Author: RACHAEL ADEEGBE

President Donald Trump’s recent decision to send National Guard troops to California, claiming they must “liberate” Los Angeles from a so-called “migrant invasion,” has sparked major debate. His comments, echoed by White House Deputy Chief of Staff Stephen Miller, described migration as a force that “unravels” society. However, a closer examination of federal and state data presents a significantly different picture. While Trump and Miller paint a scene of chaos, immigration numbers in California remain consistent with long-standing trends and show no sign of the massive surge described by the administration. According to the Department of Homeland Security and California’s…

Thousands of Sudanese refugees who once sought safety in Egypt are now turning to Libya as economic hardship and a government crackdown force them out of the country. Many of these refugees, like 25-year-old Bahr el-Din Yakoub, are now risking dangerous desert treks and deadly sea crossings to reach Europe, especially through Greece and other Eastern Mediterranean routes. Yakoub fled Khartoum after a missile strike killed his friends, only to find Egypt increasingly unwelcoming. After months of struggling without proper documents, Yakoub headed to Libya—a move that reflects a growing trend among Sudanese migrants who now see Libya, despite its…

Turkey has launched a major operation to stop migrant smuggling across the country. In just two weeks, Turkish security forces caught 273 people believed to be organizing illegal migration. These operations took place in 51 provinces, according to Interior Minister Ali Yerlikaya. Out of the 273 people caught, 98 have been officially arrested. The rest are still under investigation. At the same time, 1,022 irregular migrants were also found and taken in by the authorities. Minister Yerlikaya shared the news on social media, praising the police and other agencies involved. The crackdown was led by the police departments’ anti-smuggling teams…

A new report by Amnesty International has revealed the shocking mistreatment of Kenyan domestic workers in Saudi Arabia, who are facing severe exploitation, racism, and abuse despite promises of reform by Saudi authorities. Titled “Locked in, left out: the hidden lives of Kenyan domestic workers in Saudi Arabia”, the 96-page report documents the stories of over 70 Kenyan women who had previously worked in Saudi homes. Many of them were lured with false promises by Kenyan recruiters, only to end up trapped in appalling conditions once they arrived. The women reported working for more than 16 hours daily without rest,…

Ethnic minority NHS staff who were born overseas face even greater discrimination than their UK-born colleagues, a new study reveals. This “double disadvantage” — shaped by both their ethnicity and migrant background — affects their pay and limits their chances for career growth. The study, published in JRSM Open, utilized data from the UK-REACH project and analyzed the employment patterns of over 5,700 NHS healthcare workers under the Agenda for Change (AfC) pay scale. This scale includes a wide range of staff, such as nurses, midwives, and allied health professionals. Researchers found that even when adjusting for factors like education,…

Despite hopes for reform, the migration corridor between Bangladesh and Malaysia continues to be riddled with corruption, flawed recruitment practices, and abuse of workers. Malaysia is preparing to reopen its labour market to Bangladeshi workers after a year-long suspension. However, there are still no signs of real change in policies meant to protect migrants from exploitation. The recurring cycle of opening and closing the labour market highlights a broken system. Malaysia has halted recruitment from Bangladesh several times in the past 20 years due to fraud, human trafficking, and corruption. Yet each reopening has come without accountability or policy reform,…

Migrant partners are harming the UK’s finances, according to a new government-commissioned report. The Migration Advisory Committee (MAC) has warned that those entering the UK on partner or family visas are likely to remain a long-term burden on public services, including the NHS, and offer little economic benefit. In its review, the MAC stated that most migrants on partner visas would be “fiscally negative” over their lifetimes. The income level of their sponsors—whether UK citizens or settled migrants—didn’t make much difference to this outcome. While wealthier sponsors were slightly more likely to have higher-earning partners, the link was too weak…

The Trump administration has deployed U.S. Marines to Los Angeles to support intensified immigration raids, a move that has caused nationwide protests and sharp criticism from Democratic leaders. The deployment of 700 Marines, expected to arrive by Monday night or Tuesday morning, is part of a wider plan to clamp down on undocumented immigrants, especially in states opposing federal immigration policies. California officials quickly opposed the move. The state government filed a lawsuit to stop the deployment of both the National Guard and the Marines, arguing it violates state rights. Governor Gavin Newsom condemned the action as a dangerous step…

A LegalTech company created by a registered blind lawyer and a migrant co-founder has raised £22 million in Series B funding to support its global expansion and advance its AI-powered legal tools. The startup, Definely, was co-founded by Nnamdi Emelifeonwu and Feargus MacDaeid, who previously worked together at law firm Freshfields. The idea for the company grew out of MacDaeid’s own challenges navigating legal documents due to a degenerative eye condition he’s lived with since age 11. His experience shaped the development of tools designed to help lawyers work faster and more efficiently. The new funding round was led by…

More than 6,000 people have been arrested across the UK in the past year during a major crackdown on illegal migrant workers, the Home Office has revealed. Videos shared on Saturday show immigration enforcement teams raiding nail bars, restaurants, workshops, and caravan parks in cities like London and counties including Surrey. Since July last year, the number of enforcement visits has significantly increased, leading to a 51% jump in arrests compared to the previous year. However, the Government did not say how many of these arrests resulted in charges, deportations, or legal convictions. Between July 4, 2024, and May 31,…