Top 10 Migration Issues of 2017
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The year 2017 was marked by ongoing mass displacement in many regions around the world. Meanwhile, the United States took a hardline turn on immigration with the inauguration of President Donald Trump, while European countries worked to develop new ways to manage arrivals.
The migration world in 2017 was marked by large-scale displacement in Southeast Asia and Africa, rightward political shifts in the United States and parts of Europe, and varied approaches to migration management across the world. MPI experts highlight the biggest migration developments of the year in this countdown of the Top 10 Migration Issues of 2017.
Under Trump Administration, United States Takes Steps to Narrow Legal Immigration
In 2017, the Trump administration narrowed legal immigration through methods such as travel bans, refugee cuts, and enhanced scrutiny of H-1B visas.
Surge in Violence Against Myanmar's Rohingya Spurs World's Fastest-Growing Refugee Crisis
More than 630,000 Rohingya fled Myanmar in late 2017, triggering what the UN called the world's fastest-growing refugee crisis.
European Leaders Pursue Migration Deals with North African Countries, Sparking Concerns about Human Costs
Europe's 2017 migration deals with North African countries cut Mediterranean crossings but left hundreds of thousands stranded in Libya, amid…
Trump Administration Makes Down Payment on Campaign Pledges to Address Illegal Immigration
In 2017, the Trump administration expanded interior enforcement in U.S. communities, sharply raising immigration arrests and pursuing border wall…
As Displacement Becomes Long-Term, Refugee Hosts Grapple with New Normal
Global displacement hit a record 65.6 million in 2016, straining first-asylum host countries as refugee resettlement fell far short of need.
In Wake of Cuts to U.S. Refugee Program, Global Resettlement Falls Short
The Trump administration cut U.S. refugee admissions to a decade-low in fiscal year (FY) 2017, causing global resettlement numbers to drop to 40…
Increased Focus on Forced Return of Migrants and Asylum Seekers Puts Many in Peril
In 2017, governments worldwide ramped up forced and coerced returns of migrants and refugees, sending hundreds of thousands back to fragile, conflict…
Despite Progress on Brexit Negotiations, Fate of Millions of EU and UK Nationals Still Hangs in the Balance
A December 2017 Brexit deal outlined rights for EU and UK nationals abroad, but key details remained unresolved, leaving EU and UK migrants in…
Nativism Goes Mainstream, Moving the Needle on Migration Policy
Nativist politics moved from fringe to mainstream, reshaping migration debates in the United States and Europe in 2017, even where far-right parties…
In Latin America, Spike in Migrant Arrivals Prompts Flurry of Responses
Venezuela's political and economic crisis and Haitian displacement drove rising migration flows across Latin America in 2017, prompting new…
