Author: RACHAEL ADEEGBE

South Africa has deported or repatriated more than 53,000 foreign nationals since launching a nationwide migration management campaign five weeks ago, as authorities intensify efforts to enforce immigration laws following widespread anti-migrant protests. Justice and Constitutional Development Minister Mmamoloko Kubayi announced that 53,499 foreign nationals have been processed for deportation or repatriation, with most of those returned coming from Malawi, Zimbabwe and Mozambique. Officials expect the number to continue rising as enforcement operations remain underway. The campaign follows weeks of anti-immigration demonstrations across South Africa, where protesters have demanded stricter border controls and the removal of undocumented migrants. Some protests…

A record 128 migrants have reached the United Kingdom aboard a single small boat after crossing the English Channel, marking the largest number of people ever recorded on one vessel making the dangerous journey. According to the UK Home Office, 225 migrants arrived in Britain on three boats on July 10, with one overcrowded vessel carrying 128 people. The crossing has heightened concerns about the increasingly dangerous tactics being used by migrant smuggling networks. A Home Office spokesperson said criminal gangs are taking greater risks by packing more people into unsafe boats to maximize profits. “Smuggling gangs are taking greater…

The UK government has announced plans to appeal a High Court ruling that found part of its policy governing the deportation of Channel migrants under the UK-France “one in, one out” returns agreement was unlawful. The judgment centred on a Home Office policy introduced last September that limited the ability of certain migrants to challenge decisions rejecting claims that they were victims of human trafficking or modern slavery before being removed to France. Five migrants—four from Eritrea and one from Sudan—successfully challenged the policy, arguing that denying them the opportunity to seek a reconsideration of those decisions breached their legal…

Malawi has repatriated more than 38,000 of its citizens from South Africa following weeks of anti-migrant protests and unrest that have prompted thousands of foreign nationals to leave the country. According to Malawi’s Department of Disaster Management, 38,094 Malawians returned home between June 7 and July 8 as part of a large-scale government-led evacuation effort. Authorities said six returnees died during the journey after falling ill. Disaster Management Commissioner Wilson Moleni said four people died while travelling back to Malawi, while two others died shortly after crossing the border. He explained that all six had existing medical conditions but were…

Nearly 600 Afghan migrant families returned to Afghanistan in a single day as deportations and voluntary repatriations from neighbouring Iran and Pakistan continue, according to the Taliban’s commission responsible for addressing migrant issues. The commission said 568 families crossed back into Afghanistan through four major border points over the past 24 hours. The majority, 517 families, entered through the Torkham border crossing with Pakistan, while 42 families returned through Spin Boldak in Kandahar province. Another seven families crossed through Islam Qala on the Iranian border, and two families entered via Bahramcha in Helmand province. The latest figures come a day…

Kenya has completed the evacuation of 472 citizens from South Africa, bringing to an end an emergency repatriation operation launched in response to escalating anti-migrant protests across the country. The final group of 50 returnees arrived at Jomo Kenyatta International Airport (JKIA) on Thursday, July 9, where they were received by officials from the Ministry of Foreign and Diaspora Affairs. The evacuation exercise, which began on June 30, was coordinated by Kenya’s State Department for Diaspora Affairs in collaboration with the Kenya High Commission in Pretoria. Authorities provided transport, emergency travel documents and humanitarian assistance to Kenyans who requested to…

German and Swiss authorities have arrested five men suspected of belonging to a migrant smuggling network believed to have facilitated the irregular entry of hundreds of migrants into Germany while generating millions of euros in illegal profits. The coordinated operation resulted in the arrest of the alleged ringleader in Geneva, Switzerland, while four other suspects were detained in the German cities of Berlin, Dortmund and Delmenhorst. According to prosecutors and police, the men—aged between 25 and 45—are Syrian and Lebanese nationals suspected of holding senior positions within the criminal network. Investigators say the group directly organized the smuggling of at…

The European Union has proposed a new sanctions framework that would impose travel bans and asset freezes on individuals, groups, and organizations involved in migrant smuggling, human trafficking, and other forms of organized crime. The proposal, unveiled by the European Commission, is designed to strengthen the EU’s efforts to disrupt criminal networks that profit from irregular migration while improving the protection of vulnerable migrants. European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said the initiative aims to dismantle smuggling operations that exploit people seeking safety or better economic opportunities. “We all have a common goal: to drive them out of business…

The fatal shooting of a Mexican national by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents in Houston has intensified concerns over the treatment of migrants during immigration enforcement operations in Texas. Lorenzo Salgado Araujo, whom ICE identified as an undocumented migrant from Mexico, died on Tuesday after being shot during an attempted arrest in Houston’s East End. According to the Department of Homeland Security, federal agents were carrying out a targeted immigration enforcement operation when they attempted to stop his vehicle. ICE said Salgado Araujo tried to evade arrest and allegedly attempted to run over a federal officer, prompting agents…

Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez continues to raise his international profile with outspoken positions on migration and foreign policy, even as his government faces mounting political pressure and corruption allegations at home. Now in his eighth year in office, Sánchez has emerged as one of Europe’s most prominent advocates for migrant rights and international cooperation. He has also attracted global attention for his criticism of the policies of former U.S. President Donald Trump and his stance on major international conflicts, including the wars involving Israel and Ukraine. His support for migration has distinguished Spain from several European countries that have…