igr Is U.S.-Mexico Cooperation on Migration Possible? By www.migrationpolicy.org Published On :: Mon, 08 Apr 2019 09:48:29 -0400 As the numbers of Central American migrants crossing into Mexico and the United States rises—putting migration front and center in the U.S.-Mexico relationship again—this event examines the opportunities for cooperation between the two countries, along with ways to improve U.S. and Mexican asylum systems, create new approaches to labor migration, address smuggling networks, and modernize border management. Full Article
igr "Merit-Based" Immigration: Designing Successful Selection Systems By www.migrationpolicy.org Published On :: Fri, 17 May 2019 16:51:28 -0400 With the U.S. administration calling for the United States to adopt a more “merit-based” immigrant selection system, this conversation focused on what policymakers should consider in designing—and managing—immigrant selection systems in a time of intense labor-market and demographic change. Full Article
igr Mainstreaming 2.0: How Europe’s Education Systems Can Boost Migrant Inclusion By www.migrationpolicy.org Published On :: Mon, 05 Feb 2018 12:22:18 -0500 Rising numbers of young immigrants and refugees entering European schools following the 2015–16 migration crisis strained system capacity and injected new urgency into debates about how to support diverse learners and their families. This report examines the challenges facing European education systems and identifies key lessons to improve migrant inclusion in schools and integration more broadly. Full Article
igr The Diversity Visa Program Holds Lessons for Future Legal Immigration Reform By www.migrationpolicy.org Published On :: Thu, 08 Feb 2018 18:23:47 -0500 On paper, the Diversity Visa Program is not set up to bring in the highly skilled; applicants need only a high school diploma (or equivalent) or two years of mid-level work experience. Yet as this commentary explains, the green-card lottery has become a channel for entry of the highly skilled—with half of recipients coming to the United States in recent years having a college degree. Full Article
igr Immigration Data Matters By www.migrationpolicy.org Published On :: Fri, 16 Mar 2018 12:30:07 -0400 This useful online guide links users directly to the most credible, high-quality data on immigrants and immigration in the United States and internationally. The easy-to-use guide includes more than 220 data resources compiled by governmental and nongovernmental sources, covering topics ranging from population stock and flow numbers to statistics on enforcement, public opinion, religious affiliation, and much more. Full Article
igr Settling In: A Profile of the Unauthorized Immigrant Population in the United States By www.migrationpolicy.org Published On :: Tue, 13 Nov 2018 16:34:24 -0500 This fact sheet and accompanying interactive data tools provide characteristics of the estimated 11.3 million unauthorized immigrants in the United States, using a unique MPI methodology that assigns legal status to U.S. Census Bureau data. The fact sheet and tools offer statistics on these immigrants’ origins, U.S. destinations, educational attainment, English proficiency, employment, income, home ownership, and more. Full Article
igr Frequently Requested Statistics on Immigrants and Immigration in the United States By www.migrationpolicy.org Published On :: Mon, 11 Mar 2019 12:00:22 -0400 Immigrant arrivals to the United States and the makeup of the foreign-born population have been changing in significant ways: Recent immigrants are more likely to be from Asia than from Mexico and the overall immigrant population is growing at a slower rate than before the 2008-09 recession. This useful article collects in one place some of the most sought-after statistics on immigrants in the United States. Full Article
igr Mexican Migration to Canada: Temporary Worker Programs, Visa Imposition, and NAFTA Shape Flows By www.migrationpolicy.org Published On :: Tue, 19 Mar 2019 11:06:16 -0400 Mexicans migrate to Canada in much smaller numbers than to the United States, yet over the last 30 years the country has become an increasingly attractive destination. Canada prioritizes highly skilled, educated Mexicans for permanent residency, but also attracts temporary workers from Mexico. This article examines Mexican migration to Canada and how it has been shaped by visa requirements, trade policy, and more. Full Article
igr Migration & Coronavirus: A Complicated Nexus Between Migration Management and Public Health By www.migrationpolicy.org Published On :: Thu, 19 Mar 2020 10:35:46 -0400 This webinar, organized by MPI and the Zolberg Institute on Migration and Mobility at The New School, discussed the state of play around the globe surrounding COVID-19 and examined where migration management and enforcement tools may be useful and where they may be ill-suited to advancing public health goals. Full Article
