About Us
Immigration Research Initiative (IRI) is a nonprofit, nonpartisan think tank focused on the economic, social, and cultural inclusion of immigrants in the United States. We consider the full picture of this integration — including how immigration intersects with race, gender, and income equity — while bringing particular expertise to the economic and fiscal dimensions.
Our work is grounded in rigorous analysis, while recognizing that data alone doesn’t tell the whole story. We study how immigrants work, build businesses, buy homes, and contribute to the broader economy — and how receiving communities evolve in response.
Our goal is to make these and other related dynamics understandable, and to produce credible research that is accessible to all and useful to decision makers, including advocates, policymakers, journalists, labor and business leaders, and community organizations.
Our research has informed national conversations on issues ranging from refugee integration to driver’s licenses, and from tuition equity to the impact of the “public charge” rule.
IRI works nationwide, collaborating with partners at the national, state, and local levels to support research, share data, and bring findings into public debate. IRI has a special focus on New York State, where we are based.
As part of the State Immigration Project — a collaboration that supports state-based think tanks in the State Priorities Partnership — IRI helps strengthen research and policy work on immigrant integration across the country. IRI is also part of the Economic Analysis Research Network (EARN), contributing to a broader community of state-focused research organizations working on economic and social policy, including immigration.
Through these partnerships, we connect local expertise to national conversations and ensure that our work reflects real-world conditions.