Migration

Migration is one of the most salient issues of an increasingly globalized world. The movement of people—both across and within borders, stimulated by economic development, war and civil conflict and the search for better opportunities—has produced economic, social, and policy challenges around the world.

In the United States, reforming immigration policy has been—and will continue to be—a subject of intense political debate. Globally, the unprecedented movement of people across borders has reshaped economies and raised new policy issues in both wealthy countries and in the developing world.

Research at Brookings includes work in the Metropolitan Policy Program on the demographic, social and economic trends affecting U.S. cities and metropolitan areas, including domestic and international migration.

In Foreign Policy, the Brookings-Bern Project on Internal Displacement, founded in 1994, is a unique example of a partnership between a research institute and the United Nations. The project’s research on displacement in Darfur, Colombia, the Democratic Republic of the Congo and other situations provides a unique humanitarian and human rights perspective on crises that are too often seen only in strategic or national policy dimensions.

Cutting-edge computer modeling in Economic Studies examines migration trends and the ramifications of natural disasters. Budget analysts are conducting landmark research on the cost-benefit analysis of immigrant families in the communities and states.

Other projects at Brookings engage in research on trade and global labor markets and European integration. Experts are increasingly examining the political ramifications of a changing America, including the trends that may impact the 2008 election.