E.g., 04/24/2024
E.g., 04/24/2024
Integration Policy

Integration Policy

Immigrant integration is the process by which immigrants and their children come to feel and become participants in the life of their country of destination, and in its schools, workplaces, and communities. Governments' policies, initiatives, and programs help determine immigrants' opportunities to participate in society, as well as their guarantees to the same rights and responsibilities as those of the native born. The research offered here explores the many facets of immigrant integration policy—from citizenship and language acquisition to access to education, the workforce, and more.

Recent Activity

Cover image for Building Trust with Immigrant and Refugee Families: Spreading and Adapting 2Gen Work
Policy Briefs
May 2022
Building Trust with Immigrant and Refugee Families: Spreading and Adapting 2Gen Working Practices
By  Chris Estes, Devin Deaton, Aparna Jayashankar and Margie McHugh
Multimedia
May 4, 2022
Public Narratives on Refugees: Sustaining Solidarity in Times of Crisis
Image of masked woman with a clipboard speaking with another woman outside her home.
Commentaries
May 2022
Schools Should Engage Diverse Community Stakeholders to Promoting Equitable Allocation of Historic Funding to Reimagine Education
By  Jazmin Flores Peña
Report cover, From Fear to Solidarity
Reports
May 2022
From Fear to Solidarity: The Difficulty in Shifting Public Narratives about Refugees
By  Natalia Banulescu-Bogdan
Help Wanted sign offers employment in a restaurant in Bethesda, Maryland
Multimedia
April 20, 2022
With Millions of Unfilled U.S. Jobs, What Role Is There for Immigration?
Cover image for Leveraging the Skills of Immigrant Health-Care Professionals in Illinois and Chicago
Policy Briefs
April 2022
Leveraging the Skills of Immigrant Health-Care Professionals in Illinois and Chicago
By  Jeanne Batalova and Michael Fix
A woman feeds a young child sitting on a white plastic chair
Commentaries
March 2022
Opportunities Exist to Better Reach Dual Language Learner and Immigrant Families through Home Visiting Programs
By  Maki Park and Jazmin Flores Peña
A U.S. service member helps an older Afghan woman off a plane at a naval air station
Commentaries
March 2022
Straight Path to Legal Permanent Residence for Afghan Evacuees Would Build on Strong U.S. Precedent
By  Julia Gelatt and Doris Meissner

Pages

European Cities on the Front Line: New and Emerging Governance Models for Migrant Inclusion
Reports
May 2020
European Cities on the Front Line: New and Emerging Governance Models for Migrant Inclusion
By  Liam Patuzzi
The Patchy Landscape of State English Learner Policies under ESSA
Reports
February 2020
The Patchy Landscape of State English Learner Policies under ESSA
By  Leslie Villegas and Delia Pompa
coverthumb Venezuela Nicaragua Migration2020 ES
Reports
February 2020
Bienvenidas asimétricas: Respuestas de América Latina y el Caribe a la migración venezolana y nicaragüense
By  Andrew Selee and Jessica Bolter
coverthumb Venezuela Nicaragua Migration2020 EN
Reports
February 2020
An Uneven Welcome: Latin American and Caribbean Responses to Venezuelan and Nicaraguan Migration
By  Andrew Selee and Jessica Bolter
Transatlantic Council Statement report, January 2020
Reports
January 2020
Rebuilding Community after Crisis: Striking a New Social Contract for Diverse Societies (Transatlantic Council Statement)
By  Demetrios G. Papademetriou and Meghan Benton
Beyond Work: Reducing Social Isolation for Refugee Women and Other Marginalized Newcomers
Reports
January 2020
Beyond Work: Reducing Social Isolation for Refugee Women and Other Marginalized Newcomers
By  Natalia Banulescu-Bogdan
Integrating Refugees and Asylum Seekers into the German Economy and Society: Empirical Evidence and Policy Objectives
Reports
December 2019
Integrating Refugees and Asylum Seekers into the German Economy and Society: Empirical Evidence and Policy Objectives
By  Herbert Brücker, Philipp Jaschke and Yuliya Kosyakova
Cover of the report Volunteers and Sponsors: A Catalyst for Refugee Integration?
Reports
November 2019
Volunteers and Sponsors: A Catalyst for Refugee Integration?
By  Susan Fratzke and Emma Dorst

Pages

Event PH 2016.1.13 Unauthorized Parent Children Profile flickr American Dream BushBollay
Video, Audio
January 13, 2016

A Profile of Children with Unauthorized Immigrant Parents in the United States

This webinar offers a discussion of the economic, linguistic and educational disadvantage experienced by U.S. children with unauthorized immigrant parents. The MPI researchers discuss their finding that 86 percent of the 5.1 million such children in the United States have a parent who could potentially benefit from the Deferred Action for Parents of Americans and Lawful Permanent Residents (DAPA) program.

