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Immigration & migration, monthly encounters with migrants at u.s.-mexico border remain near record highs.
Recent monthly migrant encounter totals far exceed the peak reached during the last major wave at the U.S.-Mexico border in May 2019.
In Their Own Words: Asian Immigrants’ Experiences Navigating Language Barriers in the United States
Key facts about recent trends in global migration, after declining early in the covid-19 outbreak, immigrant naturalizations in the u.s. are rising again, sign up for our weekly newsletter.
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All Immigration & Migration Publications
Immigrants and children of immigrants make up at least 15% of the 118th congress.
At least 81 voting members of Congress (15%) are foreign born or have at least one parent who was born in another country.
Across 49 focus groups with Asian immigrants, daily challenges related to speaking English emerged as a common theme. Participants also shared frustration, stress and at times sadness in dealing with cultural and language barriers, and described support they received from others.
The number of international migrants grew to 281 million in 2020; 3.6% of the world’s people lived outside their country of birth that year.
An estimated 940,000 immigrants became U.S. citizens during the 2022 fiscal year. That annual total would be the third-highest on record.
Biden administration further expands Temporary Protected Status to cover Afghanistan, Cameroon, Ukraine
Immigrants who qualify for TPS are living in the U.S. and come from designated nations deemed unsafe to return to.
Most Latinos Say Democrats Care About Them and Work Hard for Their Vote, Far Fewer Say So of GOP
Abortion has risen as an election issue for Latinos, with a majority saying it should be legal in all or most cases. Meanwhile, 80% say the economy is a very important issue when deciding who to vote for in the upcoming congressional midterm elections, a greater share than any other issue.
Key facts about U.S. Latinos for National Hispanic Heritage Month
Here are some key facts about the nation’s Latino population by geography, and by characteristics like language use and origin group.
Most Americans express support for taking in refugees, but opinions vary by party and other factors
72% of Americans say taking in civilian refugees should be an important goal for immigration policy in the United States.
Republicans and Democrats have different top priorities for U.S. immigration policy
There are sizable ideological differences over the most pressing priorities for the U.S. immigration system within each partisan coalition.
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Immigration →

- 14 Feb 2023
Is Sweden Still 'Sweden'? A Liberal Utopia Grapples with an Identity Crisis
Changing political views and economic forces have threatened Sweden's image of liberal stability. Is it the end of the Scandinavian business-welfare model as we know it? In a case study, Debora Spar examines recent shifts in Sweden and what they mean for the country's future.

- 01 Nov 2022
- What Do You Think?
Why Aren’t Business Leaders More Vocal About Immigration Policy?
Immigration fuels the American economy, feeds the talent pool, and can directly affect company performance. And yet few executives and entrepreneurs have waded into the policy dialogue, says James Heskett. Open for comment; 0 Comments.

- 30 Mar 2021
- Working Paper Summaries
Whose Job Is It Anyway? Co-Ethnic Hiring in New US Ventures
The impact of immigration has been particularly sharp in entrepreneurship, yet there is remarkably little evidence about how immigration in the workplace connects to the creation and scaling of new firms. The economic consequences of greater workplace and entrepreneurial diversity deserve closer attention.
- 11 Jan 2021
The Political Effects of Immigration: Culture or Economics?
This paper reviews and explains the growing literature focused on the political effects of immigration, and highlights fruitful avenues for future research. When compared to potential labor market competition and other economic forces, broadly defined cultural factors have a stronger political and social impact.
- 03 Nov 2020
An Executive Order Worth $100 Billion: The Impact of an Immigration Ban’s Announcement on Fortune 500 Firms’ Valuation
President Trump’s executive order restricting entry of temporary foreign workers to the United States negatively affected the valuation of 471 publicly traded Fortune 500 firms by an estimated $100 billion. Closed for comment; 0 Comments.
- 15 Jun 2020
The Seeds of Ideology: Historical Immigration and Political Preferences in the United States
Researchers test the relationship between historical immigration to the United States and political ideology today.

- 11 May 2020
Immigration Policies Threaten American Competitiveness
At this time of crisis, America risks signaling to global innovators and entrepreneurs that they have no future here, says William R. Kerr. Open for comment; 0 Comments.
- 21 Apr 2020
Changing In-group Boundaries: The Role of New Immigrant Waves in the US
How do new immigrants affect natives’ views of other minority groups? This work studies the evolution of group boundaries in the United States and indicates that whites living in states receiving more Mexican immigrants recategorize blacks as in-group members, because of the inflow of a new, “affectively” more distant group.

