Author: RACHAEL ADEEGBE

Seven months after the UK and France launched their “one in, one out” migration agreement, new data show the number of migrants transferred between the two countries remains very low. Figures from the UK Home Office reveal that between August 2025 and March 2026, a total of 377 migrants were returned to France, while 380 migrants were admitted into the United Kingdom. This amounts to about 12 transfers per week, far below the expected target of at least 50 weekly returns. The agreement was introduced to reduce the number of migrants crossing the English Channel in small boats. Under the…

A migrant boat carrying dozens of people sank in the Mediterranean Sea near the Italian island of Lampedusa, leaving a two-year-old child from Sierra Leone missing despite rescue efforts. According to the Italian Coast Guard, the vessel went down just before reaching the island on March 15. Rescue teams managed to save 64 migrants from the sea, but the young child could not be located after the incident. Reports from RAI said the rescued group included 14 women and 10 minors. Several passengers, including the missing child, reportedly fell overboard when the small 9-meter boat began to sink. Search operations…

An Afghan migrant has died less than 24 hours after being taken into custody by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, raising new concerns about conditions and medical care in immigration detention facilities in the United States. The man, Mohommad Nazeer Paktyawal, 41, died on March 14 at Parkland Hospital after being detained the previous day at an ICE processing facility in Dallas. His death marks the 12th reported fatality in ICE custody in 2026. According to a statement shared by the migrant advocacy group AfghanEvac, Paktyawal was detained on March 13 while preparing to take his children to school. His…

Türkiye’s Interior Minister, Mustafa Çiftçi, has said the country will continue its strong fight against irregular migration and migrant smuggling networks, stressing that authorities will not allow traffickers to operate within the country. The minister made the remarks during an iftar gathering with personnel of the Turkish Coast Guard Command at the Interior Ministry in Ankara. He praised the coast guard for its efforts in protecting Türkiye’s maritime borders and saving lives during dangerous migration journeys at sea. According to Çiftçi, irregular migration remains one of the major challenges affecting border security, public order, and the safety of human life.…

The administration of Donald Trump is preparing to open what officials describe as a “first-of-its-kind” detention facility for migrant families and unaccompanied children at Alexandria International Airport. The project is expected to expand a deportation hub that already plays a key role in federal immigration enforcement. According to reports, the proposed facility would hold migrant families and children for about three to five days before they are deported. Local officials say the migrants would stay in converted military barracks at the airport while their travel arrangements are finalized. Lease agreements between the Department of Homeland Security and the airport authority…

Germany is planning to stop funding independent counseling services for asylum seekers starting in 2027, a move that has raised strong concerns among welfare groups, charities, and migrant rights organizations. The decision comes from the country’s interior ministry led by Alexander Dobrindt. Reports from German media networks say the ministry has already informed welfare organizations that the government intends to end financial support for the counseling program. However, the ministry has not fully confirmed the decision, explaining that final funding plans will only be determined during future federal budget negotiations. The counseling service was first introduced during the government of…

Authorities in Belgium and the United Kingdom are moving to strengthen cooperation to combat migrant smuggling networks operating along Belgium’s west coast, where attempts to cross the English Channel in small boats have increased in recent months. Belgian Interior Minister Bernard Quintin visited a police operation in the coastal town of Adinkerke on Thursday. He was joined by UK Home Office Minister Alex Norris during the visit, which aimed to highlight the joint efforts to tackle irregular migration and human smuggling. Officials say the area has become a key point where migrant smuggling networks organize crossings toward the United Kingdom.…

More than 70 migrant families have returned to Afghanistan, according to reports from Taliban-controlled media. The state-run Bakhtar News Agency reported on Thursday that a total of 74 migrant families re-entered the country through several border crossings on March 12. According to the report, 25 families returned through the Pol-e-Abrisham route in Nimruz province. Another 35 families crossed through Islam Qala in Herat, while 14 families entered through Spin Boldak. The returns come amid ongoing migration movements involving Afghan nationals who had been living in neighboring countries such as Iran and Pakistan. Data from the United Nations shows that only…

Thousands of migrant workers from Bangladesh are returning to their jobs in Gulf countries despite growing fears caused by the ongoing conflict in the Middle East. At the international airport in Dhaka, many workers were seen hugging their families and saying emotional goodbyes before boarding flights back to the region where they earn their living. One of them, 28-year-old Mohammed Sakib, was preparing to return to Saudi Arabia after spending time at home for his wedding. Sakib, who has worked as a cleaner in the country for four years, said he was afraid but had little choice but to go…

The Director General of the International Organization for Migration, Amy Pope, has strongly condemned a strike in Beirut that reportedly hit displaced civilians, killing eight people and leaving dozens injured. In a statement released on March 12, the IOM chief expressed deep concern over reports that the attack struck people who had already been forced from their homes due to ongoing violence in Lebanon. Pope stressed that civilians and civilian infrastructure must never be deliberately targeted during conflicts. She warned that many displaced people in Beirut are living in extremely fragile conditions after fleeing their homes with almost nothing. According…