E.g., 10/05/2022
E.g., 10/05/2022
Refugee & Asylum Policy

Refugee & Asylum Policy

Asylum Seekers
Refugees & Resettlement
_RefugeeAsylumPolicy credit

Tens of millions of people around the globe have been forcibly displaced by conflict, natural disaster, or persecution, seeking refuge either within or beyond the borders of their country. Humanitarian protection, whether for refugees, asylum seekers, or internally displaced persons (IDPs), represents a key policy area for many major immigrant-receiving countries as well as nations bordering locations where war, political upheaval, or natural disaster have disrupted daily life. The research offered here relates to the law and practice of protecting refugees and IDPs in areas of conflict as well as in industrialized nations, with a focus on secure solutions and effective institutional arrangements for comprehensive protection.

Recent Activity

Attorney General William Tong
Multimedia
September 20, 2022
19th Annual Immigration Law & Policy Conference
Texas Governor Greg Abbott speaks before a briefing on border security.
Articles
September 28, 2022
Busing and Flights of Migrants by GOP Governors Mark a New Twist in State Intervention on Immigration
By Muzaffar Chishti and Julia Gelatt
A television with the words "Fake News."
Articles
September 8, 2022
Disinformation on Migration: How Lies, Half-Truths, and Mischaracterizations Spread
By Alberto-Horst Neidhardt and Paul Butcher
Evacuees prepare to board a C-17 Globemaster III at Hamid Karzai International Airport, Afghanistan, Aug. 18, 2021
Multimedia
August 10, 2022
One Year On: The Situation for At-Risk Afghans in Afghanistan and Abroad
Cover image for The Missing Link
Reports
July 2022
The Missing Link: Connecting Eligible Asylees and Asylum Seekers with Benefits and Services
By  Essey Workie, Lillie Hinkle and Stephanie Heredia
Image of passport page with variety of stamps
Articles
July 21, 2022
Top Statistics on Global Migration and Migrants
By Jeanne Batalova
Seeking the US border, many Central American migrants begin their journey in Mexico on 'La Bestia'
Multimedia
May 24, 2022
En Busqueda de Seguridad: Opciones de protección regional para personas de Centroamérica
Image of young Afghan girls.
Articles
July 13, 2022
Welcoming Afghans and Ukrainians to the United States: A Case in Similarities and Contrasts
By Muzaffar Chishti and Jessica Bolter

Pages

Cover image for The Missing Link
Reports
July 2022
The Missing Link: Connecting Eligible Asylees and Asylum Seekers with Benefits and Services
By  Essey Workie, Lillie Hinkle and Stephanie Heredia
Cover image for Vías humanitarias para personas centroamericanas
Policy Briefs
May 2022
Vías humanitarias para personas centroamericanas: Evaluando oportunidades para el futuro
By  Susan Fratzke and Andrea Tanco
Cover image for Humanitarian Pathways for Central Americans
Policy Briefs
May 2022
Humanitarian Pathways for Central Americans: Assessing Opportunities for the Future
By  Susan Fratzke and Andrea Tanco
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
Report cover, From Fear to Solidarity: The Difficulty in Shifting Public Narratives about Refugees
Reports
May 2022
From Fear to Solidarity: The Difficulty in Shifting Public Narratives about Refugees
By  Natalia Banulescu-Bogdan
Cover image for Digital Health Credentials and COVID-19: Can Vaccine and Testing Requirements Restar
Reports
April 2022
Digital Health Credentials and COVID-19: Can Vaccine and Testing Requirements Restart Global Mobility?
By  Lawrence Huang
Cover image for The Central Role of Cooperation in Australia’s Immigration Enforcement Strateg
Reports
March 2022
The Central Role of Cooperation in Australia’s Immigration Enforcement Strategy
By  Henry Sherrell
Cover image for Advancing Digital Equity among Immigrant-Origin Youth
Reports
February 2022
Advancing Digital Equity among Immigrant-Origin Youth
By  Essey Workie, Lillie Hinkle, Anna deDufour and Valerie Lacarte

