Faltering Movement: Explaining Europe's Schengen Struggle
Elizabeth Collett
Migration Policy Institute
November 2, 2011
Europe's Schengen agreement eliminated border controls between 25 countries for over 400 million people. Schengen cooperation has come under intense pressure of late, however, and EU Member States are currently considering whether the rules under which it operates ought to be adjusted. Elizabeth Collett provides background and explains what the current debate means for the future of Schengen.

The Debate Over Multiculturalism: Philosophy, Politics, and Policy
Irene Bloemraad
University of California, Berkeley
September 22, 2011
The heated debate between supporters and detractors of multiculturalism has been made all the more salient by the recent attacks in Norway carried out by Anders Breivik in the name of cultural conservatism and the political rhetoric that characterizes popular right-wing parties in Europe's north. Irene Bloemraad of the University of California, Berkeley, sheds light on the various meanings of the term "multiculturalism" and provides insights on the effects of multicultural policies on immigrant integration.

Voice after Exit: Revolution and Migration in the Arab World
Philippe Fargues
European University Institute
May 11, 2011
Since mid-December 2010, popular uprisings have taken hold in a number of countries across North Africa and the Middle East in what has been dubbed the Arab Spring. Philippe Fargues of the European University Institute discusses the demographic trends underpinning the recent eruption of unrest in the Arab world, and the likely impact of the revolts on migration.

Senate Blocks Passage of DREAM Act by Five Votes
Muzaffar Chishti and Claire Bergeron
Migration Policy Institute
December 21, 2010
As an update to this month's Policy Beat, MPI's Muzaffar Chishti and Claire Bergeron report on the DREAM Act's failure in the Senate.

France's Expulsion of Roma Migrants: A Test Case for Europe
Kristi Severance
October 21, 2010
Europe's largest minority group has long faced discrimination, but France's deportation of Roma as part of its security policies has sparked criticism from the European Union and human rights groups. Kristi Severance explains how the situation has evolved in recent months, the relevant EU laws, and how Europe is likely to move forward.

Swiss Vote to Ban Minarets, Sparking International Criticism
Julie Schindall
December 1, 2009
Swiss voters strongly approved a popular initiative to ban the construction of minarets in Switzerland. Julie Schindall reports on reaction to the vote and explains how the Swiss system makes such lawmaking possible.

The Immigration Legacy of Tony Blair
Will Somerville
Migration Policy Institute
May 10, 2007
UK Prime Minister Tony Blair, who announced his resignation this week, leaves behind an immigration system that has been fundamentally reshaped. As MPI's Will Somerville explains, migration is now "managed" to favor migrants coming for work and study.

Germany to Regularize "Tolerated" Asylum Seekers
Eric Leise
Migration Policy Institute
April 5, 2007
Approximately 50,000 of Germany's 170,000 tolerated asylum seekers are expected to will qualify for a residency permit under a law passed in March 2007. MPI's Eric Leise reports.

France's New Law: Control Immigration Flows, Court the Highly Skilled
Kara Murphy
Migration Policy Institute
November 1, 2006
After years of debate, French Interior Minister Nicolas Sarkozy succeeded in passing a law that he argues will finally allow the government to control immigration. MPI's Kara Murphy looks at the law's main objectives.

The Lebanese Crisis and Its Impact on Immigrants and Refugees
Kara Murphy
Migration Policy Institute
September 1, 2006
This summer's conflict between Israel and Hezbollah displaced Lebanese but also affected Lebanon's hundreds of thousands migrant workers and refugees. MPI's Kara Murphy reports on these groups and highlights the Lebanese diaspora's efforts to help.

Mexico's Presidential Election: Implications for US Immigration Policy
Susan Gzesh
University of Chicago
September 1, 2006
Both of the leading presidential candidates said during the campaign that Mexico needed to create more and better jobs to stem migration - but their approaches to the problem differ. Susan Gzesh of the University of Chicago reports.

On the Beach: Racial Confrontation in Australia
Christine Inglis
University of Sydney
February 1, 2006
In December, about 5,000 Australian youths gathered on one of Sydney’s major surf beaches and attacked men described as “Middle Easterners.” Christine Inglis of the University of Sydney looks at the violence and the government response, and assesses the integration of Lebanese-Australians.

Migration's Unrealized Potential: The Report of the Global Commission on International Migration
Kathleen Newland
Migration Policy Institute
November 1, 2005
The October 2005 GCIM report drew attention to problems in migration policymaking and stressed the importance of international cooperation. MPI's Kathleen Newland analyzes its findings and outlines what may happen next.

The Hague Program Reflects New European Realities
Joanne van Selm
Migration Policy Institute
January 1, 2005
MPI's Joanne van Selm analyzes the EU's latest effort to guarantee rights, protect refugees, and regulate migration flows and borders.

