Sep 29, 2026
Malaysia started repatriating approximately 1,500 Myanmar nationals under a voluntary program, defying objections from the United Nations refugee agency and rights groups who warn conditions in Myanmar remain unsafe.
Malaysia started repatriating approximately 1,500 Myanmar nationals on Tuesday, the first phase of a plan to return 5,000 people to their war-torn homeland. The deportations proceed despite warnings from the UN refugee agency and human rights groups about unsafe conditions in Myanmar, which remains engulfed in civil war.
Over 55,000 Sudanese refugees have crossed into eastern Chad this year, with the UN refugee agency reporting approximately 400 people per day now fleeing—about 20 times the previous daily rate. The UN is calling for increased funding to address the humanitarian crisis.
Renewed fighting along Yemen's west coast has displaced at least 112,000 people internally within two weeks, while nearly 3,000 have fled by sea to Djibouti, according to the UN migration agency. The escalation represents a new crisis layered atop Yemen's long-running humanitarian emergency.
At least one person has died and 25 remain missing after a boat carrying migrants partially sank off the southern Greek island of Gavdos near Crete. Greek coast guard rescued 51 people, with survivors reporting approximately 77 people were aboard the vessel.
Iran-backed Houthis have captured a key port city and island along Yemen's Red Sea coast, causing security concerns around the Bab al-Mandab Strait and Strait of Hormuz. The offensive has displaced thousands of Yemenis to Djibouti and forced Somali businesses to rethink shipping routes, while the rebels claim new attacks on Saudi Arabia.
A trauma clinic in Birmingham that opened in July is providing mental health services to asylum seekers dealing with trauma. The center offers therapeutic support to individuals like Azad, an Iranian asylum seeker, who are seeking refuge in the UK.
The UN's International Organization for Migration reports that at least 46,000 people have been displaced in Yemen since fighting between Houthi forces and pro-government troops escalated last week, with the number rising by the hour. The renewed conflict is forcing civilians to flee their homes, adding to Yemen's long-running humanitarian crisis.
Fourteen suspected people smugglers have gone on trial in Paris over their alleged role in the deadliest migrant disaster in the English Channel. At least 27-31 asylum seekers drowned in November 2021 when their boat sank while attempting to reach the UK.
The United Nations human rights chief called for accountability and independent investigations after 23 people died in US immigration detention in 2026, marking the highest death rate in ICE custody in over a decade. The UN also urged Washington to halt deportations to places where people face irreparable harm.
Two ports denied requests for RNLI lifeboats carrying approximately 140 migrants rescued in the English Channel to land, before the boats eventually docked near Portsmouth. Hundreds of masked protesters gathered at the landing site, with police officers injured in confrontations that the British government condemned as "intimidating and thuggish behavior."
British minister Emma Reynolds condemned hundreds of protesters who blocked streets in Portsmouth on Sunday evening to prevent the arrival of migrants crossing the English Channel from France, calling their behavior "intimidating and thuggish."
Denmark, Germany, Austria, the Netherlands, and Greece agreed on a common model for deportation centers in non-EU countries where rejected asylum seekers would be sent. The countries aim to negotiate agreements with partner nations by early 2027, though specific host countries have not been disclosed.
Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez told parliament that Spain has found no evidence Morocco planned or facilitated July's deadly mass border breach into Ceuta, contradicting allegations in a Spanish police report. The embattled leader faces intense pressure from opposition parties and protesters over the government's handling of the crisis.
The Trump administration deported over 100 individuals from Afghanistan, Cuba and other nations to eight African countries over a 10-day period, including an Afghan man whose brothers assisted the US military. The deportations to the Central African Republic and other African nations represent an expansion of third-country deportation practices.
Border czar Tom Homan defended the Trump administration's deportation of hundreds to Haiti, even as the State Department warns Americans not to travel there for any reason. The UN reports nearly 200,000 forced deportees have been received by Haiti amid surging gang violence, prompting an emergency Security Council meeting.