- 06 Apr 2020
- Research & Ideas
Where Do Workers Go When the Robots Arrive?
Marco Tabellini and colleagues investigate where workers go after losing their jobs to automation and Chinese imports. Open for comment; 0 Comments.
- 17 Feb 2020
The Impact of Technology and Trade on Migration: Evidence from the US
Labor mobility can re-equilibrate local labor markets after an economic shock. Both robot adoption and Chinese import competition between 1990 and 2015 caused large declines in manufacturing employment across US local labor markets (commuting zones, CZs). However, only robots were associated with a decline in CZ population, which resulted from reduced in-migration rather than by increased out-migration.
- 01 Jan 2020
Why Not Open America's Doors to All the World’s Talent?
SUMMING UP: The H-1B visa program is exploited by some employers to replace high-paid talent, but that doesn't mean foreign workers should be shut out of working in the United States, according to many of James Heskett's readers. Open for comment; 0 Comments.
- 19 Jun 2019
Migrant Inventors and the Technological Advantage of Nations
This study provides robust econometric evidence for how immigrant inventors shape the innovation dynamics of their receiving countries. Countries receiving inventors from other nations that specialize in patenting particular technologies are more likely to have a significant increase in patent applications of the same technology.
- 08 Jun 2019
The Gift of Global Talent: Innovation Policy and the Economy
High-skilled workers in today’s knowledge-based economy are arguably the most important resource to the success of businesses, regions, and industries. This chapter pulls from Kerr’s book The Gift of Global Talent to examine the migration dynamics of high-skilled individuals. He argues that improving our knowledge of high-skilled migration can lead to better policy decisions.
- 07 Feb 2019

Immigrant Networking and Collaboration: Survey Evidence from CIC
This study compares United States-born and immigrant entrepreneurs’ use of networking opportunities provided by CIC, the former Cambridge Innovation Center. Immigrants clearly take more advantage of networking opportunities at CIC, especially around the exchange of advice. It remains to be seen whether this generates long-term performance advantages for immigrants.
- 01 Nov 2018
Forecasting Airport Transfer Passenger Flow Using Real-Time Data and Machine Learning
Passengers arriving at international hubs often endure delays, especially at immigration and security. This study of London’s Heathrow Airport develops a system to provide real-time information about transfer passengers’ journeys through the airport to better serve passengers, airlines, and their employees. It shows how advanced machine learning could be accessible to managers.

- 01 Oct 2018
Is the US Losing its Ability to Attract Highly Skilled Migrant Workers?
As debates sharpen on the benefits and drawbacks of migrant labor, William R. Kerr's new book explores why global talent flows matter to national economic development and security. Book excerpt and author interview. Open for comment; 0 Comments.
- 19 Sep 2018
From Immigrants to Americans: Race and Assimilation During the Great Migration
The Great Migration of African Americans and the mass migration of Europeans both contributed to forming the modern American racial and ethnic landscape. This analysis finds that native whites more readily accepted European immigrants as African Americans arrived in the US North during the first Great Migration, facilitating the assimilation of European immigrants in northern urban centers.
- 07 Aug 2018
Gifts of the Immigrants, Woes of the Natives: Lessons from the Age of Mass Migration
Investigating the economic and political effects of immigration across US cities between 1910 and 1930, this paper finds that political opposition to immigration can arise even when immigrants bring widespread economic benefits. The paper provides evidence that cultural differences between immigrants and natives were responsible, at least in part, for natives’ anti-immigration reactions.

- 18 Jul 2018
No More General Tso's? A Threat to 'Knowledge Recombination'
Immigrants bring with them innovations from their homelands, knowledge that local inventors often build upon, says Prithwiraj Choudhury. Examples: turmeric medicine, double-entry bookkeeping, and American Chinese food. Open for comment; 0 Comments.

- 25 Jun 2018
In America, Immigrants Really Do Get the Job Done
Far from being a drain on the US economy, William Kerr’s research finds immigrants are a driver of innovation and entrepreneurship. Open for comment; 0 Comments.

