Challenges of Immigrant Integration: Muslims in Europe Only recently have European politicians and public opinion leaders talked about the need to focus on the integration of immigrants and their children. (Photo credit: John MacDougall/AFP/Getty Images) Linking Security and Immigration Controls: The Post-9/11 US Model Goes Global Since 9/11, the United States has helped push its border inspection and security agenda and a focus on biometric solutions onto the agendas of other countries. US Immigration Reform Moves Forward This year, members of Congress have sponsored numerous reform proposals that have pushed the debate forward and generated significant media coverage. Temporary Work Programs Back in Fashion The legacy of guest-worker programs has kept most Western countries from considering new schemes even when faced with low-skill labor shortages. But those attitudes began to shift in 2005. EU Disunion: Immigration in an Enlarged Europe Only the UK, Ireland, and Sweden have allowed accession-state nationals to work without permits since May 1, 2004 — and hundreds of thousands from Eastern Europe have arrived. Remittances Reach New Heights In 2005, research into the size of remittances and their role as a development tool reached a new peak. Extreme Measures: What Migrants Are Willing to Do to Get in and What Governments Will Do to Stop Them With some countries narrowing their legal immigration channels, raising the bar for asylum, and increasing security measures at airports and land borders, migrants took unprecedented — and deadly — risks that captured headlines in 2005. (Photo credit: Marco De Lauro/Getty Images) Growing Competition for Skilled Workers (and Foreign Students) The intensifying competition for professionals such as doctors, nurses, and IT workers, as well as foreign university students, was on the minds of media pundits and policymakers this year. Asylum Applications Drop Sharply This year the asylum story was about a decrease in first-time applications — a 22 percent drop between 2003 and 2004 — in contrast to the rising numbers seen in the 1990s. Record Numbers Displaced by Natural Disasters For many people, 2005 will be remembered for its sheer number of catastrophes and the millions of people the disasters displaced in Asia and the Americas.

Welcome to the Migration Information Source's first annual list of the year's Top 10 Migration Issues. The list ranges over the whole world of migration issues, from US immigration reform to European integration challenges to massive displacement by natural disasters in Asia and the Americas. We based our choices on news events, noteworthy developments, and increasingly important trends. Top experts also weighed in by telling us what surprised them most this year. Let us know what you think: source@migrationpolicy.org What Surprised You Most About Migration in 2005? Top Experts Respond Their answers came from the headlines as well as personal observations about what the media does — and does not — report. Migration Issues: Ones to Watch On the fringes of the radar today, here are some topics likely to generate discussion and controversy next year. MPI's Julia Gelatt reports on Bush's latest immigration reform speeches in Arizona and Texas, new proposals for immigration reform, calls for the merger of immigration agencies, and more. Full Story Spotlight on Who Does What in US Immigration The US federal government has spread immigration-related responsibilities among six agencies. MPI's Megan Davy, Deborah W. Meyers, and Jeanne Batalova explain which agencies handle such tasks as assisting refugees, issuing visas, and handling interior enforcement. Switzerland Faces Common European Challenges Denise Efionayi, Josef Martin Niederberger and Philippe Wanner of the Swiss Forum for Migration and Population Studies explain how Switzerland, with one of the highest percentages of foreigners in Europe, is responding to a variety of migration challenges.

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