Author: RACHAEL ADEEGBE

Migration is deeply shaping life in Switzerland. Today, about 40% of the Swiss population over the age of 15 has a migration background, meaning they were either born abroad or have parents who were. This makes Switzerland one of the countries with the highest migrant populations in the world, rivaling only nations like Luxembourg, Singapore, and the Gulf states. According to the Federal Statistical Office, 3 million residents in Switzerland had foreign origins by the end of 2023. Of these, 2.4 million were born outside Switzerland and moved in later (first-generation migrants). Another 600,000, often called “segundos”, were born in…

A new report has revealed that migrants held at UK ports and airports are being denied access to their medication, putting their health at serious risk. The Independent Monitoring Board (IMB) inspected several short-term holding facilities and found poor healthcare arrangements, no access to medicine, and unsafe living conditions during detention. The IMB looked at facilities at Bristol and Cardiff airports, and at Poole, Portsmouth, and Newhaven ports, where migrants can be held for up to 24 hours. According to their report, detained individuals are not allowed to keep or take their prescribed medicines, even if it’s critical to their…

Greece is taking urgent action to deal with the sharp rise in migrant arrivals from Libya to Crete, as pressure builds on the country’s borders. On Monday, Greece’s Migration and Asylum Minister, Athanasios Plevris, traveled to Libya along with a high-level EU team to discuss stronger cooperation with Libyan authorities on controlling migration. Plevris was joined by Magnus Brunner, the European Commissioner for Migration, and interior ministers from Italy and Malta. The visit includes meetings with both governments in Libya—one in Tripoli and the other aligned with Khalifa Haftar in Benghazi—to seek better control over migrant departures from the North…

In Taiwan, a growing number of Southeast Asian migrant workers are escaping oppressive work conditions and turning to undocumented labour to survive. Many came to the country legally, hoping for better futures, but found themselves mistreated by brokers and employers, forcing them into a life of hiding. These undocumented migrants now live on the edge of society, fearing deportation and lacking access to basic services like healthcare, housing, and labour rights. One such worker is Bernard, a 45-year-old Filipino who entered Taiwan legally in 2016 to work in an electronics factory. But by 2024, he became undocumented after clashing with…

Thousands of migrant workers living in southern Italy are being exposed to extreme heat, unsafe housing, and dangerous labour conditions. A union in Italy, FLAI CGIL, based in Foggia, has raised serious concerns about the lives of around 5,000 migrants currently living in a makeshift settlement in Borgo Mezzanone, in the region of Puglia. These workers, mostly from Nigeria, Mali, and Ghana, live in temporary huts made of aluminum, without proper ventilation or insulation. During the summer, temperatures often soar above 40°C (104°F), making the tin shelters unbearably hot. The union has called the living conditions “inhumane” and said the…

Poland has introduced new temporary border controls with Germany and Lithuania as the government tries to manage rising fears over irregular migration and security threats. Prime Minister Donald Tusk announced the decision, saying the checks are necessary to control undocumented migrants and prevent illegal crossings that avoid Poland’s barrier with Belarus. The Polish government believes that many migrants are changing their routes by entering through Latvia and Lithuania instead of Belarus. According to Tusk, these migration paths are meant to bypass the strong border fences built to stop illegal entry. Now, Poland wants to stop this movement early by placing…

A new debate has broken out in Germany after Education Minister Karin Prien said she is open to the idea of setting a limit on the number of children with a migrant background in school classrooms. Her comments have led to strong criticism from government officials, teachers, and political parties. Prien, a member of the Christian Democratic Union (CDU), made the suggestion during a television interview over the weekend. She said that limiting migrant students to 30 or 40 percent per class could be a possible solution. Her main argument was that children must be able to speak German well…

Catholic bishops in East Nusa Tenggara, a Christian-majority province in Indonesia, have committed to helping stop illegal migration and human trafficking, which have claimed many lives in the region. The bishops made this promise during a pastoral assembly held in Flores from July 1 to July 5, where they met to discuss how the Church can support efforts to promote safe and legal migration. Archbishop Paulus Budi Kleden of Ende spoke at a press conference at the end of the meeting, reminding the public that while migration is a right, it should be done legally. He warned that illegal migration…

The US government has officially ended Temporary Protected Status (TPS) for more than 76,000 migrants from Honduras and Nicaragua living in the country. The announcement was made by the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) as part of the Trump administration’s broader plan to increase deportations and limit the extension of humanitarian programs. Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem said the protection was always meant to be temporary. She stated that the impacts of Hurricane Mitch, which hit Honduras in 1998, have long been resolved. “The Government of Honduras has taken all of the necessary steps to recover,” she said in a…

The long-standing friendship between Britain and France is once again under strain as record numbers of migrants continue to cross the English Channel in small boats. With more than 21,000 people having made the dangerous journey from northern France to southeast England this year alone, the issue has become central to the upcoming UK visit of French President Emmanuel Macron and his talks with British Prime Minister Keir Starmer. The two leaders are expected to announce new actions to curb the small boat arrivals during their summit this week. Their meeting comes as far-right support grows in the UK, putting…