Pages

Texas Governor Greg Abbott speaks before a briefing on border security.
Policy Beat
September 28, 2022
Busing and Flights of Migrants by GOP Governors Mark a New Twist in State Intervention on Immigration

Operations by Texas, Florida, and Arizona to bus or fly asylum seekers and other migrants to Washington, DC, Martha's Vineyard, and other cities have succeeded in drawing attention to the unprecedented pace of U.S.-Mexico border arrivals. Described by some as political pawns, many migrants say the trips have upsides. Consequences aside, the transport of migrants by Republican governors raises the question whether a new era has begun: state-on-state fights over immigration.

A television with the words "Fake News."
Feature
September 8, 2022
Disinformation on Migration: How Lies, Half-Truths, and Mischaracterizations Spread

Disinformation and misinformation about migrants, refugees, and minority groups adapts to the shifting news cycle while also appealing to people’s pre-existing convictions and current worries. Events such as the war in Ukraine act as a catalyst, enabling coordinated groups to grab people’s attention, stoke fears, and in some cases even dictate political discourse. This article traces the long history of conspiracy theories around immigrants and how they spread today.

Image of passport page with variety of stamps
Feature
July 21, 2022
Top Statistics on Global Migration and Migrants

Looking for some of the most often-sought information on global migration? This statistics-rich article draws on the most current data sources to offer a primer on international migration, highlighting its types, the size of the migrant population and growth over time, and major sending and receiving countries and regions. Beyond looking at labor and humanitarian migrants and international students, the article examines remittances and more.

Image of young Afghan girls.
Policy Beat
July 13, 2022
Welcoming Afghans and Ukrainians to the United States: A Case in Similarities and Contrasts

The sluggishness of an overwhelmed U.S. immigration system and long lead times for refugee resettlement pushed government officials to use ad hoc pathways for Afghans and Ukrainians to enter the United States, with a two-year parole status given to most. This article examines the use of parole, the Uniting for Ukraine sponsorship program, and how the use of ad hoc statuses could evolve for future crises.

Rohingya children sit in Child Friendly Spaces in Cox's Bazar, Bangladesh
Feature
June 2, 2022
COVID-19 Pandemic Ushered in Unprecedented Slowdown of Asylum Claims

Beyond slowing global mobility dramatically, the COVID-19 pandemic sparked a major drop in asylum claims around the world, with the 1.1 million people seeking asylum in 2020 representing a 45 percent decline from the year before. This article examines the challenges to asylum processing during the pandemic, particularly for the UN High Commissioner for Refugees.

Pages

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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
A woman in a winter coat receives food from a woman in an orange safety vest at a train station in P
Commentaries
May 2022
The Ukrainian Conflict Could Be a Tipping Point for Refugee Protection
By  Meghan Benton and 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
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
Scene of Ukrainian street with barricades.
Commentaries
February 2022
Is Europe Prepared for a Possible Large-Scale Ukrainian Displacement Crisis?
By  Hanne Beirens
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
Photo of Secretary of State Antony J. Blinken meeting with Afghan evacuees in Germany
Commentaries
September 2021
Different Statuses, Different Benefits: Determining Federal Assistance for Afghan Evacuees
By  Mark Greenberg, Celia Reynolds and Essey Workie
Commentaries
August 2021
Biden Administration Asylum Processing Revamp at the U.S. Border Could Be a Game Changer
By  Doris Meissner

Pages

Explainer_LegalImmigrationSystem Legal Immigration Pie_small
Explainers
April 2019

Explainer: How the U.S. Legal Immigration System Works

Through which visa categories can immigrants move temporarily or permanently to the United States? What are the main channels by which people come, and who can sponsor them for a green card? Are there limits on visa categories? And who is waiting in the green-card backlog? This explainer answers basic questions about temporary and permanent immigration via family, employment, humanitarian, and other channels.

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.