Flash floods in the Himalayan border region between Nepal and China have killed at least 540 people with more than 2,000 still missing, including dozens of Americans. Rescue efforts continue as authorities warn of further flooding risks from water pooling in mountain lakes.
The Liberian government has agreed to accept up to 1,200 deportees from third countries being expelled from the United States over the next year. The first group of approximately 20 deportees is expected to arrive in the West African nation shortly.
A federal judge ruled Tuesday that the Trump administration can terminate Temporary Protected Status for over 5,000 Ethiopian immigrants who had been living and working in the United States under humanitarian relief protections. The decision clears the way for potential deportations despite concerns about conditions in Ethiopia.
The Liberian government has agreed to accept up to 1,200 deportees from third countries being expelled from the United States over the next year. The first group of approximately 20 deportees is expected to arrive in the West African nation shortly.
Morocco has reinforced security along its borders with the Spanish enclaves of Ceuta and Melilla following social media calls for mass migrant crossings, raising concerns of a repeat of last month's surge when tens of thousands rushed the border. Spain's Civil Guard has stated the border will remain closed.
Médecins Sans Frontières reports that funding to address acute malnutrition in Somalia has fallen by more than 80% in 2026, even as one in four children screened in southwestern displacement camps is severely malnourished. The crisis is driven by years of drought, conflict, and economic pressures forcing families into camps.
Latvia announced the discovery of a tunnel under its border with Belarus on Tuesday and vowed to combat people smuggling networks that authorities say are facilitating a growing number of illegal border crossings.
Médecins Sans Frontières reports that one in two children screened in displacement sites in Baidoa, southwest Somalia, are acutely malnourished, with one in four severely malnourished. The crisis has been exacerbated by an 80% drop in funding for malnutrition response programs this year, alongside ongoing drought and conflict.
The flood crisis in India's northeastern Assam state has claimed 100 lives, with two more deaths reported overnight on Monday. Several rivers remain above danger levels as thousands of residents have lost their homes in the ongoing disaster.
Nikita and Olga Belov, a Russian family who engaged in pro-Ukrainian activism, have been repeatedly denied asylum in Finland and now face deportation despite concerns they could face arrest, imprisonment, or torture upon return to Russia.
A fast-moving wildfire in British Columbia forced the evacuation of more than 20,000 people from communities along Okanagan Lake, destroying homes as the province declared a state of emergency. The fire doubled in size and continues to spread rapidly.
Multiple federal judges ruled this week that the Trump administration can terminate Temporary Protected Status (TPS) for thousands of migrants from South Sudan, Myanmar, and Haiti, following a Supreme Court decision in June that limited judicial review of such determinations.
Spain announced it will establish border controls on all flights and ships from Italy from midnight Saturday until September 7, retaliating after Rome imposed similar measures following a mass influx of tens of thousands of migrants from Morocco into Spain's North African territory of Ceuta.
European law enforcement arrested three Syrian nationals suspected of leading migrant-smuggling networks in a coordinated operation involving 240 officers across Germany and Serbia. The networks allegedly smuggled more than 900 migrants along Mediterranean and Balkan routes.
South Africa is pushing for Africa-wide migration discussions following violent anti-immigration protests that forced migrants to flee the country, coinciding with a separate border crisis in Spain's Ceuta where tens of thousands crossed from Morocco. The dual crises have elevated migration as a continental priority.
Spain's North African enclave of Ceuta is requesting the transfer of hundreds of unaccompanied migrant minors to mainland Spain following an unprecedented surge of approximately 72,000 migrants who crossed from Morocco in one week. The crisis has sparked diplomatic tensions, with Morocco blaming a Spanish court ruling and Spain accusing Morocco of facilitating the mass crossing.
Malaysian government spokesman Fahmi Fadzil announced that Malaysia will not proceed with plans to repatriate 5,000 Rohingya refugees to Myanmar if screening determines they face persecution or threats to their lives upon return. The statement comes amid criticism from human rights groups over the planned forced return.
