Author: RACHAEL ADEEGBE

The Trump administration has almost completely stopped reuniting undocumented migrant children in federal custody with their parents and close relatives, according to new data and accounts from immigration lawyers and officials within the U.S. government. The slowdown has left thousands of children stuck in shelters for weeks or even months, despite many having already cleared all required checks for release. The children affected are minors without legal immigration status, ranging from toddlers to teenagers. Many were arrested while crossing the U.S. border alone, while others were separated from their parents during immigration enforcement actions by U.S. authorities. After their arrest,…

The UK government has expressed hope that a newly approved German law will help reduce the number of migrants crossing the English Channel in small boats. British ministers believe the legislation will disrupt criminal networks that support illegal crossings to the UK. The new German law, passed by lawmakers on Friday, criminalises activities linked to facilitating migrant smuggling towards the UK. These measures were first agreed more than a year ago and are expected to come into force before the end of the year. UK officials say the law will make it illegal for smuggling gangs to store boats, engines,…

Cyprus recorded nearly 3,000 returns of non-EU citizens between July and September 2025, placing the country among the top European Union members enforcing migrant return decisions during the period, according to newly released EU data. Across the European Union, a total of 115,440 non-EU citizens were ordered to leave EU territory during the third quarter of 2025. Out of this number, 34,155 people were actually returned to third countries, showing a significant gap between return orders and completed returns. When compared to the same period in 2024, the data shows a 2.7 percent increase in return orders, while actual returns…

Pope Leo has appointed Bishop Ronald Hicks as the new Archbishop of New York, signaling the Catholic Church’s intention to take a more outspoken and proactive stance on immigration issues. Hicks, 58, has extensive experience in Latin America, having worked in El Salvador and Mexico to support orphaned and abandoned children, giving him firsthand insight into countries from which millions have emigrated to the United States. His appointment comes as the Trump administration has increased anti-immigration policies, which the US Catholic Church has criticized more vocally. Hicks succeeds Cardinal Timothy Dolan, who resigned upon reaching the mandatory retirement age of…

The UK could lose hundreds of millions of pounds in annual tax revenues if salary thresholds for migrant workers are raised beyond current levels, according to a detailed review by the Migration Advisory Committee (MAC). The report warns that higher thresholds may block skilled migrants who would otherwise make a significant net contribution to public finances, at a time when the government faces pressure to control immigration while supporting economic growth. Under existing rules, most foreign workers applying under the Skilled Worker visa route must earn at least £41,700 a year, following increases introduced in 2024 and routine adjustments in…

Indonesia is preparing to deploy up to 500,000 skilled workers overseas, marking a significant shift away from the traditional reliance on domestic worker placements. The initiative, announced during the 2025 International Migrants Day commemoration on December 18 at Taman Mini Indonesia Indah, underscores the government’s strategic focus on professional sectors that provide stronger protections and higher economic returns for Indonesian workers abroad. Coordinating Minister for Community Empowerment, Muhaimin Iskandar, highlighted the government’s policy as a strategic move to increase professional migrant labor while reducing domestic sector dependency. “We are continuing to increase the number of professional migrant workers in the…

Romania has joined 18 other European Union member states in calling on the European Commission to allocate funding for the establishment of migrant return hubs outside the EU, as part of a broader effort to tighten the bloc’s migration policy. The move comes after EU interior ministers adopted a series of legislative measures on December 8, 2025, aimed at regulating the arrival of migrants more strictly and accelerating the return of individuals whose asylum applications have been rejected. These measures provide the legal framework for the creation of “return hubs”, which are facilities outside the EU where rejected asylum seekers…

A new study by the International Organization for Migration (IOM) highlights the significant economic contribution of Venezuelan migrants across Latin America and the Caribbean. With over 7 million Venezuelans living abroad, they represent one of the largest diasporas in the region’s history, primarily settling in countries like Colombia, Peru, Chile, Ecuador, Panama, Costa Rica, the Dominican Republic, and Aruba. The IOM report attributes the migration to the ongoing crisis in Venezuela, exacerbated by political instability and the disputed reelection of President Nicolas Maduro. Despite facing challenges, Venezuelan migrants have emerged as a vital economic force in host countries, providing a…

Indonesia’s Minister for the Protection of Indonesian Migrant Workers, Mukhtarudin, has emphasized the importance of financial literacy programs to encourage migrant workers to manage their income more productively. The initiative aims to ensure that earnings sent home are used not only for immediate consumption but also for long-term business and economic development. Speaking on Tuesday, Mukhtarudin highlighted that approximately 70 percent of remittances sent by Indonesian migrant workers are currently used for consumptive purposes, such as household expenses, daily needs, or short-term spending. Only 30 percent of these funds are allocated toward productive activities, including business investments or savings for…

Spanish police carried out a major eviction on Wednesday, December 17, 2025, removing around 400 migrants from an abandoned school building in Badalona, a working-class city bordering Barcelona. The squat had been home to mostly undocumented migrants, many from Senegal and Gambia, who moved in after the building was abandoned in 2023. Authorities described the building as unsafe, prompting judicial action. Police from Catalonia’s regional force, dressed in riot gear, entered the premises early in the morning under a court order. By that time, most residents had already left in anticipation of the eviction, seeking alternative shelters. While the operation…