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Below is a collection of Office of Immigration Statistics white papers and special projects related to immigration which may expand upon concepts in core reporting or topics of special interest to stakeholders.
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110 Immigration Research Paper Topics

Immigration is the process of people moving to a country and can be either voluntary or involuntary. Immigration is a very interesting aspect of education, and you may be asked at one point or another to come up with a research paper in the immigration niche.
Immigration is a broad topic, and it can be difficult to choose immigration research paper topics. Here are some broad categories of immigration.
- Voluntary migration : This refers to people who move to another country on their own accord and are not forced by the government. It could be for health reasons, lifestyle change, economic reasons, educational reasons, tax evasion, etc.
- Involuntary migration : This refers to people who are forced to move to another country because there is no other option for them. Examples include migration during a crisis, migration due to fear of persecution, etc.
- Emigration : This refers to people who decide on their own not to stay in a particular country and return home.
- Internal migration : This refers to people who move within a country for work or school purposes or simply for personal reasons, such as living closer to family members or friends.
Why Do You Need Help Choosing Immigration Research Paper Topics?
You’re ready to write your immigration research paper, but you’re scared. It’s easy to get overwhelmed when you’re looking for research paper topics. Why? Because there are so many things that you can write about, it can be hard to know where to start.
You’ve put a lot of thought into the topic, but you’re not sure how to start. Maybe you have a great idea but don’t know where to start writing. Or maybe you’ve already written the outline, but it’s not working out. You feel stuck.
Whatever the case may be, it’s normal to get stressed out when writing a research paper on an important topic like immigration. When you’re in this situation, it can be really helpful to have someone who can point out what works and what doesn’t work with your outline or subject matter. And that’s where we come in.
There are many benefits to getting help with your immigration paper research topics.
- Immigration research paper topics are hard to come by.
Immigration has been a hot topic for quite some time now. Since the government has been putting a heavy focus on it, there are a lot of different angles to research. This can make it difficult to find a topic that is interesting and relevant to your own life experience.
- Immigration research paper topics are often controversial.
Immigration is a very touchy subject, which means that it can be hard to find something that accurately reflects your views on the issue without being too extreme or inflammatory.
- You’ll save time.
If your research paper is due soon, you might not have enough time to do the necessary research and choose topics yourself. Seeking help out there makes your work easier and saves you from stress!
- It will be well detailed.
Other than just looking at things from your point of view, seeking help from other sources can help you get detailed in-depth approaches.
Immigration Research Paper Topics
As a result of the Covid-19 Pandemic and other global military wars, the difficulties associated with immigration are now more widely recognized in the world. Are you looking for good topics to write about for your immigration research paper? If so, the list below includes some of the top options:
- How did the Covid-19 pandemic affect immigration into the UK and the United States?
- How does immigration affect the global economy?
- What are the benefits and disadvantages of immigration?
- What are the top five benefits of being an immigrant?
- What is the relationship between immigration and crime?
- How does the cost of immigration compare with other factors that influence business?
- How do illegal immigrants affect our economy and society, and how can they be made legal?
- What are the most common reasons people apply for a U.S. visa?
- What are some of the benefits of having an immigration visa program in the U.S.?
- How many countries have a visa waiver program with the U.S. and how does it work?
Simple Immigration Essay Topics
Selecting a simple topic for an immigration essay is not always an easy thing to do. At times, it requires you to spend a lot of time doing research here and there. To save you from this stress, we have compiled the top ten simple immigration essay topics for you!
- How has immigration impacted your life?
- What are your thoughts on illegal immigration?
- How would you improve the process for naturalized citizens?
- What are some of the challenges associated with immigration?
- Give some examples of how immigration benefits the U.S.
- What is the motivation for immigration?
- Discuss the attitude of nativism towards immigrants.
- How has being an immigrant changed the way you think about yourself?
- What is the greatest barrier to becoming a citizen?
- What would you say to people who believe that immigrants should not be allowed into the U.S.?
International Immigration Essay Topics
We have compiled 10 international immigration essay topics for your essay because when it comes to choosing topics about immigration internationally, you need to make sure it covers the entire world of immigration. This can often be a difficult process.
- How have international immigration policies changed over time?