Event PH 2015.12.17 WIOA signing
Video, Audio
December 17, 2015

Using Data to Improve Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (WIOA) Services for Immigrants and Refugees

A webinar discussing fact sheets that compare the characteristics of immigrant and native-born residents that are relevant to understanding needs for adult education and workforce training services in the United States and the ten states with the largest immigrant populations.

EVENT PHOTO 20155.12.14 MEXICAN FOREIGN SECRETARY2L
Video, Audio
December 15, 2015

Leadership Visions: A Discussion with Mexican Foreign Minister Claudia Ruiz-Massieu

An MPI Leadership Visions discussion with the Foreign Minister of Mexico, Claudia Ruiz-Massieu, for her first public appearance in Washington, DC. 

2015.10.29 12thAnnualLAPC keynote phot0
Video, Audio
October 29, 2015

12th Annual Immigration Law and Policy Conference

This annual discussion offered political and policy analysis on key immigration topics, including family detention, unaccompanied child migrants, executive action, and the presidential campaigns, along with featured keynotes by Homeland Security Secretary Jeh Johnson and United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees Antonio Guterres.  

_SyrianBoys
Video, Audio
October 27, 2015

Young Refugee Children: Their Schooling Experiences in the United States and in Countries of First Asylum

In this webinar, the authors of three papers on the experiences of refugee children present their findings, with a focus on how such experiences affect their mental health and education.

Pages

Recent Activity

Reports
November 2021

El estado de la política migratoria y de integración de Costa Rica

Dentro de América Latina, Costa Rica es uno de los principales destinos para migrantes y refugiados de una amplia gama de países y con características e intencionalidades migratorias diferentes. Este informe examina el marco institucional y la capacidad del sistema migratorio del país, con un enfoque en la integración de inmigrantes en cuatro áreas de políticas: registro y regularización, salud, empleo y educación.
Reports
November 2021

The State of Costa Rican Migration and Immigrant Integration Policy

Within Latin America, Costa Rica is a top destination for migrants and refugees from a range of countries and with different characteristics and migration intentions. This report examines the institutional framework and capacity of the country’s migration system, with a focus on immigrant integration in four policy areas: regularization and registration, health, employment, and education.

Expert Q&A, Audio
November 12, 2021

Leveraging the Benefits That Immigration Can Bring

In this World of Migration podcast episode, MPI Senior Fellow Michael Fix speaks with Senior Policy Analyst Julia Gelatt about the fiscal impacts of immigration, the importance of immigrant integration, how a greater focus on credential recognition could allow immigrants to more fully utilize the academic and professional skills they bring with them, and much more.

Expert Q&A, Audio
November 5, 2021

Immigrant Integration: Essential to the Success of Immigration Policy

In this World of Migration podcast episode, Margie McHugh, director of MPI’s National Center on Immigrant Integration Policy, chats with Ivana Tú Nhi Giang about the important role of integration, for immigrants themselves and the broader society, and the varying degrees of intentionality in integration policy design around the world.

Articles
November 5, 2021

Costa Rica Has Welcoming Policies for Migrants, but Nicaraguans Face Subtle Barriers

Tens of thousands of Nicaraguans have fled their country since 2018, amid repression and a renewed government crackdown. In neighboring Costa Rica, many migrants have encountered a robust system for protection and integration, yet they still face stigma and discrimination in their daily lives. This article explores this dynamic along one of Central America's most important migratory routes.

Commentaries
November 2021

Narrowing the Skills Gap: Equipping Immigrant-Origin Workers with Postsecondary Credentials

The number of U.S. adults who could benefit from efforts to boost postsecondary credential attainment is strikingly large. Nearly 96 million working-age adults lack a postsecondary credential, 28 million of them of immigrant origin, MPI estimates. This commentary examines how enabling immigrant-origin adults to attain credentials beyond a high school diploma is vital to both building a skilled workforce and closing equity gaps.

Reports
October 2021

A Framework for Language Access: Key Features of U.S. State and Local Language Access Laws and Policies

Many states and localities have language access laws and policies to ensure people who are Limited English Proficient (LEP) have effective access to essential public services and institutions. This report explores a wide range of common and unique features of these language access laws, highlighting how different jurisdictions have approached issues such as translation, interpretation, agency oversight, technical assistance, and community involvement.

Reports
October 2021

How We Talk about Migration: The Link between Migration Narratives, Policy, and Power

As migration levels rise, societies are facing competing narratives about immigration. Often, there is dissonance between top-down narratives from political leaders and bottom-up narratives spread through personal and media engagement. This report explores positive and negative narratives around migration in Colombia, Lebanon, Morocco, Sweden, and the United States to determine the contexts in which some stick while others fail.

Pages