The Migration Policy Institute (MPI) is set to hold its 23rd Annual Immigration Law and Policy Conference on November 16, 2026, bringing together leading experts, policymakers, attorneys and advocates to examine major immigration policy and legal developments in the United States.

The conference will take place at Georgetown University’s main campus in Washington, D.C., from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Eastern Time, with a livestream available for virtual participants.

According to the organisers, registration is now open for both in-person and virtual attendance.

The conference will feature policy analysis and discussions on some of the most significant immigration issues in the United States, including federal enforcement measures, legal immigration, the role of the courts and the effects of changing policies on immigrant communities.

David Holt, Mayor of Oklahoma City and immediate past president of the United States Conference of Mayors, will deliver the keynote address.

One of the panel discussions, titled *“State of Play: Immigration Policy at a Tipping Point?”*, will examine how federal immigration policy and enforcement changes have been received by US courts and the public.

The session will also explore historical parallels with the current immigration policy climate and consider how the outcomes of the midterm elections could influence future policy directions.

Another panel, *“The Era of Pervasive Enforcement,”* will examine the growing reach of immigration enforcement agencies and their state and local partners.

Discussions will focus on the expanded application of existing legal authorities, including provisions introduced under the 1996 Illegal Immigration Reform and Immigrant Responsibility Act and measures associated with the September 11, 2001, terrorist attacks.

The panel will also examine the increasing use of surveillance technologies, access to sensitive federal and consumer databases, and additional financial resources allocated to immigration enforcement. Participants will consider the implications of these developments and the prospects for a more balanced US immigration approach.

The conference will also address the future of legal immigration in the face of demographic changes, labour-market demands and policy restrictions.

The session, *“Legal Immigration in an Age of Demographic, Skill, and Policy Change,”* will explore declining birth rates, an ageing workforce and growing demand for specific skills against the backdrop of immigration bans, processing delays and rising application fees.

It will further consider how changes in immigration policy affect employers, workforce development and US competitiveness.

A fourth panel, *“Impacts on Communities and Providers in a Period of Dramatic Change,”* will examine the consequences of increased immigration enforcement and changes to immigration, healthcare and education policies.

The discussion will focus on the experiences of immigrants and their families, as well as the challenges facing legal service providers and organisations working with asylum seekers, immigration detainees and other affected populations.

The organisers said the conference agenda provides further details about the sessions, with additional information expected ahead of the event.

The annual gathering is expected to provide a platform for examining the legal, economic and social implications of US immigration policy and the challenges confronting immigrants, employers and service providers.

Interested participants can register for either in-person or virtual attendance through the Migration Policy Institute’s events platform.

The UK has reopened its resettlement scheme to new refugee referrals, with roughly one in four expected to be Afghan women and girls or Palestinian refugees.

Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood said the UK Resettlement Scheme would provide a safe and legal route for people fleeing war and persecution. Referrals will be made in partnership with the UN Refugee Agency and the International Refugee Assistance Project.

The process has reopened immediately, working with local authorities. The first arrivals are expected before the end of the year.

The reopening comes alongside plans for three community-sponsored routes announced in November 2025. Applications for charities and non-profits to sponsor refugees through community and university placements are due to open in October, with the first arrivals expected in autumn 2027. Applications for a work sponsorship route, in which companies host refugees, are expected to open in spring 2027.

Sponsors will provide accommodation, integration support and help finding work. The government expects arrivals across the resettlement scheme and the three new routes to number in the hundreds initially, rising to the low thousands as illegal migration falls. An annual cap will apply.

People admitted through the routes will be placed on a five-year path to permanent settlement, the government said. It described the policy as part of its effort to encourage capped, legal routes and deter irregular migration.

The Home Office also cited enforcement figures, saying more than 48,000 attempted small-boat crossings had been stopped since the general election. It reported that more than 80,000 people with no right to remain in the UK had been removed since July 2024.

L’agence des Nations Unies pour les réfugiés, le HCR, s’est inquiétée du récent renvoi par la Malaisie de 1 476 personnes au Myanmar, alors que le conflit se poursuit dans le pays et que la situation en matière de droits humains et sur le plan humanitaire demeure extrêmement grave.

Dans une déclaration, le Haut-Commissaire adjoint du HCR chargé de la protection, Edem Wosorn, a déclaré : « Nous sommes préoccupés par ces renvois, car les personnes renvoyées au Myanmar pourraient être exposées à de graves risques, et certaines d’entre elles pourraient avoir besoin d’une protection internationale.

« Bien que les autorités affirment que ces retours sont volontaires, les personnes renvoyées étaient détenues dans des centres d’immigration. Cela soulève de sérieuses questions quant au caractère véritablement libre et éclairé des décisions de retour. Le HCR n’a pas eu accès à ces personnes pour pouvoir l’évaluer. »

Le HCR a déclaré reconnaître pleinement la responsabilité souveraine de la Malaisie en matière de gestion de l’asile et des migrations. Il a toutefois exhorté la Malaisie à veiller à ce que tous les retours soient soumis à de solides garanties, notamment à des évaluations individuelles et à un accès aux procédures de protection. Les décisions de retour doivent être volontaires et évaluées en dehors de tout contexte de détention.

En vertu du principe de non-refoulement, nul ne devrait être renvoyé dans un pays où il pourrait être exposé à des persécutions, à la torture ou à d’autres menaces graves pour sa vie ou sa liberté.

Tant que les conditions au Myanmar ne permettront pas des retours sûrs, dignes et durables, les États doivent continuer à garantir l’accès à l’asile et à respecter leurs obligations en matière de protection internationale.

Le HCR a ajouté qu’il restait prêt à travailler avec la Malaisie afin de renforcer les dispositifs nationaux d’asile et de protection.

« Un soutien régional et international accru est nécessaire pour faire progresser une solution politique à la crise et mettre fin aux hostilités au Myanmar. Le HCR appelle la communauté internationale à maintenir son soutien aux pays de la région qui accueillent des réfugiés du Myanmar. »