RSS - Refugee & Asylum Policy
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Sudan is experiencing the world's largest displacement crisis, yet global attention and funding remain critically low. In this episode of World of Migration, host John Thon Majok speaks with Margaret Monyani of the OLAM Africa Research Institute about why Sudan's crisis is overlooked, the regional spillover effects, and what an effective international response would require.
EU policymakers are under mounting pressure to increase returns, yet the reintegration of returnees remains a politically overlooked dimension. This short read examines the fragmented landscape of assisted voluntary return and reintegration (AVRR) programs, the limits of current approaches, and how a more coherent European framework—anchored in local institutions and development partnerships—could better serve both returnees as well as origin and destination countries.
Previously niche strategies of recruiting partner countries to help manage irregular migration have become mainstream. Governments in multiple migrant-receiving countries have engaged other countries to screen, detain, remove, or otherwise transfer migrants elsewhere—in effect pushing the border outwards. While some externalization approaches have been criticized, the range of models is more nuanced than is commonly understood.
Although the Syrian immigrant population in the United States roughly doubled following the outbreak of Syria's civil war, it remains relatively small compared to both the overall U.S. immigrant population and Syrian emigration globally. This article compiles key statistics about this group.
Migration patterns from and through Central America are changing in fundamental ways amid rising immigration enforcement and a reduction in global humanitarian aid. These twin developments are putting new pressures on governments in the region and reshaping migrant experiences, as this article explores.
Cuba's collapsing economy and shrinking immigration pathways to the United States are redirecting Cuban migration flows across the Americas, as this World of Migration episode explores with María José Espinosa Carrillo, Executive Director of the Center for Engagement and Advocacy in the Americas (CEDA).
Migrants and refugees make up notable shares of the workforce in many cities. By creating an environment in which they can find work, apply their skills, and thrive, urban areas can set themselves up to weather current and future economic changes, including the green and digital transitions. Drawing on a scan of city practices on four continents, this report examines the experiences and policy approaches of cities around the world.
The fall of Syria’s Assad regime has raised questions in high-income countries about when displaced Syrians will return home. Similar conversations are underway about the nearly 7 million displaced Ukrainians. This report examines the complexity of facilitating returns without imperiling reconstruction, fueling additional displacement, and uprooting well-integrated workers and members of host societies.
Nigeria, Africa’s most populous country and one of its largest economies, sits at the crossroads of the continent’s migration landscape. As both a regional immigration hub and an origin for significant emigration, the country contends with a wide range of migration issues that have evolved over time. This country profile situates Nigeria's migration trends and policies.
Why has immigration become so politically divisive—and why is it so difficult for governments to design policies that satisfy both public concerns and economic needs?
Significant shares of Syrians and Turks who have sought asylum in the European Union are of Kurdish background. How will migration be affected by the overthrow of Bashar al-Assad’s regime in Syria and Turkey’s 2025 ceasefire with PKK militants? This article examines the history and context of migration dynamics involving the Kurds, and prospects for change.
The Trump administration has signed deportation agreements with 27 countries, with outreach planned to dozens of others, to help facilitate its mass deportations agenda. Yet these third-country deportation arrangements account for a fraction of overall deportations—suggesting this policy is more about creating a climate of fear than facilitating large numbers of removals.
This webinar explored labor migration pathways as a potential avenue for qualified refugees to access protection in Europe while helping meet destination countries’ skill needs. Speakers examined ways to make work visas more accessible to qualified refugees and how to remove barriers that prevent refugees from entering via the labor pathway.
While the term "climate refugee” is often used colloquially, people displaced by environmental factors are not actually eligible for refugee status on that basis. However, policymakers and advocates have begun to experiment with approaches to protection by other means. This article reviews the initiatives, including a novel visa in Australia and the ways that longstanding legal frameworks have been used to encompass people deeply affected by climate change.
This essential resource offers top statistics about immigration, immigrants, and the immigration system in the United States, drawing on authoritative sources and the latest data available. The article offers insights on the size and characteristics of the immigrant population, the scope of temporary and permanent immigration via all pathways, enforcement actions, and much more.
When refugees can access mainstream work visas, this offers opportunities to find safety while also helping destination countries meet pressing labor needs. Yet the design of many work visas puts them out of reach for well-qualified refugees. This visa evaluation framework and scorecard highlight how different characteristics can make a visa more or less accessible, transparent, and predictable.
Ethiopia's pioneering new approach to refugees, known as Makatet, focuses on inclusion and self-sufficiency by offering more refugees work permits, business licenses, and national identification cards. The approach could increase individuals' integration and reduce government costs. But questions remain about funding, implementation, and protection gaps for certain populations, as this article details.
The Ukrainian immigrant population in the United States grew significantly in the immediate aftermath of Russia's 2022 invasion of Ukraine. Compared to the overall immigrant population, Ukrainians are more likely to be U.S. citizens and have higher levels of education. This article provides wide-ranging statistics on the size, U.S. settlement, and socioeconomic characteristics of this group.
This webinar explored labor migration pathways as a potential avenue for qualified refugees to access protection in Europe while helping meet destination countries’ skill needs. Speakers examined ways to make work visas more accessible to qualified refugees and how to remove barriers that prevent refugees from entering via the labor pathway.
MPI analysts assess the immigration actions taken during President Trump's first year back in office, detail the legal state of play, and analyze the actual effects on the labor market, U.S. communities, and future immigration to the United States.