Darfur: Beyond the Brink of Disaster
Erin Patrick
Migration Policy Institute
September 1, 2004
MPI Associate Policy Analyst Erin Patrick maps out the latest developments in the evolving refugee crisis in and around Sudan's Darfur region.

Temporary Movement of Labor Fuels GATS Debate
Oonagh Sands
Center for Strategic and International Studies
June 1, 2004
Oonagh Sands of the Center for Strategic and International Studies tackles the Mode 4 aspect of global trade talks, under which individuals enter another country’s job market to provide services.

EU Enlargement and the Limits of Freedom
Joanne van Selm and Eleni Tsolakis
Migration Policy Institute
May 1, 2004
Joanne van Selm and Eleni Tsokalis of MPI look at the challenges ahead as 10 new states join the European Union.

EU Sees Sharp Drop in Asylum Applications
Veysel Oezcan
Social Science Research Center Berlin
April 1, 2004
Countries in the European Union received fewer asylum applications in 2003, according to Veysel Oezcan of the Social Science Research Center Berlin.

Fewer Ethnic Germans Immigrating to Ancestral Homeland
Veysel Oezcan
Humboldt University Berlin
February 1, 2004
The number of ethnic Germans born abroad who immigrated to their ancestral homeland in 2003 was much lower than the previous year, reports Veysel Oezcan of Humboldt University Berlin.

Security Resurfaces on Australian Agenda
Christine Inglis
December 1, 2003
Christine Inglis looks at the Australian government’s renewed efforts to tighten security at the border and beyond.

Austria Adopts More Restrictive Asylum Law
Veysel Oezcan
Humboldt University Berlin
December 1, 2003
A new law passed by Austria could make it more difficult to seek asylum in Austria, according to Veysel Oezcan of Humboldt University Berlin.

Germany's High Court Allows Teacher to Wear Muslim Headscarf
Veysel Oezcan
Humboldt University Berlin
November 1, 2003
Veysel Oezcan of Humboldt University Berlin reports on a key ruling affecting integration, religious freedom, and educators.

Undocumented Immigration Haunts Italy's Ruling Coalition
Kenneth Okoth
Migration Policy Institute
November 1, 2003
Italy's Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi is struggling to achieve consensus around stricter control of undocumented immigration, according to MPI's Ken Okoth.

Australia Unveils Initiative to Stop Human Trafficking
Christine Inglis
November 1, 2003
Christine Inglis examines the Australian government's new four-year, $20 million initiative to fight human trafficking, particularly of women.

Swiss Court Halts Local Plebiscites on Naturalization
Veysel Oezcan
Humboldt University Berlin
October 1, 2003
Veysel Oezcan of Humboldt University Berlin reports on a Swiss ruling that bars communities from holding plebiscites to approve or reject naturalization applications.

French Government Revives Assimilation Policy
Sylvia Zappi
October 1, 2003
Sylvia Zappi outlines a new government action plan for integrating immigrants that reasserts France's previously abandoned assimilationist policy.

Australian Judges Mull Integration, Multiculturalism
Christine Inglis
October 1, 2003
As Australia marks 25 years of multiculturalism in public policy, the country's courts are ruling on cases with serious implications for immigrant integration, according to Christine Inglis.

Australia Mulls Seasonal Migrant Labor Scheme
Christine Inglis
September 1, 2003
An Australian Senate committee is proposing that agricultural workers from the Pacific Islands be granted special seasonal access to Australia, according to Christine Inglis.

Changes to German Law Help Boost Naturalization Numbers
Veysel Oezcan
Humboldt University Berlin
August 1, 2003
Veysel Oezcan of Humboldt University Berlin reports on how fewer foreign residents of Germany are obtaining citizenship under the provisions of a citizenship law passed in 2000.

French Muslims, Government Grapple With Integration Pains
Patrick Simon
Institut national d'études démographiques (INED)
August 1, 2003
France's traditions of secularism and Roman Catholicism are being tested as the country tries to integrate a growing Muslim population, according to Patrick Simon of INED.

Germany Weighs Biometric Registration Options for Visa Applicants
Veysel Oezcan
Humboldt University Berlin
July 1, 2003
The German government is testing various biometric registration methods for visa applicants.

Fighting in Aceh Brings Fears of Displacement
Christine Inglis
July 1, 2003
A massive offensive by the Indonesian army against rebels in the province of Aceh has raised fears that many civilians will be driven out of their homes.

Argentina's Economic Woes Spur Emigration
Maia Jachimowicz
Migration Policy Institute
July 1, 2003
MPI's Maia Jachimowicz maps out the challenges ahead for Argentina, which is witnessing an outflow of people amidst continuing economic hardships.

