E.g., 04/16/2024
E.g., 04/16/2024
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

A Global Broadband Plan for Refugees
Policy Briefs
May 2017
A Global Broadband Plan for Refugees
By  Blair Levin, Paul De Sa and T. Alexander Aleinikoff
CanadaBorder ckowalik Flickr
Articles
April 26, 2017
Uptick in Northern Border Crossings Places Canada-U.S. Safe Third Country Agreement under Pressure
By Sela Cowger
coverthumb 100days
Fact Sheets
April 2017
The First 100 Days: Summary of Major Immigration Actions Taken by the Trump Administration
By  Sela Cowger, Jessica Bolter and Sarah Pierce
EVENT PH 2016.4.12 flickr European Union Plenary debate on Greece with PM Alexis Tsipras Marine Le Pen (ENF, France)
Multimedia
April 12, 2017
Immigration and its Discontents: European Elections and Future Policy
ColombiaIDP BHeger UNHCR
Articles
April 13, 2017
As Colombia Emerges from Decades of War, Migration Challenges Mount
By Dayra Carvajal
The Economic Integration of Refugees in Canada: A Mixed Record?
Reports
April 2017
The Economic Integration of Refugees in Canada: A Mixed Record?
By  Lori Wilkinson and Joseph Garcea
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Policy Briefs
March 2017
Revised Trump Executive Order and Guidance on Refugee Resettlement and Travel Ban
By  Sarah Pierce and Doris Meissner
_Refugees
Commentaries
March 2017
The Migration Crisis Is Over: Long Live the Migration Crisis
By  Demetrios G. Papademetriou

Pages

Recent Activity

Policy Briefs
May 2017

A Global Broadband Plan for Refugees

Now, more than ever, mobile and Internet connectivity play a crucial role in helping refugees stay safe, build livelihoods, and keep in touch with family. Yet many face challenges in getting and staying connected, both in transit and after arrival. This policy brief draws on the model of national broadband plans to propose a blueprint for improving the connectivity of refugees and host communities around the world.

Articles
April 26, 2017

Uptick in Northern Border Crossings Places Canada-U.S. Safe Third Country Agreement under Pressure

Amid a sense of declining welcome in the United States, growing numbers of asylum seekers have crossed into Canada in recent months, entering illegally to take advantage of a loophole in the Canada-U.S. Safe Third Country Agreement. The result? Refugee advocates and politicians in Canada are issuing growing calls to change or suspend the treaty. This article examines the treaty's history, effects, and current challenges.

Fact Sheets
April 2017

The First 100 Days: Summary of Major Immigration Actions Taken by the Trump Administration

During his first 100 days in office, President Trump has taken a sweeping set of actions on immigration, ranging from imposing a travel ban to cutting refugee admissions, "extreme" vetting, and fortifying immigration enforcement at the border and in the U.S. interior. This fact sheet examines the major immigration actions taken to date, legal challenges, and related policy and personnel developments.

Video, Audio, Webinars
April 12, 2017

Immigration and its Discontents: European Elections and Future Policy

Public anxiety about immigration and the fast pace of social change has reached a boiling point in many parts of Europe, contributing (in part) to the ascent of populist far-right parties. This discussion focuses on how the French election is unfolding, what we can learn from Brexit and the Dutch elections, and what these results portend (if anything) for the next round of political contests in Europe. Experts consider how governments can manage broader public concerns about rapid social change, economic opportunity, and security in ways that can reduce public anxiety over immigration and restore the public's trust. 

Articles
April 13, 2017

As Colombia Emerges from Decades of War, Migration Challenges Mount

Colombia has more internally displaced persons (IDPs) than any other country in the world, the result of a 52-year civil war. Beyond improving the lives of its 7.3 million IDPs, the country faces a number of crucial migration issues as it works to achieve stability in the wake of an historic peace accord signed in late 2016. This country profile examines historical trends and current and future migration challenges in Colombia.

Reports
April 2017

The Economic Integration of Refugees in Canada: A Mixed Record?

Refugees in Canada have experienced mixed success when it comes to economic outcomes. While they struggle to enter the labor market, over time they catch up to other immigrants and the Canadian born. This report examines the web of programs that facilitate refugee integration, as well as differences in outcomes—including for those who are privately sponsored or resettled by the government.

Policy Briefs
March 2017

Revised Trump Executive Order and Guidance on Refugee Resettlement and Travel Ban

This brief examines President Trump's revised executive order issued in March 2017, replacing an earlier legally contested version suspending travel from certain majority-Muslim countries and pausing the U.S. refugee resettlement program. The brief compares the revised executive order to provisions of the original one, as well as to prior policy and practice.

Commentaries
March 2017

The Migration Crisis Is Over: Long Live the Migration Crisis

While the chaos of 2015 has abated, the conditions that fuelled huge spontaneous flows of asylum seekers and migrants to Europe have not changed. Europe faces a fundamental governance test that is undermining the legitimacy of both national and European institutions and, more directly, the integrity of management structures of Member States most affected by spontaneous migration. This commentary by Demetrios Papademetriou explores the challenges and way forward.

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