Evacuees prepare to board a C-17 Globemaster III at Hamid Karzai International Airport, Afghanistan, Aug. 18, 2021
Video, Audio
August 10, 2022

One Year On: The Situation for At-Risk Afghans in Afghanistan and Abroad

Marking the one-year withdrawal of U.S. troops from Afghanistan and the fall of Kabul to the Taliban, this webinar reflects on the humanitarian and development challenges in Afghanistan and for neighbors, the difficult choices facing aid donors, and what needs to be done to ensure at-risk Afghans can reach safety.

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.

Picture of female Venezuelan migrant in Colombia, leaning over balcony railing
Video
June 7, 2022

A Path to Self-Sufficiency: Advancing Venezuelan Refugee Integration in the Americas

The presidents of Colombia and Ecuador speak at this high-level event held on the sidelines of the Ninth Summit of the Americas, focusing on the critical need for succcessful integration of Venezuelans in the Americas.

Pages

Recent Activity

Video, Webinars
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. Multimedia of the day's panel discussions will be posted later.

Articles
September 28, 2022

Busing and Flights of Migrants by GOP Governors Mark a New Twist in State Intervention on Immigration

Operations by Texas, Florida, and Arizona to bus or fly asylum seekers and other migrants to Washington, DC, Martha's Vineyard, and other cities have succeeded in drawing attention to the unprecedented pace of U.S.-Mexico border arrivals. Described by some as political pawns, many migrants say the trips have upsides. Consequences aside, the transport of migrants by Republican governors raises the question whether a new era has begun: state-on-state fights over immigration.

Articles
September 8, 2022

Disinformation on Migration: How Lies, Half-Truths, and Mischaracterizations Spread

Disinformation and misinformation about migrants, refugees, and minority groups adapts to the shifting news cycle while also appealing to people’s pre-existing convictions and current worries. Events such as the war in Ukraine act as a catalyst, enabling coordinated groups to grab people’s attention, stoke fears, and in some cases even dictate political discourse. This article traces the long history of conspiracy theories around immigrants and how they spread today.

Video, Audio, Webinars
August 10, 2022

One Year On: The Situation for At-Risk Afghans in Afghanistan and Abroad

Marking the one-year withdrawal of U.S. troops from Afghanistan and the fall of Kabul to the Taliban, this webinar reflects on the humanitarian and development challenges in Afghanistan and for neighbors, the difficult choices facing aid donors, and what needs to be done to ensure at-risk Afghans can reach safety.

Reports
July 2022

The Missing Link: Connecting Eligible Asylees and Asylum Seekers with Benefits and Services

Asylees in the United States are eligible for many of the same benefits and services as refugees, but many may not be aware of this fact. For asylum seekers awaiting a decision in their case, available assistance is far more limited, but similar information gaps exist. This report examines which supports are available to asylees and asylum seekers and offers recommendations to improve how they are connected with programs for which they are eligible.

Articles
July 21, 2022

Top Statistics on Global Migration and Migrants

Looking for some of the most often-sought information on global migration? This statistics-rich article draws on the most current data sources to offer a primer on international migration, highlighting its types, the size of the migrant population and growth over time, and major sending and receiving countries and regions. Beyond looking at labor and humanitarian migrants and international students, the article examines remittances and more.

Video, Audio, Webinars
May 24, 2022

En Busqueda de Seguridad: Opciones de protección regional para personas de Centroamérica

Con motivo de la publicación de un informe del Instituto de Política Migratoria sobre posibles vías de protección para las personas centroamericanas, este webcast ofrece un análisis sobre las vías humanitarias y de reasentamiento que ya se utilizan en la región así como las oportunidades y los obstáculos para expandir estos programas. 

Articles
July 13, 2022

Welcoming Afghans and Ukrainians to the United States: A Case in Similarities and Contrasts

The sluggishness of an overwhelmed U.S. immigration system and long lead times for refugee resettlement pushed government officials to use ad hoc pathways for Afghans and Ukrainians to enter the United States, with a two-year parole status given to most. This article examines the use of parole, the Uniting for Ukraine sponsorship program, and how the use of ad hoc statuses could evolve for future crises.

Pages