Passport Deals Raise Cash, Capital for Countries
Christine Inglis
June 1, 2003
Seeking economic success, many nations have created legal opportunities to "buy" their passports.

EU States Reach Landmark Agreement on Family Reunification Rules
Veysel Oezcan
Humboldt University Berlin
April 1, 2003
After three years of thorny negotiations, the European Union's interior ministers have reached a groundbreaking agreement on the right to family reunification.

Gender, Religion, and Secularism Meet in Germany's Headscarf Battle
Veysel Oezcan
Humboldt University Berlin
March 1, 2003
A German court has restored the job of a Muslim nursery school teacher dismissed from her post for wearing a symbol of her faith, the headscarf.

Mothers, Wives, and Workers: Australia's Migrant Women
Christine Inglis
March 1, 2003
Australia's shifting immigration policies, which increasingly favor high-skilled workers while retaining a focus on family reunification, are leading to greater inflows of women.

Sangatte Shutdown Signals New Anglo-French Cooperation
Sylvia Zappi
Le Monde
February 1, 2003
New measures by the United Kingdom to control illegal immigration, coupled with France's closure of a center long used as a base for asylum seekers trying to slip into the UK, signal fresh cooperation between London and Paris.

Detention Center Fires Spark Renewed Debate on Australian Refugee Program
Christine Inglis
February 1, 2003
In the wake of a string of arson fires at five Australian detention centers with large populations of asylum seekers, the government has begun new discussions about its much-debated refugee and humanitarian program.

Germany's High Court Strikes Down Planned Immigration Law
Veysel Oezcan
Humboldt University Berlin
February 1, 2003
The German Constitutional Court has blocked a landmark immigration law scheduled to take effect at the beginning of 2003, temporarily ending a running dispute between the ruling and opposition parties.

EU Sees Dip in Number of Asylum Applications
Veysel Oezcan
Humboldt University Berlin
January 1, 2003
The number of asylum applications lodged with European Union countries fell slightly in 2001, and the number of requests received by particular countries varied enormously.

French Integration Policy: Old Goals in New Bottles?
Patrick Simon
Institut national d'études démographiques (INED)
January 1, 2003
France is introducing a new three-pronged approach to immigrant integration: a revised integration plan, a proactive campaign against discrimination, and a more open but still highly selective immigration policy.

Australia's Increasing Ethnic and Religious Diversity
Christine Inglis
December 1, 2002
Census figures show that Australia began the new millennium with a larger and more diverse population.

Government Directive on Asylum Sparks Row in Austria
Veysel Oezcan
Humboldt University Berlin
December 1, 2002
A government measure barring some asylum seekers from access to federal benefits has provoked sparring among Austria's political parties.

After Protests, France's Undocumented Community Hopes for Permits
Sylvia Zappi
Le Monde
November 1, 2002
In the wake of mass protests by their community and supporters, tens of thousands of undocumented immigrants in France are awaiting word on their applications for legal residency. Sylvia Zappi, of Le Monde, describes the current situation.

Top German Parties Back Islamic Education
Veysel Oezcan
Humboldt University Berlin
October 1, 2002
Germany's two biggest political parties have come out in favor of Islamic education for the country's estimated 350,000 Muslim schoolchildren.

Malaysia Wavers on Labor Crackdown
Christine Inglis
October 1, 2002
Tough new laws aimed at curbing influxes of undocumented immigrants have prompted hundreds of thousands of workers to exit Malaysia — but the solution has brought its own problems.

Options Dwindle for Asylum Seekers in France
Patrick Simon
INED (Institut national d'études démographiques)
September 1, 2002
Fewer opportunities may await asylum seekers in France, where stricter policies are overlapping with strained resources.

German Immigration Law Clears Final Hurdle
Veysel Oezcan
Humboldt University Berlin
September 1, 2002
Following a bitterly contested vote in Parliament, Germany's president has signed the nation's first immigration law.

Immigration and Security Post-Sept. 11
Muzaffar Chishti
Migration Policy Institute
August 1, 2002
Resolving complex legal, social, and security issues after Sept. 11 will not be easy. But what does immigration have to do with it? Muzaffar Chishti, MPI Senior Policy Analyst, explains.

Churches Help Sink German Anti-Discrimination Bill
Veysel Oezcan
Humboldt University Berlin
July 1, 2002
The Green Party has been blocked from pushing through new anti-discrimination legislation, mainly by religious groups.

French Voters Rebuff Immigration's Resurgent Foes
Patrick Simon
INED (Institut national d'études démographiques)
July 1, 2002
Though roundly defeated in the French presidential elections, the extreme right may continue to influence French immigration policy.

Economy Prompts Australia to Welcome More Migrants
Christine Inglis
July 1, 2002
Australia plans to increase its 2002-2003 immigration program to the highest annual intake since the end of the 1980s.