Top 10 Migration Issues of 2018
Joe Chahwan
Our review of the most consequential developments of the year in this countdown of the Top 10 Migration Issues of 2018.
Amid rising public skepticism and outright opposition to migration in a number of countries, 2018 was marked by a turn to harder policies in the United States and parts of Europe—even as most of the world came together to endorse a first ever international compact on migration. The year unfolded with an escalation of humanitarian crises in sub-Saharan Africa, South America, and beyond. Join us here for a review of the most consequential developments of the year in this countdown of the Top 10 Migration Issues of 2018.
As Venezuelan Crisis Deepens, South America Braces for More Arrivals and Indefinite Stays
Venezuela's collapse triggered the hemisphere's largest modern exodus, testing South American hosts.
Pushing Migration to the Forefront, Populists Make New Strides
Far-right populists claimed Brazil's presidency in 2018, collapsed Belgium's government, and pushed harder immigration policies across…
Shaping a Narrative of "Crisis" at Border, Trump Administration Takes Muscular Action
The Trump administration deployed 5,200 troops to the U.S.-Mexico border in 2018, advancing sweeping enforcement even as unauthorized crossings…
Children on the Frontlines
Children were at the center of global migration crises in 2018; in the United States, more than 2,600 were separated from parents under a “zero…
Pushback to the Resistance: Criminalization of Humanitarian Actors Aiding Migrants Rises
Hungary's "Stop Soros" law and prosecutions of volunteers in France and Arizona helping migrants marked a 2018 wave of criminal action…
Intensifying Focus on Migrant Returns Takes a More Global Stage
In 2018, migrant returns moved to the global stage, with multiple countries pushing contested repatriations that often returned people to harm.
Asylum Hangover? Governments Seek to Narrow Avenues for Humanitarian Protection
Facing public pressure, the United States and European Union moved in 2018 to narrow asylum grounds, shorten application deadlines, increase…
A Once-Smooth Path for the Global Compact on Migration Becomes Rocky
The Global Compact on Migration was endorsed by164 countries in December 2018, but about 20 nations opted out or expressed reservations.
Threat of Hard Brexit Looms as Exit Date Nears
With 3.8 million EU nationals in the United Kingdom and 1.3 million British immigrants in Europe, an unresolved Brexit deal left mobile populations…
“Silent” Refugee Crises Get Limited International Attention
While Syrian and Venezuelan crises dominate headlines, those in sub-Saharan Africa and elsewhere saw worsening displacement in 2018 with underfunded…
