Author: RACHAEL ADEEGBE

A Tunisian court has released a group of NGO workers with suspended sentences after they were accused of helping migrants enter and stay in the country illegally. The decision ends a case that had attracted criticism from international human rights groups. Sherifa Riahi, former director of the French NGO Terre d’Asile, and several colleagues had spent over 20 months in detention before the final hearing. A video posted by Riahi’s support committee showed her leaving prison, with reports confirming her colleagues were also freed. Defence lawyer Mahmoud Daoud Yaacoub said the court handed a two-year suspended sentence to defendants who…

Migrants in France are posting videos on TikTok showing methods for smuggling themselves into the UK using lorries, according to reports. Footage shows men hiding behind bushes or trees before running and jumping into the space between the driver’s cabin and the trailer of moving vehicles. Charities say lorries are often targeted by migrants who cannot afford expensive smugglers’ fees for crossing the English Channel in small boats. However, smuggling via lorries carries serious risks. In April 2024, a Sudanese man was killed trying to board a lorry, and in June, another migrant died after being crushed by metal bars…

Texas Congresswoman Monica De La Cruz (R-TX) announced plans to explore new ways for migrant workers to gain legal status in the construction industry. The Edinburg Republican revealed on Monday that she will meet with the U.S. Department of Labor to discuss solutions after local builders raised concerns over immigration arrests disrupting their workforce. De La Cruz suggested creating a visa program for construction workers similar to the H-2A agricultural visa program, which allows foreign nationals to work legally in the farming sector. “We’d like to see where the construction industry would fit,” she said, emphasizing the need to support…

At least 22 Ethiopian migrants were killed and 65 others injured after a lorry they were traveling in overturned in Semera town, in Ethiopia’s north-eastern Afar region, authorities have reported. About 85 migrants were traveling along the eastern migration route when the accident occurred on Tuesday morning, according to a senior Afar official, Mohammed Ali Biedo. Their ultimate destination was unclear, though the route typically runs from Ethiopia through Djibouti, across the Red Sea to Yemen, and onward to Saudi Arabia and other Gulf countries. “The accident occurred when a lorry transporting migrants, misled by illegal brokers and unaware of…

Uzbek migrant workers are increasingly leaving Russia for Saudi Arabia, signaling a major shift in the Eurasian labor market. Saudi Arabia recently announced it will accept at least 20,000 Uzbek labor migrants, particularly in the medical and social sectors, providing legal work visas, housing, contracts, and health insurance. Applications for these positions are set to open soon. This move reflects more than just a bilateral employment agreement. For decades, Russia was the main destination for Central Asian migrant workers. Before the pandemic, millions of migrants from the region, including over 1.5 million Uzbeks, worked in Russia, sending remittances that supported…

Kerala has recorded a major rise in school enrolment among children of migrant workers under its Jyothi education scheme. In just one year, enrolment increased by 3,226 students, showing strong progress in inclusive education. Official figures show that the number of migrant children enrolled in schools rose from 21,299 in the 2023–24 academic year to 24,525 in 2024–25. The increase highlights the impact of focused government policies aimed at ensuring no child is left out of education. The Jyothi scheme was introduced to address long-standing challenges faced by migrant families, especially children who often miss out on schooling due to…

Nearly 20,000 migrant truck drivers have filed a lawsuit against the California Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV) over plans to cancel their commercial driver’s licenses (CDLs). The drivers say the move could leave them without jobs and disrupt essential services across the state. The lawsuit was filed on Tuesday by the Asian Law Caucus and the Sikh Coalition, along with a private law firm. It aims to stop the DMV from revoking non-domiciled CDLs starting January 5, 2026. According to the complaint, the cancellations could cause widespread work stoppages in the transport sector. The legal action represents the Jakara Movement…

A 30-year-old Afghan migrant is facing a prison sentence after pleading guilty to sexual offences against three women in Southampton. The man also admitted to entering the United Kingdom illegally. Sohail Amiri appeared at Southampton Crown Court on Monday, January 5, where he pleaded guilty to two charges of sexual assault involving two women. He also admitted to the attempted sexual assault of a third woman. A further charge relating to sexual assault was denied, and the prosecution accepted his plea. The offences took place on September 23 and November 25 last year in different areas of Southampton. One incident…

A Wisconsin judge has resigned after being convicted of obstructing the arrest of a migrant in her courtroom. The resignation follows growing political pressure and threats of impeachment from Republican lawmakers in the state. Hannah Dugan, a judge at the Milwaukee County Circuit Court, submitted her resignation on Saturday, according to media reports. She was convicted last month for helping a migrant avoid arrest by US immigration authorities while appearing before her in court. Prosecutors said Dugan tried to help a Mexican migrant, Eduardo Flores-Ruiz, evade Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) officers. Flores-Ruiz was in court on domestic violence charges…

The UK government has announced new border laws that allow authorities to seize mobile phones and SIM cards from migrants arriving by small boats. The policy is aimed at disrupting people-smuggling networks and reducing irregular migration into the country. Under the new rules, police and immigration officers will confiscate phones at the Manston processing centre in southeast England. The seizures can take place even if the migrant is not arrested. Authorities say the information found on phones, such as messages, contacts, and navigation data, could help trace smuggling routes and identify those organising illegal crossings. The move is part of…