igr Crisis within a Crisis: Immigration in the United States in a Time of COVID-19 By www.migrationpolicy.org Published On :: Thu, 26 Mar 2020 12:50:47 -0400 The global COVID-19 pandemic has brought into sharp focus the intersection of U.S. immigration and public health policy, and the unique challenges that immigrants face. This article analyzes the Trump administration’s introduction of some of the most stringent immigration restrictions in modern times, the often disparate fallout of the outbreak on immigrant communities, the status of federal immigration agency operations, and more. Full Article
igr Africa Deepens its Approach to Migration Governance, But Are Policies Translating to Action? By www.migrationpolicy.org Published On :: Thu, 02 Apr 2020 11:41:21 -0400 While migration once was a lower-priority topic for African governments, the last decade has seen a deepening in governance. Policymakers have integrated migration into their national development strategies and mainstreamed it across policy domains such as health and education. The actions are promising on paper, yet questions remain about the extent to which they will translate to more effective migration management. Full Article
igr Immigration Enforcement in the United States: The Rise of a Formidable Machinery By www.migrationpolicy.org Published On :: Mon, 07 Jan 2013 00:00:00 -0500 MPI has released a major study that describes and analyzes today’s immigration enforcement programs, as they have developed and grown in the 25 years since IRCA launched the current enforcement era. Full Article
igr Immigration Enforcement in the United States: The Rise of a Formidable Machinery By www.migrationpolicy.org Published On :: Mon, 07 Jan 2013 15:00:00 -0500 Release of a major report that describes and analyzes the immigration enforcement system in the United States as it has developed and grown in the quarter century since the Immigration Reform and Control Act of 1986 launched the current era of enforcement. Full Article
igr Key Immigration Laws and Policy Developments Since 1986 By www.migrationpolicy.org Published On :: Fri, 01 Mar 2013 00:00:00 -0500 A timeline of key immigration laws and policy developments between 1986 and 2013. Full Article
igr Side-by-Side Comparison of 2013 Senate Immigration Bill with 2006 and 2007 Senate Legislation By www.migrationpolicy.org Published On :: Mon, 01 Apr 2013 00:00:00 -0400 This fact sheet compares key components of immigration reform outlined in the 2013 Senate immigration bill against provisions included in bills considered by the Senate in 2006 and 2007: border security, detention, and enforcement; worksite enforcement; visa reforms; earned legalization of unauthorized immigrants; strengthening the U.S. economy and workforce; and integration of new Americans. Full Article
igr Side-by-Side Comparison of the 2013 Senate Immigration Framework with 2006 and 2007 Senate Legislation By www.migrationpolicy.org Published On :: Mon, 01 Apr 2013 00:00:00 -0400 MPI has completed an analysis of the major provisions in the 2013 framework, comparing them to provisions of the legislation the Senate considered in 2006 and 2007. This fact sheet is formatted as a chart comparing the framework of comprehensive immigration reform outlined in the 2013 Senate immigration bill against provisions included in bills considered by the Senate in 2006 and 2007. Full Article
igr Side-by-Side Comparison of 2013 Senate Immigration Bill with Individual 2013 House Bills By www.migrationpolicy.org Published On :: Thu, 01 Aug 2013 00:00:00 -0400 This fact sheet offers a detailed review of the comprehensive immigration reform legislation approved by the U.S. Senate in June 2013 and compares its major provisions with those of the five targeted immigration bills approved by the House Judiciary Committee and the House Homeland Security Committee. Full Article
igr A House Divided: Divergent Views in Congress Over Immigration Reform - A Video Chat By www.migrationpolicy.org Published On :: Wed, 07 Aug 2013 00:00:00 -0400 MPI experts participate in a video chat shortly after the Migration Policy Institute released an analysis comparing the major provisions of the Senate bill to those of the individual House bills considered to date in House committees. Full Article
igr 10th Annual Immigration Law and Policy Conference By www.migrationpolicy.org Published On :: Thu, 31 Oct 2013 00:00:00 -0400 The 10th annual Immigration Law and Policy Conference featured keynotes by U.S. Senator John McCain (R-AZ) and former Mississippi Governor Haley Barbour, as well as panel discussions covering a range of key immigration topics. Full Article
igr A Strategic Framework for Creating Legality and Order in Immigration By www.migrationpolicy.org Published On :: Wed, 01 Jan 2014 00:00:00 -0500 This report analyzes how governments ought to best allocate their resources to address the risks associated with migration—the "immigration harms" that undermine the positive economic and social benefits of immigration—including choosing which threats to tackle and where to prioritize enforcement efforts. Immigration policymakers can learn from other public policy regulation efforts to ensure that regulatory actions advance the public interest. Full Article
