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E.g., 06/09/2024
United States

United States

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Historically a nation of immigrants, the United States is home to nearly 45 million immigrants, who represent 13.7 percent of the total population and play a key role in the economic, civic, and cultural life of the country. The research collected here covers many facets of immigration to the United States, by the numbers and how immigrants fare in the country's classrooms and workplaces, the policies and regulations that shape the admission of new immigrants, the enforcement programs and polices in place at U.S. borders and within the interior, and integration policies and efforts taking place in local communities, in states, and at the federal level.

A naturalization ceremony at the White House.
Articles

Frequently Requested Statistics on Immigrants and Immigration in the United States

Immigration touches on many facets of life in the United States. Get the facts with this useful resource, which compiles in one place answers to some of the most often-asked questions about immigration and immigrants in the United States now and historically. This article contains essential data on the immigrant population, immigration levels, trends in immigration enforcement, and much more.

A man in a high-visibility jacket and gloves at work
Policy Briefs

A New Way Forward for Employment-Based Immigration: The Bridge Visa

U.S. employment-based visa policies, last updated in 1990, are not aligned with the country’s current and future labor market needs. This policy brief outlines MPI’s proposal for a new visa pathway that could help the United States better leverage immigration to meet its labor market needs, boost protections for both U.S.- and foreign-born workers, and flexibly adapt to future economic and demographic changes.

Inadmissible migrants, some seeking asylum, are processed by CBP officers
Reports

Outmatched: The U.S. Asylum System Faces Record Demands

The U.S. humanitarian protection system, known for its long history of assisting those in need, has come under incredible pressure in recent years. The asylum adjudications system, which is under-resourced, is struggling to keep up with record asylum seeker arrivals at the U.S.-Mexico border. This report examines the state of the asylum system, including changes under the Biden administration and potential lessons for other countries.

President Joe Biden signs an executive order.
Articles

Biden at the Three-Year Mark: The Most Active Immigration Presidency Yet Is Mired in Border Crisis Narrative

In three years, President Joe Biden has surpassed the number of immigration-focused executive actions taken by the Trump administration throughout its entire four-year term, making his the most active U.S. presidency ever on immigration. Yet the Biden administration has been repeatedly accused of inaction at the U.S.-Mexico border, where record levels of migrant encounters have occurred. This article reviews the Biden track record on immigration.

Recent Activity

Articles
April 1, 2003
'Special Registration' Program
By Maia Jachimowicz, Ramah McKay
Articles
April 1, 2003
Consular ID Cards: Mexico and Beyond
By Kevin O'Neil
Articles
April 1, 2003
Iraqi Immigrants in the United States
By Elizabeth Grieco
Articles
April 1, 2003
FBI, BICE Interview Iraqi-Born Immigrants; Entry-Exit Rules Changed
By Maia Jachimowicz, Ramah McKay
cover WomenImmigrantsintheUS
Reports
March 2003
Women Immigrants in the United States
By  Deborah W. Meyers and Maia Jachimowicz
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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
Articles
March 1, 2003
Revamped Homeland Security Department to Incorporate INS Duties
By Maia Jachimowicz, Ramah McKay
Articles
March 1, 2003
Sex Ratios of the Foreign Born in the United States
By Elizabeth Grieco

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Recent Activity

Articles
April 1, 2003

'Special Registration' Program

MPI Research Assistants Maia Jachimowicz and Ramah McKay outline the government's "Special Registration" program, which is designed to register foreign visitors from certain designated countries who are already in the United States.
Reports
April 2003

Discussion on Migration and Development: Using Remittances and Circular Migration as Drivers for Development

Although the relationship between migration and development has been widely discussed and debated for more than 30 years, a number of unanswered questions and unsettled debates remain. On April 11 and 12, 2003, the Migration Policy Institute sought to advance the dialogue. This report summarizes the key talking points of the high level meeting and offers some key summary remarks.

Policy Briefs
April 2003

Immigration Policy and the Homeland Security Act Reorganization: An Early Agenda for Practical Improvements

On November 25, 2002, Congress passed the Homeland Security Act, which effectively overhauled the former Immigration and Naturalization Service (INS) and called for a massive reorganization of immigration functions under the newly formed Department of Homeland Security (DHS).This report outlines key changes incurred, highlights points of concern and offers policy recommendations aimed at remedying some of these concerns.

Policy Briefs
April 2003

Reconciling Refugee Protection and Security Concerns in Wartime: The Case of Iraq

Amidst heightened security concerns in the post-9/11 world, this policy brief examines international responses to the Iraqi refugee situation and explores various tools that can effectively allow states to reconcile security efforts with the continued commitment to international protection.

Articles
March 1, 2003

Sex Ratios of the Foreign Born in the United States

MPI Data Manager Elizabeth Grieco examines the ratio of men to women among various foreign born groups in the United States.

Articles
March 1, 2003

Revamped Homeland Security Department to Incorporate INS Duties

Homeland Security Department Incorporates INS During Restructuring... Proposed DHS Budget Would Fund Foreign Visitor Tracking, Visa Processing... INS Extends Special Registration Deadlines... Lawmakers Demand Details on Registration Program... INS Releases Report on Undocumented Immigrants... Funding for State Jailing of Criminal Undocumented Immigrants Slashed...
Reports
March 2003

America's Challenge: Domestic Security, Civil Liberties, and National Unity After September 11

The September 11 attacks demanded a powerful response, but blanket measures such as roundups and arrests, intimidating interviews, lengthy detention, and special registration requirements are blunt tools.This report offers the most comprehensive compilation and analysis yet of the individuals detained in the wake of September 11, their experiences, and the government’s post-September 11 immigration measures.
Reports
March 2003

Women Immigrants in the United States

This report explores the key themes that emerged during a conference convened on September 9, 2002 by the Woodrow Wilson International Center for Scholars and the Migration Policy Institute.

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