WASHINGTON, DC — After a decade of unprecedented migration flows, Latin America finds itself at an important juncture—one that invites reflection on what has worked and where next-generation policy innovations are needed. The arrival of millions of migrants and refugees, particularly Venezuelans, has had key implications for labor markets and public services across the region, while governments have shown remarkable solidarity through innovative regularization and temporary protection programs. Yet cracks have begun to emerge as migration flows once assumed to be temporary have become enduring in nature: incomplete integration outcomes, host-community anxiety and uncertain futures for many migrants. In this context of protracted displacement and economic instability, governments should develop a new perspective on regularization and temporary protection solutions, balancing short- and long-term needs for host communities and migrants alike in ways that are consistent yet flexible, a new report from the Migration Policy Institute’s Latin America and Caribbean Initiative argues. The report, Key Considerations for Future Temporary Protection and Regularization Programs in Latin America, examines the experiences of 10 countries and the European Union. Drawing on interviews with more than 50 experts, the analysis assesses the legal foundation for legalization and temporary protection measures and their implementation results. The analysis of programs in Brazil, Chile, Colombia, the Dominican Republic, Ecuador, the European Union, Morocco, Peru, Spain, Turkey and the United States is meant to provide better information as countries across Latin America begin to think through what their next-generation programs should look like. The report considers key questions, including how governments can strike the right balance between acting swiftly during crisis and at the same time laying the groundwork for a transition to longer-term status for migrants if displacement endures. The report recommends policymakers consider: - Rethinking the design of temporary protection and regularization programs and how they connect to the mainstream visa system.
- Institutionalizing regularization programs by codifying them into law to improve policy continuity and stability.
- Addressing gaps in data collection to better diagnose the scope and scale of challenges migrants face while navigating temporary protection programs.
- Proactively addressing concerns and fears within host communities over protracted displacement, fostering trust and transparency.
“Governments in Latin America have demonstrated a remarkable solidarity by welcoming and regularizing migrants in response to political, economic and environmental crises, but it is important that policymakers now shift from reactive, short-term approaches to sustainable, long-term solutions,” Diego Chaves-González, María Jesús Mora, Ana Alanis and Natalia Banulescu-Bogdan write. “The focus should be on creating options for displaced individuals to transition from temporary to more permanent statuses and supporting their fuller integration in their host communities, not only providing more stability for migrants but also promoting more cohesive societies and leveraging the benefits migration can hold for national development strategies.” With few signs that large numbers of migrants will return to their countries of origin any time soon, countries in Latin America face an opportunity to ensure that these populations are fully integrated and well positioned to contribute economically and socially to their host communities, the authors conclude. Read the report here: www.migrationpolicy.org/research/future-temporary-protection-regularization-latin-america. For a version of the report in Spanish, click here. For all of MPI’s research and analysis on the Latin American region, visit: www.migrationpolicy.org/programs/latin-america-caribbean-initiative. | 