- How can we increase our understanding of the diversity of the world’s cultures?
- What are some of the benefits of allowing more immigration?
- Describe the UK’s current immigration system.
- Discuss Canada’s 20th-century immigration policies.
- Talk about the EU’s current immigration problems and how they affect the terrorism rate.
- Examine the connection between immigration and Australian national identity.
- Describe Switzerland’s newest immigration law.
- Examine the effects of Muslim immigration on Britain.
- Examine the importance of gender in Irish immigration.
Best Immigration Research Topics
Do you want to come up with the best topic for your essay in your class? We also want you to be the best, so we’ve put together a list of some of the best topics on immigration that you could pick from.
- The impact of immigration on wages and employment levels
- The impact of immigration on public health and other social outcomes
- The impact of immigration on local governments and their budgets
- How immigrants help contribute to economic growth
- What are the best ways to attract immigrants to your country?
- The impact of immigration on education and health care
- What is the relationship between immigration and terrorism?
- Does immigration increase or decrease social cohesion?
- What effect immigration has on things like forests, water sources, and wildlife habitats.
- What are the best ways to encourage new immigrants to stay in their new home country?
Immigration Argumentative Essay Topics
Because you would need to compare and view the issue from all sides, choosing an argumentative immigration topics to write about could be challenging. To make your job easier, we have compiled a list of 10 argumentative immigration essay ideas for you below.
- Immigrants are taking jobs away from American citizens who deserve them.
- Should an immigrant be given a path to citizenship?
- Do you think that it is important for countries to take in refugees who are fleeing war-torn countries?
- Immigrants contribute to the growth of our economy, our culture, and our society.
- Should immigrants pay taxes?
- Should immigration from certain countries be limited based on their economic impact on the country?
- Should incentives be given to people who want to immigrate legally instead of illegally?
- Should businesses be permitted to hire foreign workers over Americans if they can’t find any eligible Americans?
- Should immigrants be allowed to stay in the country indefinitely?
- Should people be treated differently based on their immigration status?
Controversial Immigration Topics
When we discuss contentious topics, we typically engage in debate or discussion of divergent viewpoints. Finding a topic on this can be difficult at times, but don’t worry; to relieve some of your tension, we’ve selected 10 contentious immigration topics for research paper that you can choose from or use as a reference:
- Should gay couples be allowed to marry?
- Race and Immigration
- Ethnicity and Immigration
- Should non-citizens be able to vote?
- Is it okay for parents to get deported because they refuse to pay child support?
- Undocumented immigrants and identity theft.
- Deportation rates for undocumented immigrants
- Immigration: Illegals vs. Legal Immigrants
- The wall between the U.S. and Mexico.
Immigration Thesis Topics
Choosing a thesis topic on immigration requires extensive research because the paper needs to be outstanding and well written. Do you need a thesis for an academic degree? Here are 10 thesis immigration topics for essays that could help you.
- The historical impact of immigration on America
- The impact of immigration on the economy
- The impact of immigration on our culture and society
- Why should immigrants be allowed into the United States?
- How can we make sure that immigrants are treated fairly and humanely in America?
- Immigration is a major issue that affects Americans in many ways.
- Immigrants are less likely to commit crimes
- Immigrants do not make any significant difference in the unemployment rate of native-born Americans
- Immigrants create more jobs than they take
- Immigrants need government assistance to survive
Global Politics Immigration Paper Topics
Global politics is a large topic. So, finding suitable global political immigration topics may be a bit tiresome. Here are 10 global research topics on immigration that you can choose from!
- Immigration policies in the U.S., Canada, and Australia.
- International trade and immigration policies.
- The diversity of immigrants: A look at America’s immigrant population.
- The social structure of immigrants in the Netherlands.
- Globalization and migration patterns: A case study of Australia.
- Global recessions, financial crises, and the labor market.
- Immigration policy and human rights violations
- Migration patterns around the world
- The history of immigration in the U.S.
- Political and economic implications of immigration in Europe
Illegal Immigration Research Paper Topics
Illegal immigration is a big problem for law enforcement and the national security of many countries. It also often leads to violations of the human rights of the most vulnerable people.
Would you like to investigate this for a research paper? Here are some illegal immigration topics to research that can help.
- The effects of illegal immigration on businesses
- Illegal immigration and public safety
- Illegal immigration and workplace discrimination
- The impact of illegal immigration on the American workforce
- How does illegal immigration affect the U.S?
- Should illegal immigration be legalized?
- What are some of the consequences of legalizing illegal immigrants?
- What are some benefits of legalizing illegal immigrants?
- How many people illegally immigrate to the U.S. every year?
