Refugees
190 Articles

Global Responses to President Trump’s Family Separation via “Zero-Tolerance” Detention Policy
Children in cages. Children under five crying alone. Anguished parents. As these images have assaulted Americans’ sensibilities in recent weeks, they have also brought international…

Detention of Migrant Families as “Deterrence”: Ethical Flaws and Empirical Doubts
The government's own statistics prove the very opposite of what the Justice Department just told a federal court about the deterrent effects of family detention. But let's start…

“Zero Tolerance” and the Detention of Children: Torture under International Law
The Trump administration will continue to run afoul of refugee and human rights law unless and until it stops criminalizing refugees and ends the unjustified detention of children.

Mediterranean Stand-Off: why we need to move beyond crisis thinking on refugees
The current approach to refugee protection is clearly broken. Urgent action is required to end inter-state squabbling over responsibility for affording protection. Until then,…

Why Holding Asylum Seekers Without Parole is Unlawful
Alexi, an 18-year-old man from Honduras, has been locked behind bars in an orange jumpsuit in York County Prison in Pennsylvania since November. Why? Because he sought protection…

Trump’s Immigration Wishlist Risks Running Afoul of U.S. Treaty Obligations
In his State of the Union speech, President Donald Trump reiterated his opposition to a “clean” Dreamers bill – one that protects young immigrants brought to this country…

Repatriation Doomed to Fail? Arrangement Between Bangladesh and Myanmar Leaves Rohingya in Dangerously Precarious Position
Rohingya refugees carry wood in Balukhali camp on January 14, 2018 in Cox’s Bazar, Bangladesh. (Allison Joyce/Getty Images) Two months ago, the governments of Myanmar and…

Exodus Continued: FRONTLINE’s Next Chapter of the Refugee Story
In 2018, the United States, the world’s richest country by far, is expected to open its doors to .08 percent of the world’s 22.5 million refugees, over half of whom are under…

The Rohingya Crisis and the Risk to American Geopolitical Interests
Rohingya wait in line for badly needed aid handouts September 17, 2017 in Kutupalong, Cox’s Bazar, Bangladesh. More than 400,000 Rohingya men, women, and children – a…

Protecting Civilians Critical to Syria Talks’ Success
“They will kill us all,” Ahmad, a Syrian aid worker, told me last month, referring to the many armed parties to the Syrian conflict. We were talking about Idlib, a province…

Safe Zones – Only Ever a Temporary Fix When Nothing Else Is Available
Fleeing a conflict zone is dangerous. The route to safety, to a country where a refugee can obtain protection, can be deadly. Over 3,700 people died trying cross the Mediterranean…

An Urgent Need for International Action on Australia’s Refugees
News that U.S. officials have been fingerprinting refugees on Papua New Guinea’s Manus Island ahead of their possible resettlement in the United States is a hopeful signal to…