Author: RACHAEL ADEEGBE

Trade unions from 36 countries have filed a major complaint with the International Labour Organization (ILO) over the poor treatment of migrant workers in Saudi Arabia. The unions are asking for a full investigation into the country’s labour practices, calling it a serious human rights issue. This action comes as Saudi Arabia prepares to host the 2034 FIFA World Cup, raising concerns about worker safety during rapid development. Luc Triangle, the secretary-general of the International Trade Union Confederation, said this complaint is a call for urgent and honest reform. He stressed that more migrant workers should not have to die…

A Guatemalan migrant who says he was wrongfully deported to Mexico by the Trump administration has now been returned to the United States. This is the first known case where the Trump administration followed a judge’s order to bring a deported migrant back. The man, known in court documents as O.C.G., returned to the US on Wednesday. His legal team confirmed he landed safely and got in touch with the lawyers handling his case. He is currently being held by US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), according to Trina Realmuto, head of the National Immigration Litigation Alliance. The Trump administration…

Algeria has expelled more than 16,000 African migrants to Niger since April 2024. This number already makes up over half of all the expulsions Algeria carried out in the entire previous year, according to an official source who spoke to AFP. Most of the migrants were from Niger or other West African countries. Many of them had used Algeria as a stop on their journey to Europe. However, Algeria has been sending these migrants back to Niger for over 10 years. On June 1 and 2, local officials in Arlit, a city in northern Niger, said 1,466 migrants arrived in…

Authorities in Bulgaria have arrested 18 people in a large operation targeting a group that smuggled Syrian migrants from Türkiye to Western Europe. The raid was carried out on June 3 with support from Europol and police forces from Greece, Romania, and Moldova. The criminal group used different types of vehicles, including vans, trucks, tourist caravans, and even car assistance platforms, to transport the migrants. Many of the vehicles had hidden compartments specially built in Türkiye, Bulgaria, and Romania to hide people during the journey. These vehicles could travel long distances without stopping at shelters or checkpoints, helping smugglers move…

France is planning to stop small boats carrying asylum seekers at sea, on rivers, and near beaches as part of a new crackdown on illegal Channel crossings. This move comes after strong pressure from the UK government and a record number of migrant arrivals this year. A UK Home Office source told The Guardian that French officials have now agreed to take action not just on the beaches, but also in nearby waters and inland canals. The goal is to stop the so-called “taxi boats” — small vessels that carry people along rivers to points where they can cross the…

The Council of Europe has introduced a new online platform that highlights its work on migration and refugee issues. The page was launched by the Division on Migration and Refugees (DMR) on June 4, 2025, and is now available to the public. This newly launched web page brings together all the major activities, programs, and news related to the Council of Europe’s work in the field of migration and asylum. It is designed to make access to this information easier for people who work on or are interested in these topics. The page covers a wide range of the Council’s…

A new hosting center for seasonal migrant workers has opened in Turi, a town in Italy’s Puglia region. The center was officially inaugurated on June 1 and will house up to 90 workers, mainly African migrants working in the local cherry harvest. Governor of Puglia, Michele Emiliano, praised the center as a sign that the region is taking real steps to support and integrate migrant workers. He visited the center with Turi’s mayor, Giuseppe De Tomaso, before opening the 33rd annual Ferrovia cherry festival. The facility was funded by the Puglia regional government, which provided €45,000 for the project. Emiliano…

The United States is moving closer to finalizing a migrant deal with Rwanda, similar to the UK’s previous deportation scheme. This plan would allow the US to transfer certain migrants to Rwanda, aiming to ease pressure on overcrowded detention centers back home. According to reports, talks between the two countries have progressed, and at least one migrant has already been sent to Rwanda. This early transfer suggests that a trial phase of the plan may already be in motion. Rwanda’s foreign minister confirmed that negotiations are taking place, though the United Nations refugee agency (UNHCR) said it has not yet…

France has now agreed to begin stopping small migrant boats at sea after months of delays, following a rise in Channel crossings. The plan comes after heavy criticism and is expected to be ready before President Emmanuel Macron visits London for a Franco-British summit on July 8. The French government is preparing to strengthen its navy with new patrol boats. These vessels would aim to intercept “taxi boats” that usually carry migrants from French beaches to the UK. This move comes after images showed French police watching smugglers pick up migrants without stopping them. Over 1,000 people crossed the English…

A 34-year-old Egyptian man has been arrested by Italian police in Livorno on suspicion of smuggling migrants across the Mediterranean. He was detained on May 29 after stepping off the Ocean Viking, a rescue ship operated by a humanitarian group. Authorities say he allegedly piloted a small wooden boat carrying 12 migrants through dangerous waters near Libya. The man was among 13 migrants rescued from the sea and brought to the Tuscan port. Italian police, specifically the Livorno flying squad, handled the arrest. They believe he was the skipper of the boat that had passengers from Egypt, Eritrea, and Ethiopia.…