Migration Policy Institute Podcasts

Overcoming WIOA’s Barriers to Immigrant and Refugee Adult Learners

Adult English language, education, citizenship/civics, and workforce training services are critical in supporting the economic, linguistic, and civic integration of immigrants and refugees. Federal Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (WIOA) programs and the state partnership and investments they require comprise the central architecture for provision of these crucial services in communities across the United States. In this discussion, experts discussed aspects of the law that will likely limit prospects for immigrants and refugees to receive English language and other services they may need, serious weaknesses in WIOA regulations proposed by the Obama administration that will govern implementation of crucial services for immigrant integration, and strategies that may help ensure more equitable access for immigrants and refugees to services provided under the law.

A Discussion on the Effects of Asian Labor Migration on the Health of Left-Behind Children

The IOM Regional Office for Asia and the Pacific launched the 14th Issue in Brief in a series from MPI and IOM, which focused on left-behind children of Asian labor migrants. This event explores the social and health impacts of international labor migration on the children who remain at home when one or both their parents emigrate. The launch was attended by several representatives from diplomatic missions and UN agencies, including the embassies of Bangladesh, the Philippines, and UNICEF.

Left Behind: How the Well-Being of Children Is Affected by Parental Deportation

In two new reports, the Migration Policy Institute and The Urban Institute review the literature examining the effects of parental deportation on children and the broader community and report the results of field visits to five communities with large numbers of parental deportations.In this discussion, MPI authors discuss the effects of parental deportation on the children of immigrants, and the related needs for health and social services. Panelists will discuss U.S. policy responses to protect these children, community responses, and possible directions for future research and policies.

Simply No Consensus: Can the EU respond to continued refugee flows?

With refugee arrivals continuing on a scale unprecedented in recent history, the European Union is struggling to deliver a humane, sustainable response that will have the support of all of its Member States. MPI Europe, as part of a joint project on asylum in the EU with the Open Society Foundations, brought together senior officials from some of the Member States to discuss their differing perspectives on the current crisis. They considered what is needed to ensure a unified, practically feasible response to the biggest crisis that has faced the Common European Asylum System since its inception.

What's New in Farm Labor? Immigration and the Agricultural Sector

Join the Migration Policy Institute (MPI) for an expert discussion on the findings of the National Agricultural Workers Survey (NAWS), including data that illustrate that the workforce on U.S. crop farms, which is composed largely of unauthorized Mexican immigrants, is aging and increasingly settled in the United States. Panelists provided an overview of farm labor in 2015; discussed trends demonstrated by the NAWS; and examined how fading prospects for comprehensive immigration reform, the expansion of the H-2A program, and possible eligibility for deferred action programs may impact the agricultural workforce. The discussion also included an analysis of possible future policies that could impact immigrant workers in the agricultural sector.

Exploring Innovative Ideas to Strengthen the Global Protection System

This discussion explored the tensions facing asylum systems in Europe and North America, and asked what tools governments have at their disposal to respond proactively to forced displacement and reduce its costs for refugees and host communities alike. Where and when should governments focus their protection investments to have the most impact? What actors and stakeholders need to be engaged, both within a government and internationally? What lessons can be drawn from responses to past asylum flows? 

Growing Up in America: The Extent and Impacts of Discrimination on Young Children from Immigrant Families

While the effects of discrimination against immigrant adolescents and adults have been the subject of much study, discrimination’s impacts on young children of immigrants has gone largely unexamined. During this webinar, three scholars explored the educational, psychological, and social impact of discrimination on immigrant-origin children from birth to age 10. The three presenters discussed the types of discrimination that young children of immigrants may experience, particularly in the school setting, and its consequences for children, their families, and schools. The presenters also offered recommendations for addressing discrimination in school settings and explored ways to promote family and child resilience in the face of discrimination.

Regional Enforcement: A Profile of Migrants Deported from the United States and Mexico to the Northern Triangle

On this webinar, marking the release of an MPI report on these topics, authors presented an overview of regional immigration enforcement trends, including U.S. and Mexican apprehensions and deportations of both children and adults, along with a demographic, socioeconomic, and criminal profile of child and adult deportees. The researchers presented their analysis of how Mexico’s growing enforcement efforts are impacting migration from Central America to the United States, and discussed migration policies that establish workable enforcement and humanitarian protection.