igr IRCA in Retrospect: Guideposts for Today’s Immigration Reform By www.migrationpolicy.org Published On :: Wed, 01 Jan 2014 00:00:00 -0500 This policy brief traces the successes and failures of the 1986 Immigration Reform and Control Act, which represented the first and most comprehensive legislation to take on the issue of illegal immigration to the United States. The brief makes the case that IRCA's major flaws were rooted in statutory design more than regulatory challenges and implementation by the administrative agencies. Full Article
igr Curbing the Influence of "Bad Actors" in International Migration (Transatlantic Council Statement) By www.migrationpolicy.org Published On :: Sat, 01 Feb 2014 00:00:00 -0500 This Transatlantic Council on Migration Statement assesses the continuum of policies needed to disrupt illegal migration-related activities and addresses the conditions that make them possible. It examines the role of migration "bad actors"—human traffickers and unscrupulous employers, among them—who operate and profit in this environment, and considers how governments can deploy resources to discourage their actions. Full Article
igr Will White House Immigration Wish List Tank Emerging DREAMer Momentum in Congress? By www.migrationpolicy.org Published On :: Tue, 17 Oct 2017 17:28:11 -0400 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. Full Article
igr Trump’s First Year on Immigration Policy: Rhetoric vs. Reality By www.migrationpolicy.org Published On :: Wed, 17 Jan 2018 11:51:07 -0500 Looking back after one year in office, it is striking how just closely the Trump administration’s actions on immigration have hewed to priorities Donald Trump outlined in an uncommonly detailed policy speech in August 2016. This report revisits those pledges to assess where the administration has made the most and least headway, and what its policy agenda ahead might look like. Full Article
igr Will Immigration Reform Ever Succeed Again? The Legacy of IRCA & Its Enduring Lessons By www.migrationpolicy.org Published On :: Wed, 12 Jun 2019 12:34:22 -0400 This provocative discussion showcases Charles Kamasaki's book, Immigration Reform: The Corpse That Will Not Die, and explores the lessons that can be learned from the Immigration Reform and Control Act of 1986, its intended and unintended consequences, and how the law’s legacy has shaped contemporary politics surrounding immigration. Full Article
igr Rethinking U.S. Immigration Policy: Building a Responsive, Effective Immigration System By www.migrationpolicy.org Published On :: Mon, 29 Jul 2019 10:04:01 -0400 This event marks the launch of a major new initiative—Rethinking U.S. Immigration Policy—that aims to generate a big-picture, evidence-driven vision of the role immigration can and should play in America’s future in order to leverage a comparative advantage for the nation. Full Article
igr The Canadian Express Entry System for Selecting Economic Immigrants: Progress and Persistent Challenges By www.migrationpolicy.org Published On :: Tue, 23 Apr 2019 17:07:25 -0400 Since its launch in 2015, the Express Entry system has changed how economic immigration to Canada happens and how it fits into public and political debates. And while it has proven successful in cutting through application backlogs, some challenges remain. This report looks at how and why this points-based system was introduced, what its impact has been, and how it could be further finetuned. Full Article
igr Explainer: How the U.S. Legal Immigration System Works By www.migrationpolicy.org Published On :: Fri, 26 Apr 2019 10:06:26 -0400 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. Full Article
igr Can Return Migration Revitalize the Baltics? Estonia, Latvia, and Lithuania Engage Their Diasporas, with Mixed Results By www.migrationpolicy.org Published On :: Tue, 07 May 2019 13:59:43 -0400 Faced with high emigration rates and shrinking, aging populations, the Baltic states—Estonia, Latvia, and Lithuania—are exploring different ways to lure back nationals who have emigrated and establish or solidify ties with members of the diaspora. Of the three countries, Estonia is proving the most successful, while Latvia appears to be ignoring the looming demographic crisis and lacks an immigration plan. Full Article
igr "Merit-Based" Immigration: Designing Successful Selection Systems By www.migrationpolicy.org Published On :: Thu, 09 May 2019 15:57:37 -0400 MPI and OECD experts discuss what policymakers should consider in designing and managing immigrant selection systems in a time of intense labor-market and demographic change. Full Article
igr “Merit-Based” Immigration: Trump Proposal Would Dramatically Revamp Immigrant Selection Criteria, But with Modest Effects on Numbers By www.migrationpolicy.org Published On :: Thu, 30 May 2019 10:20:09 -0400 The Trump administration’s plan to create a "merit-based" U.S. immigration system, lessening the longstanding focus on family reunification in favor of more economic migrants, has met with a lackluster response from Democrats and Republicans alike. This Policy Beat article explores how the Trump proposal would reshape immigration to the United States, and how it compares to selection systems in other countries and past debates about changing the U.S. system. Full Article