- How are illegal immigrants treated by society?
Research Paper Topics on Immigration in America
Are you seeking a topic to write about for a research paper about immigration in America? Here are 10 excellent American immigration research paper topics for you.
- Why America’s immigration policies are unfair and unproductive, and why we need to change them.
- Why the Mexican border is a good immigration channel
- Border security and border policy in the U.S.
- How does immigrant crime compare to native crime?
- Immigrants are more likely to have good grades than native-born Americans
- Which groups of immigrants have been most affected by the rise in deportations and why?
- Are immigrants more likely to start businesses than native-born Americans?
- Immigrants have made incredible contributions to the U.S., like Levi Strauss and Albert Einstein
- Should undocumented immigrants have health insurance coverage in the U.S.?
- The Effect of Immigration on Social Security in the U.S.
Persuasive Speech Topics About Immigration
You need to make sure the topics you choose for your persuasive speeches are compelling enough to win over your audience. Finding a topic like this could be difficult, but we have nonetheless put together a list of the top 10 persuasive immigration topics for essay from which you can choose.
- Should immigration be a human right?
- Can immigrants help economies grow and make countries better
- Why immigration is not a threat to our culture but a benefit
- We need more immigrants in this country because it’s not sustainable otherwise!
- Immigrants are an asset to any country, not a burden.
- Are most immigrants hard-working, honest, and law-abiding citizens?
- Illegal immigration is not a problem—it’s a solution to problems—like unemployment and poverty
- The U.S. needs immigrants to keep growing and stay strong in the world economy
- Are immigrants good for business and do they make great contributions to society?
- Immigrants bring in new ideas and experiences that enrich culture and nation growth.
How to Choose a Topic on Immigration
Choosing a topic for your immigration research paper is a big decision. You have to consider your audience, the content of the paper, and how much time you have to write it. Here are some tips for choosing the best immigration research paper topics.
- Know your audience.
You can’t write an immigration research paper if you don’t know who you’re writing it for! Before you start writing, sit down with the person in charge of your assignment (usually the professor) and get their feedback on what they need from you. This will help you narrow down topics that they’ll find interesting and relevant, which will make them more excited about reading your work!
- Look at what’s already out there.
You may want to try writing something new, but don’t forget about other people’s work! Go online and check out any papers written by professors on similar topics in your field. Have them give their opinions about whether or not those papers are good examples of quality work done well. If they love something else, maybe those details can help inspire yours!
- Do your research.
Do some research on current events. This is where most of the immigration news comes from, so it’s a great way to find out what’s happening in your community.
Read blogs and articles from reliable sources like newspapers or websites that focus on profiling immigrants and people who are looking for asylum.
Immigration research paper topics could be challenging to find. Sometimes they are complex and require an in-depth understanding. Here are 110 immigration research paper topics you can choose from. Sometimes, you might need help in writing your research paper. You can always outsource your research paper to a trusted writing company to help you!
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Most immigrants (77%) are in the country legally, while almost a quarter are unauthorized, according to new Pew Research Center estimates based on census data adjusted for undercount. In 2017, 45% were naturalized U.S. citizens. Some 27% of immigrants were permanent residents and 5% were temporary residents in 2017.
Key facts about recent trends in global migration. The number of international migrants grew to 281 million in 2020; 3.6% of the world’s people lived outside their country of birth that year. short read | Dec 1, 2022.
Working Paper Summaries The Seeds of Ideology: Historical Immigration and Political Preferences in the United States by Paola Giuliano and Marco Tabellini Researchers test the relationship between historical immigration to the United States and political ideology today. 11 May 2020 Op-Ed Immigration Policies Threaten American Competitiveness
Among the billions of historical records housed at the National Archives throughout the country, researchers can find information relating to immigrants from the late 1700s through the early 2000s. The National Archives preserves and makes available documents created by Federal agencies in the course of their daily business.
Research Library. Below is a collection of Office of Immigration Statistics white papers and special projects related to immigration which may expand upon concepts in core reporting or topics of special interest to stakeholders. Return to OIS home page. Attachment. Attachment column arrow image representing sort order (up is ascending, down is ...
Here are 10 global research topics on immigration that you can choose from! Immigration policies in the U.S., Canada, and Australia. International trade and immigration policies. The diversity of immigrants: A look at America’s immigrant population. The social structure of immigrants in the Netherlands.