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E.g., 04/16/2024
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

Cover PB midterms2014
Articles
November 12, 2014
Immigration Not Decisive in the Midterms, But Results Critical to the Congressional Debate
By Muzaffar Chishti and Faye Hipsman
Cover SPT SSA2014
Articles
October 30, 2014
Sub-Saharan African Immigrants in the United States
By Jie Zong and Jeanne Batalova
EVENTPH 2014.10.28 The Global Boom in Investor Immigration (youtube E.Collett)v.3
Multimedia
October 28, 2014
The Global Boom in Investor Immigration: What Are the Lessons For Policymakers?
EVENTPH 2014.10.21 11th Annual Immigration Law and Policy Conf. USCIS Director Leon Rodriguez
Multimedia
October 21, 2014
11th Annual Immigration Law and Policy Conference
Cover PB Ebola2014
Articles
October 23, 2014
Ebola Outbreak Rekindles Debate on Restricting Admissions to the United States on Health Grounds
By Muzaffar Chishti, Faye Hipsman, and Sarah Pierce
EVENTPH 2014.10.16 The U.S. Deportation System Trends from a Decade of Data
Multimedia
October 16, 2014
The U.S. Deportation System: Trends from a Decade of Data
Cover FE Offshore2014
Articles
October 16, 2014
Pushing Out the Boundaries of Humanitarian Screening with In-Country and Offshore Processing
By Zara Rabinovitch
coverthumb RemovalsFOIA
Reports
October 2014
Deportation and Discretion: Reviewing the Record and Options for Change
By  Marc R. Rosenblum and Kristen McCabe

Pages

Spotlight on Mexican Immigrants April 2008 map
Spotlight
April 23, 2008
Mexican Immigrants in the United States

In 2006, more than 11.5 million Mexican immigrants resided in the United States, accounting for 30.7 percent of all US immigrants. MPI's Jeanne Batalova examines the number of Mexican immigrants in the United States, their socioeconomic characteristics, where they live, and the size of the Mexican-born unauthorized population.

Policy Beat
April 15, 2008
USCIS Receives 163,000 H-1B Applications for Fiscal Year 2009

MPI's Muzaffar Chishti and Claire Bergeron report on the H-1B visa window, Real ID regulations, Arizona's proposed guest worker program, and more.

Policy Beat
March 17, 2008
Virtual Border Fence Given Mixed Assessment in First Test

MPI's Muzaffar Chishti and Claire Bergeron report on the virtual border fence in Arizona, House immigration talks, increased fines for employers of unauthorized immigrants, and more.

Spotlight
March 17, 2008
Spotlight on Temporary Admissions of Nonimmigrants to the United States

There were nearly 34 million temporary admissions to the United States in 2006, twice the number in 1990. MPI's Jeanne Batalova outlines the definition of nonimmigrants and takes a detailed look at admissions data and data limitations.

Policy Beat
February 15, 2008
USCIS: Backlog in Naturalization Applications Will Take Nearly Three Years to Clear

MPI's Muzaffar Chishti and Claire Bergeron report on the USCIS naturalization application backlog, final Real ID regulations, proposed H-2A visa changes, and more.

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Recent Activity

Articles
November 12, 2014

Immigration Not Decisive in the Midterms, But Results Critical to the Congressional Debate

While immigration and the Latino vote may not have been decisive in the 2014 midterm elections, the Republican takeover of the Senate come January 2015 and increased majority in the House have significant implications for the outcome of the immigration debate. This article examines the changing dynamics and the president's intent to proceed with executive action to shield some of the unauthorized immigrant population from deportation.
Articles
October 30, 2014

Sub-Saharan African Immigrants in the United States

From 1980 to 2013, the sub-Saharan African immigrant population in the United States increased from 130,000 to 1.5 million, roughly doubling each decade between 1980 and 2010. This profile provides up-to-date demographic information for sub-Saharan immigrants including location, educational attainment, workforce participation, and much more.

Video
October 28, 2014

The Global Boom in Investor Immigration: What Are the Lessons For Policymakers?

A discussion on the extraordinary boom in investor immigration, including the rapidly expanding EB-5 visa in the United States, Malta’s controversial “cash for citizenship” policy and a host of programs across Europe and the Caribbean.

Video, Audio
October 21, 2014

11th Annual Immigration Law and Policy Conference

This conference, keynoted by USCIS Director León Rodríguez, featured panels on local immigrant integration policies; expected executive action on immigration; the treatment of unaccompanied children from Central America; and innovations in government-funded legal counsel and accelerated court cases.

Articles
October 23, 2014

Ebola Outbreak Rekindles Debate on Restricting Admissions to the United States on Health Grounds

The outbreak of Ebola in West Africa, with three cases diagnosed in the United States, has generated tremendous public fear and anxiety in the United States and other countries. The Obama administration has restricted air travel from West Africa to five airports with enhanced screening, amid calls for a complete travel ban. The Policy Beat examines the use of U.S. immigration controls to halt the spread of disease.

Video, Audio
October 16, 2014

The U.S. Deportation System: Trends from a Decade of Data

MPI researchers, along with analysts from the Government Accountability Office and American Immigration Council, discuss the findings from an MPI report that examines the 3.7 million deportations that have occurred in the United States since establishment of the Department of Homeland Security in 2003, as well as lessons that can be learned for future policy and possible administrative action.

Articles
October 16, 2014

Pushing Out the Boundaries of Humanitarian Screening with In-Country and Offshore Processing

Recent surges in the arrival of unauthorized migrants with possible humanitarian claims have prompted the United States and the European Union to consider in-country and offshore processing for some refugee and asylum applications. As this article explores, some of the questions raised about the feasibility of such programs include their consistency with humanitarian law and their effectiveness in reducing unwanted entries.
Reports
October 2014

Deportation and Discretion: Reviewing the Record and Options for Change

Even as deportation of criminals has risen steadily, immigration crimes are the largest category of criminal removals, representing 18 percent of the 1.5 million criminal removals that occurred between fiscal 2003-13. This report analyzes the 3.7 million formal removals that occurred during the period, offering a profile of deportees and changing trends. It also outlines how possible scenarios for executive action could affect the number of deportations.

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