igr Rethinking U.S. Immigration Policy: New Realities Call for New Answers By www.migrationpolicy.org Published On :: Thu, 08 Aug 2019 11:53:08 -0400 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. Full Article
igr Understanding the Creation of Public Consensus: Migration and Integration in Germany, 2005 to 2015 By www.migrationpolicy.org Published On :: Wed, 01 Jun 2016 09:20:31 -0400 As immigrant-skeptic movements gained salience, and even political representation, in several European countries in recent years, Germany remained a relative outlier until mid-2015. This report explains how a pro-immigrant consensus evolved and persisted in Germany during the period from 2005—as the country emerged from recession and embarked on a reform of its immigration laws—through to the events of mid-2015. Full Article
igr When the Dust Settles: Migration Policy after Brexit By www.migrationpolicy.org Published On :: Sun, 26 Jun 2016 15:16:18 -0400 While the political and economic ramifications of the UK vote to quit the European Union hit with full force within hours, it will take far more time to sort out what Brexit means for migration policy. In the short term, the rights of EU nationals living in Britain are the most pressing, with border-control negotiations and future immigration levels also high on the agenda. Against a backdrop of deep public skepticism, this commentary suggests the next government should underpromise and overdeliver. Full Article
igr Farm to Table: The Role of Immigrants in U.S. Farm Labor in 2016 By www.migrationpolicy.org Published On :: Thu, 06 Oct 2016 12:58:18 -0400 A discussion featuring data on immigration trends and farm labor that could help inform future reform debates, including what adjustments farm employers are making, including increased mechanization, improved wages and benefits, and the increased use of the H-2A program. Full Article
igr Stepping into the Vacuum: State and Cities Act on Immigration, But Do Restrictions Work? By www.migrationpolicy.org Published On :: Tue, 01 Nov 2016 14:18:54 -0400 Over the past decade, state and local policymakers have increasingly stepped into the void left by Washington over legislative reform of the immigration system and have enacted their own policies, particularly in regard to illegal immigration. This article explores this trend of increased activism and examines whether restrictive state immigration laws have had an effect on the size of immigrant populations at the state level. Full Article
igr The International Migration System: Reflections on the Challenges and Opportunities Ahead By www.migrationpolicy.org Published On :: Tue, 27 Jun 2017 13:05:27 -0400 A reflection by MPI's co-founder, Demetrios Papademetriou, as he takes leave from his day-to-day role at MPI on the challenges and opportunities ahead for international migration systems over the next few decades. After opening remarks, Papademetriou engages in a conversation with incoming MPI President Andrew Selee about the trends and realities confronting policymakers and publics. Full Article
igr From Emigration to Asylum Destination, Italy Navigates Shifting Migration Tides By www.migrationpolicy.org Published On :: Tue, 22 Aug 2017 10:33:27 -0400 Long a country of emigration—13 million Italians went abroad between 1880 and 1915—Italy has also experienced significant inflows of Middle Eastern and sub-Saharan African workers in recent decades. Italy has also been on the frontlines of Europe's refugee crisis. This country profile examines Italy's shifting migration patterns, policy responses over time, and debates. Full Article
igr Once Homogenous, Tiny Iceland Opens Its Doors to Immigrants By www.migrationpolicy.org Published On :: Mon, 16 Apr 2018 17:29:08 -0400 A small, isolated country, Iceland has been home to a largely homogenous population for much of its history. But in recent years, a booming economy and expanding tourism sector have drawn rising numbers of immigrants to the island nation. This article explores Iceland's balancing act of maintaining economic growth through immigration while preserving its culture and language. Full Article
igr In Search of a New Equilibrium: Immigration Policymaking in the Newest Era of Nativist Populism By www.migrationpolicy.org Published On :: Wed, 07 Nov 2018 10:15:48 -0500 In many recent European and U.S. elections, candidates touting nativist populist and anti-immigrant platforms have enjoyed rising support. As populism moves from the fringes into the mainstream, this report takes stock of the economic and social forces driving its rise, the diverse ways populists are influencing immigration policymaking, and what it will take to build a new center around immigration and integration issues. Full Article
igr Sweden: By Turns Welcoming and Restrictive in its Immigration Policy By www.migrationpolicy.org Published On :: Wed, 05 Dec 2018 18:28:24 -0500 Swedish asylum policy has taken a restrictionist turn since the country received a record-breaking number of asylum seekers in 2015 and after electoral gains by the nationalist, anti-immigration Sweden Democrats pushed the governing coalition to a harder line. Still, other aspects of the country’s migration policy remain welcoming, as this country profile explores. Full Article