Heavy clashes broke out near Sheraro in western Tigray on August 1, 2026, between the Ethiopian National Defense Force and Tigray People's Liberation Front forces, marking one of the most serious breaches of the 2022 Pretoria peace agreement. Hundreds of civilians have fled into Sudan as fighting subsided by August 2.
Italy imposed border controls on Spain after approximately 60,000 migrants crossed from Morocco into Spain's North African enclave of Ceuta in a single day. Spain deployed military forces and reported that 48,000 migrants had voluntarily returned to Morocco, while Spanish PM Pedro Sánchez criticized Italy's response as 'selfish' and demanded an EU meeting.
Tens of thousands of migrants crossed from Morocco into Spain's North African enclave of Ceuta over Thursday and Friday in a massive border breach, resulting in at least 67 deaths from drownings and stampedes. Spain responded by deploying military forces and installing a 500-meter containment barrier along the sea border.
Republican Governor Mike DeWine of Ohio publicly opposed the Trump administration's plan to deport hundreds of thousands of Haitians following the end of Temporary Protected Status, calling it a 'big mistake' that could affect over 150,000 people in Florida alone.
Deadly monsoon flooding across Assam and Gujarat killed at least 50 people and displaced roughly 700,000, with the Brahmaputra River submerging nearly 900 villages. Rescue operations continued as infrastructure damage prompted school closures in affected districts.
The federal government has reportedly begun interviewing hundreds of Afghan nationals in the U.S., raising fears among refugees and activists that sensitive information could be used for deportations. Simultaneously, a bipartisan group of House lawmakers has introduced legislation to extend Temporary Protected Status for eligible Afghans who supported U.S. efforts.
Malaysia has directed the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) to temporarily halt refugee registrations while the government restructures implementation of its domestic Refugee Registration Document (DPP) programme. UNHCR said about 215,600 refugees and asylum-seekers were registered with it in Malaysia at the end of February 2026.
The Trump administration has weighed severing relations with UNHCR in recent weeks, prompting urgent diplomatic efforts by UN officials and international diplomats to persuade the United States to maintain its support for the refugee agency.
The UN refugee agency reported that 144 people were dead or missing following maritime incidents off Mauritania's coast last week. In the deadliest incident, UNHCR said 143 people were reported dead or missing from a boat that left The Gambia and was rescued after nearly 25 days at sea, while 38 survivors were brought ashore in Nouadhibou.
Seven American aid workers who were fighting the Ebola outbreak in the Democratic Republic of Congo are now quarantining at an isolation facility in Kenya after US government travel restrictions prevented their return home. According to Samaritan's Purse CEO Franklin Graham, none of the workers are showing symptoms.
Two vessels carrying more than 500 people, believed to be Rohingya refugees fleeing violence in Myanmar, are feared to have capsized off the country's coast in recent days. UN agencies IOM and UNHCR expressed deep concern over the maritime tragedy.
A cholera outbreak in war-torn Sudan has killed over 100 people, with the World Health Organization warning conditions could deteriorate further due to ongoing conflict, mass displacement, rainy season, and restricted aid access to besieged areas like El-Obeid.
UNICEF reports at least 330 children were killed or injured in Sudan during the first six months of 2026, as the Rapid Support Forces besieged el-Obeid, razed villages in Darfur, and displaced thousands. The escalating conflict includes lethal drone attacks and increasingly difficult humanitarian conditions.
More than one million undocumented immigrants in Spain applied for legal status under a mass regularization scheme that launched in April 2026, with the application window closing on June 30. The program grants eligible applicants the right to live and work in the country, defying broader European trends toward stricter immigration enforcement.
Thousands of African migrants are fleeing South Africa amid escalating xenophobic violence and threats from anti-immigrant groups demanding all undocumented immigrants leave by June 30. Foreign-owned businesses have been attacked, migrants driven from homes, and several killed as camps swell with displaced people.
