Research Guides: Latin American Immigrants &amp; Refugees in the U.S.: International Organizations/Think Tanks/NGO Reports

Reports (NGO & Policy)/Grey Literature Search Engines

PAIS Index This link opens in a new window
Includes primary and secondary sources. Focused on public policy research and issues included international journal articles, books, government documents, statistical directories, grey literature, research reports, conference reports, and publications of international agencies. Does not include newspapers. Coverage: 1915-present.
ELDIS (international development) This link opens in a new window
Find global development research for policy and practice including policy documents, reports, grey literature from governmental and non-governmental organizations (NGOs). Organized by key themes (nutrition, environment, children, education, health, etc.) and country/region.

United Nations

UNHCR - UN High Commission for Refugees

OHCHR- UN Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights

OHCHR - ISSUES
SEE ALSO the HUMAN RIGHTS BY COUNTRY tab and RESOURCES AND PUBLICATIONS tab
UNHRC (UN Human Rights Council) - Independent Investigations
UN Research Guide: International Commissions of Inquiry, Fact-finding Missions (OHCHR)
UN Research Guide: Human Rights Timeline: Special Procedures/Rapporteurs (OHCHR)
and organized by Subject

Shadow Reports

Shadow reports are a method for NGOs to supplement and/or present alternative information to reports governments are required to submit under treaties. NGOs play an essential role in providing reliable and independent information, which may be overlooked in a government's report. NGOs around the world use shadow reports to lobby various United Nations' bodies, including treaty-monitoring bodies, thematic groups, charter-based bodies, and the High Commissioner for Human Rights.

Some examples are below. There does not seem to be a comprehensive site with all submitted shadow reports, so search for them by Googling combinations of the NGO that might submit a report, the country the report is about, the right that the report discusses and the phrase "shadow report."

The Advocates for Human Rights - Shadow Reports list
This human rights NGO submits reports to the UN Human Rights Council and other groups. See a list of the reports they have submitted.
OutRight Action International Shadow Reports list
This LGBTQ rights NGO submits shadow reports which are listed here.

Think Tanks/Public Policy Research Institutes

Think tanks are institutions that generate public policy research, analysis and activity. Their output can include publications, reports, blogposts and journals. They can be independent or affiliated with other organizations. Most are non-profit, but some are funded by governments, advocacy groups, or corporations, and may derive revenue from consulting or research work related to their projects. They can be non-partisan or partisan, so pay attention to the goals of the organization when using the information they generate. You may also want to read the Wiki entry for each think tank to get an outsider's perspective on their goals. When available, I have used included WIki info in the descriptions below.

Harvard's Kennedy School Library has a website with some useful information on how to evaluate think tanks and their research. They have also created a custom Google Search of over 600 think tanks:

Harvard Kennedy School - Think Tank Search
A custom Google search of over 690 think tank websites. For the purposes of this search, think tanks are defined as institutions affiliated with universities, governments, advocacy groups, foundations, non-governmental organizations, and businesses that generate public policy research, analysis, and activity.

Some related think tanks you may want to investigate include:

Brookings Institution
From the Wikipedia: conducts research and education in the social sciences, primarily in economics, metropolitan policy, governance, foreign policy, and global economy and development. Its stated mission is to "provide innovative and practical recommendations that advance three broad goals: strengthen American democracy; foster the economic and social welfare, security and opportunity of all Americans; and secure a more open, safe, prosperous, and cooperative international system." The University of Pennsylvania's Global Go To Think Tank Index Report has named Brookings "Think Tank of the Year" and "Top Think Tank in the World" every year since 2008. The Economist describes Brookings as "perhaps America’s most prestigious think-tank." Brookings states that its staff "represent diverse points of view" and describes itself as non-partisan.
Pew Research Center
Check out its "HISPANICS" tab. Nonpartisan American fact tank based in Washington, D.C. Provides information on social issues, public opinion, and demographic trends shaping the United States and the world. It also conducts public opinion polling, demographic research, media content analysis, and other empirical social science research. The Pew Research Center does not take policy positions, and is a subsidiary of The Pew Charitable Trusts.
RAND Corporation
American nonprofit global policy think tank[1] created in 1948 by Douglas Aircraft Company to offer research and analysis to the United States Armed Forces. It is financed by the U.S. government and private endowment,[6] corporations,[9] universities[9] and private individuals.[9] The company has grown to assist other governments, international organizations, private companies and foundations, with a host of defense and non-defense issues, including healthcare. RAND aims for interdisciplinary and quantitative problem solving by translating theoretical concepts from formal economics and the physical sciences into novel applications in other areas, using applied science and operations research.
Council on Foreign Relations (CFR)
An independent, nonpartisan membership organization dedicated to being a resource to help society better understand the world and the foreign policy choices facing the United States and other countries.

See their report: How does the US refugee system work?

NBER Working Papers (National Bureau Of Economic Research) This link opens in a new window
Working papers, data, and other research conducted by hundreds of top economic scholars. Studies employ many different methods covering many economic topics. Coverage: 1920s-present.

Center for Strategic & International Studies (CSIS)
From the Wikipedia: founded at Georgetown University in 1962, it conducts policy studies and strategic analyses of political, economic and security issues throughout the world, with a specific focus on issues concerning international relations, trade, technology, finance, energy and geostrategy. In the University of Pennsylvania's 2013 Global Go To Think Tanks Report, it was ranked the number one think tank in the world for "Top Defense and National Security Think Tanks (Table 14)" and was also ranked as the 4th best think tank for "Think Tanks with the Most Innovative Policy Ideas/Proposals (Table 44)". Since its founding, CSIS "has been dedicated to finding ways to sustain American prominence and prosperity as a force for good in the world," according to its website. CSIS is officially bipartisan with scholars that represent varying points of view across the political spectrum.
Refugee Studies Center (Oxford)
From the Wikipedia: to promote the understanding of the causes and consequences of forced migration and to improve the lives of some of the world’s most marginalised people. Its philosophy is to "combine world-class academic research with a commitment to improving the lives and situations for some of the world’s most disadvantaged people." Regarded as one of the world’s leading centres for multidisciplinary research and teaching on the causes and consequences of forced migration.

Immigration Data & Statistics

TRAC Immigration
From Syracuse U, tracks US government statistics and data and generates reports and makes statistics more easily searchable.

Related NGOs

List of international NGOs that work with refugees