igr Spain’s Labor Migration Policies in the Aftermath of Economic Crisis By www.migrationpolicy.org Published On :: Wed, 10 Apr 2019 10:59:39 -0400 A relatively new destination for immigrants, Spain has developed a labor migration system that builds on longstanding relationships with countries outside the European Union and that actively involves employers, trade unions, and regional governments. This report examines how this legal framework has evolved in recent decades, and how it could serve as a model for EU policymakers in admitting non-EU workers. Full Article
igr Immigration and the U.S.-Mexico Border during the Pandemic: A Conversation with Members of Congress By www.migrationpolicy.org Published On :: Fri, 17 Apr 2020 11:19:27 -0400 In this bipartisan discussion, two border-state members of Congress—Rep. Veronica Escobar and Rep. Dan Crenshaw—discuss the response to the coronavirus outbreak, how it is affecting the interconnected border region, and what the future might hold. Full Article
igr Vulnerable to COVID-19 and in Frontline Jobs, Immigrants Are Mostly Shut Out of U.S. Relief By www.migrationpolicy.org Published On :: Fri, 24 Apr 2020 12:55:07 -0400 On the frontlines of responding to the COVID-19 pandemic yet also more disproportionately affected by the virus and with reduced health care access, immigrants in the United States have largely found themselves blocked from federal economic relief. As states and philanthropic groups seek to plug the gap, this article examines conditions and changing policies around immigration and the coronavirus response. Full Article
igr Eight Key U.S. Immigration Policy Issues: State of Play and Unanswered Questions By www.migrationpolicy.org Published On :: Mon, 06 May 2019 15:58:22 -0400 Amid a significant reshaping of immigration policy by the Trump administration, a range of immigration topics that have not been at the forefront of debate merit further information sharing with the public and policymakers. This report examines eight issues areas that are deserving of additional review and could form the basis for future action by Congress, including H-1B reform and treatment of unaccompanied minors. Full Article
igr Immigration-Related Policy Changes in the First Two Years of the Trump Administration By www.migrationpolicy.org Published On :: Mon, 06 May 2019 16:16:15 -0400 In the two years since President Trump entered office, U.S. immigration policy has changed in many ways. Some actions have received significant media attention and public scrutiny, and others have been implemented with little fanfare. This document chronicles these wide-reaching policy changes, covering immigration enforcement, the immigration courts, humanitarian admissions, visa processing, and more. Full Article
igr The Evolution of the Australian System for Selecting Economic Immigrants By www.migrationpolicy.org Published On :: Wed, 22 May 2019 13:48:04 -0400 Since the mid-1990s, Australia has moved away from a focus on family reunification to place greater emphasis on workers coming via temporary and permanent channels. The evolution of the country's points-based model for selecting economic migrants and move to a predominately employer-driven system offer lessons for other countries that seek to develop a tailored and targeted immigration selection system. Full Article
igr Migration and Integration in Czechia: Policy Advances and the Hand Brake of Populism By www.migrationpolicy.org Published On :: Tue, 04 Jun 2019 16:12:10 -0400 Since regaining its independence in 1989, the Czech Republic has transformed from a country of emigration to one of rising immigration, amid growing labor market needs. Even as Czechia received few asylum seekers during the 2015-16 European migration crisis, the country has taken a harder line on immigration, and public opinion and political stances have grown more negative towards immigrants and refugees. Full Article
igr Equipping Immigrant Selection Systems for a Changing World of Work (Transatlantic Council Statement) By www.migrationpolicy.org Published On :: Tue, 30 Jul 2019 10:54:09 -0400 As technological developments—from automation to artificial intelligence and machine learning—reshape the world of work, governments face the challenge of updating how they attract, select, and retain economic-stream immigrants. This report, concluding a series on building migration systems for a new age of economic competitiveness, lays out the key considerations for "future-proofing" immigrant selection systems. Full Article
igr Chronicling Migration in the 21st Century Through One Family's Journey By www.migrationpolicy.org Published On :: Tue, 06 Aug 2019 18:44:31 -0400 This event marked the launch of New York Times reporter Jason DeParle's book tracing the arc of migration as a phenomenon, witnessed through three decades observing a particular Filipino family moving from Manila to Texas. The conversation explored both the human and policy aspects of migration and development. Full Article