The Supreme Court ruled 6-3 that the Trump administration can turn back asylum seekers at the U.S.-Mexico border before they reach U.S. soil and can strip Temporary Protected Status from hundreds of thousands of Haitian and Syrian immigrants, fundamentally reshaping U.S. immigration policy.
A Taliban delegation met with European Union officials in Brussels for closed-door technical discussions focused on the return of Afghan nationals to Afghanistan, marking the first such meeting despite no EU country recognizing the Taliban government. The talks have drawn fierce criticism from rights groups and MEPs who warn against normalizing a regime that has banned girls' education beyond sixth grade.
The European Parliament passed controversial migration legislation permitting member states to establish detention centers outside EU borders and conduct home searches, with conservatives joining far-right groups to approve measures critics say weaken asylum protections.
UN Secretary-General António Guterres visited Haiti on Tuesday amid a deepening humanitarian crisis caused by surging gang violence. New UN statistics reveal 2,300 people have been killed and 100 kidnapped this year, with more than 1 in 10 Haitians—approximately 1.5 million people—displaced from their homes.
Violent xenophobic attacks against African migrants in South Africa have escalated into mass deportations and diplomatic tensions, with thousands of foreign nationals fleeing or being processed for removal. The crisis has triggered clashes with police and prompted retaliatory pressure on South African businesses operating across the continent.
The United States and Iran have signed an interim ceasefire agreement ending their war, with the deal covering issues including the Strait of Hormuz and Lebanon. Lebanese families are beginning to return to damaged towns in southern Lebanon as the fragile truce takes hold, though President Trump has threatened to resume attacks if Iran fails to honor commitments.
A major reform of European Union immigration and asylum rules enters into force on Friday, June 12, 2026, establishing new procedures for how all 27 member states handle irregular migration and asylum seekers. The changes, a decade in the making, allow countries to reduce protections for asylum-seekers and have drawn criticism from rights groups concerned that humanitarian considerations are being sidelined.
The Trump administration is planning to deport nearly two dozen Iranians and other migrants, including women, to the Central African Republic, a country the U.S. State Department has designated as "Do not travel" due to chronic instability, violence, and poverty.
The family of Stephen Ogilvie, who lost an eye in a knife attack in Belfast, has condemned the anti-immigrant violence that erupted across the city following the incident. A 30-year-old Sudanese man has been charged with attempted murder as masked rioters burned homes and vehicles, forcing families to flee.
Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth used a D-Day commemoration speech in Normandy, France to attack European nations for allowing an 'invasion' of migrants, drawing criticism for politicizing the solemn anniversary.
Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth used a D-Day anniversary ceremony in France on Saturday to criticize European immigration policies, claiming Europe is being 'invaded' by migrants and drawing comparisons between wartime beach landings and contemporary immigration by sea.
At least 49 Nigerien nationals died of thirst after their truck broke down in the Sahara Desert in northern Niger, leaving them stranded for days. Two survivors walked over 50km to reach water and alert authorities, who found the victims and buried them in mass graves.
Cuba released the names of thousands of prisoners covered by a previously announced amnesty as the government engages in tense negotiations with the United States over various disputes, including the issue of political prisoners.
The European Union has passed its strictest migration legislation to date, authorizing the establishment of migrant return hubs outside EU territory for processing deportations of asylum seekers denied the right to stay. The Netherlands has already given approval to establish such facilities, marking a significant hardening of Europe's migration policy.
Millions of Palestinians commemorated the 78th anniversary of the Nakba, the 1948 mass expulsion of 750,000 Palestinians during Israel's creation, with survivors in Gaza drawing parallels between historical displacement and current conditions of destruction in refugee camps.
President Trump is reportedly growing impatient with Cuba's government maintaining power despite months of U.S. pressure, prompting warnings from both Senate Republicans and over 30 members of Congress against military strikes or invasion. Lawmakers cite concerns about military overextension with Iran and the use of Guantánamo Bay for migrant detention.
Four people died attempting to cross the English Channel in a small boat, with two men and two women swept away by currents while trying to board a dinghy off the French coast. A Sudanese man was arrested on suspicion of endangering life.