crisis migratoria en Estados Unidos y México

Dado el incremento de los flujos migratorios provenientes de Centroamérica, el pasado mes de junio de 2019, los Estados Unidos y México acordaron tomar una serie de medidas para reducir los flujos irregulares. Sin embargo, será muy difícil mantener estos esfuerzos de corto plazo, debido a una debilidad institucional crónica y a estructuras de política pública poco planificadas en ambos países. Este comentario ofrece cinco recomendaciones a ambos países considerando soluciones de mediano y largo plazo para disuadir la migración irregular y, al mismo tiempo, garantizar que aquellos que busquen protección tengan un proceso justo.

Articles

July 18, 2019

Lack of Opportunities and Family Pressures Drive Unaccompanied Minor Migration from Albania to Italy

Faced with a lack of employment opportunities and recurrent poverty, Albanian youth migrate to Italy alone in the hopes of improving their educational prospects or making money for their families. Yet upon arrival, they face many vulnerabilities. While some protections for unaccompanied minors exist in the Italy, the system is greatly fragmented and challenges, including how to return them to Albania, remain persistent.

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