Migration

Conflicts in the Middle East and Africa are causing dramatic increases in internally displaced people and refugees across the world. According to estimates from UNHCR for 2016, 10.3 million people were newly displaced by conflict or persecution; 2 million new claims for asylum were lodged; and

The Council of Foreign Relations has created an excellent backgrounder to the immigration debate in the US, covering everything from how Americans feel about immigration to the prospects for immigration reform. Despite the Department of Home Affairs arguing against the decision, the Federal

In The New Yorker, Bernard Avishai claims that “the absence in Israeli law of an inclusively democratic conception of citizenship, let alone democratic criteria for immigration” underpins the current refugee situation in Israel, where the government will begin en masse deportations in April.&

This year marks the seventh anniversary of the Syrian conflict, and the new edition of Forced Migration Review focuses on displaced Syrians. This article from the issue, by Margarite Helena Zoetewij-Turhan, examines changes to Turkey’s asylum laws that are leaving the country

Foreign aid fails to prevent emigration from developing countries, according to a new study from the Center for Global Development. The report finds that the capacity of aid to address the “root causes” of migration is “small at best”. Last Sunday, 22 asylum seekers from Nauru

In The New York Times, a new report and photoessay offers a glimpse of life for asylum seekers in Indonesia awaiting resettlement. UNHCR has started to inform nearly 14,000 refugees and asylum seekers that finding a new home is highly unlikely, and that they should consider

News Deeply has published a list of the top refugee issues to watch in 2018. The article names the refugee and migration compacts, the migration control policies of wealthy countries, the testing of alternative approaches, and questions over migrant returns as major discussion points for 2018

As a PNG police operation at the Manus Island detention centre continues, the UNHCR Regional Representative in Canberra has urged the Australian government's to take ongoing responsibility for refugees and asylum seekers on the island. Linda Bartolomei and Eileen Pittaway explain

The Guardian's Ben Doherty has published a special report from inside the former processing centre on Manus Island. The Council on Foreign Relations has published an interview with Human Rights Watch's Skye Wheeler focusing on sexual violence perpetrated against Rohingya women. The

As the situation on Manus Island deteriorates, the UNHCR Regional Representative in Canberra has reiterated its call for the Australian government to work with PNG leadership to end the humanitarian situation, take responsibility and find durable solutions for those detained.   Refugees in

The UNHCR Regional Representation in Canberra has called on Australia's government and parliamentarians to take responsibility for the humanitarian crisis unfolding in Papua New Guinea (PNG). Drawing on UNHCR visits to PNG in May and September this year, the statement flags the lack of services and

Reflecting on the failures of offshore processing, UNHCR’s Regional Representative, Thomas Albrecht, urges the Australian government to step up, share responsibility and do its bit to create durable solutions for refugees and asylum seekers. The ‘likelihood of successful assimilation and

With nearly 400,000 Rohingya crossing the border into Bangladesh, Secretary General of the UN, António Guterres, has called on Myanmar’s authorities to cease acts of violence, uphold the rule of law and allow aid into the country. Domestically, the Rohingya community has urged the Australian

Over 125,000 Rohingya refugees are estimated to be fleeing conflict and persecution in Myanmar to neighbouring Bangladesh. Meanwhile, reports indicate that the Indian government is preparing to deport the country’s undocumented Rohingya population. The European Court of Justice has dismissed

Earlier today the Australian High Court rejected a claim that the Australian government can only exercise offshore powers consistently with the law of a foreign state. This means that Australia’s regional processing centre on Manus Island is legal despite the PNG Supreme Court ruling to the

There is a counter-narrative emerging in Europe’s approach to irregular migration, even as EU governments seek new ways to discourage desperate journeys across the Central Mediterranean route to Italy. Via the skies over Rome and Paris, other journeys are getting safer, as church groups fly asylum

In a statement released this week UNHCR chief Filippo Grandi claims Australia reneged on a commitment to allow refugees with close family ties in Australia to be resettled here. Immigration Minister Peter Dutton disputed the claim. In the Washington Post, Isaac Stanley-Becker examines the human

With assistance from Zixin Wang, an intern with the Lowy Institute's East Asia Program. Following World Refugee Day on 20 June, Chinese netizens have been heatedly debating whether China should accept refugees. 'Debating' may be too strong a word – social media users are for the most part

The Australian Government this week introduced a new Bill into parliament to amend the Citizenship Act 2007. The move comes just two weeks after submissions to its discussion paper had closed – those submissions have not been made public. In short, the proposed changes will require prospective

Australia is set to roll out a new private sponsorship programme for refugees and humanitarian entrants on 1 July, following in the footsteps of Canada. As noted in the 2017-18 Budget, Australia will increase its Refugee and Humanitarian Programme to provide 16,250 places in 2017-18 and 18

At the 30th ASEAN Summit, member states were unable to reach consensus on the Declaration on the Promotion and Protection of Migrant Workers' Rights, despite lobbying from migrant-sending states Indonesia and the Philippines. The Department of Immigration and Border Protection told Senate

Australia, New Zealand and the US have announced restrictions to skilled work visas. During a week-long visit to the Middle East, Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte discussed trade and migration with Gulf leaders and announced plans to establish a foreign employment department to oversee the

The Kaldor Centre's Jane McAdam unpacks the international legal frameworks to assist people displaced by disasters and climate change. Writing for the Brookings Institution, the World Bank's Kent Garber considers how refugee doctors, nurses and health workers could fulfil skill shortages and