Photo by VOA/Public Domain In November of 2022, the 27th iteration of the annual Conference of the Parties of the UNFCCC (or COP27) took place in Sharm El Sheik, Egypt. COP27 marked another iteration of Parties’ annual attempts to preserve their self-interests while negotiating pressing issues in the race to combat climate change. The ensuing chaos highlighted observations that…
Applying Non-refoulement Principle to People Fleeing from Mobilization Orders
Photo by Maxim Zmeyev/Reuters In course of the ongoing aggressive war of Russia against the Ukraine, the order of military mobilization by Putin has caused a massive influx of migrants from Russia. Some of the forced migrants fleeing Russia are men of fighting age. The European Union countries have demonstrated different approaches towards acceptance of migrants…
Drought-Affected IDPs in Ethiopia
Ethiopia is experiencing severe drought due to four consecutive failed rainy seasons. The droughts are caused by a climate phenomenon called La Niña that is creating a chain reaction of weather patterns around the world. The drought adds an even more complex layer to the armed conflict occurring in the Somali region of Ethiopia. The total…
The Impact of Severe Atlantic Hurricanes: Forced Displacement in Central America
Climate change causes a higher frequency of major hurricanes in the Atlantic Ocean, leading to widespread devastation and displacement across Central America. Here’s what we know and what policymakers in the U.S. can do to aid communities in situations of vulnerability. Rising global temperatures have dire implications for communities across Central America, where increasingly severe…
A Severe Step Back: “Remain in Mexico” Policy Leaves Asylees in Peril
The Migrant Protection Protocols, colloquially termed the “Remain in Mexico” policy, were issued January 25, 2018 in furtherance of the Trump administration’s objective to curtail the “migration crisis” at the Southern border. Issued under the authority of 8 U.S.C. §1225 (Immigration and Nationality Act), asylum seekers at the Mexican and U.S. border who pass a credible fear screening must return…
Holding China, Russia, Laos, Vietnam, Cambodia, and South Korea Criminally Accountable for the Repatriation of North Korean Refugees
Let us put a spotlight on a relatively small group of refugees in Asia who cross multiple borders, risking their own lives and limbs to escape terrible human rights conditions at home, and yet receive so little attention from the world. This is the story of North Korean refugees. North Korea has been one of…
The Uyghur Genocide and What the United States Can Do About It
In recent years, the Chinese government has arbitrarily detained the Uyghurs, a majority-Muslim ethnic group mostly residing in China’s northwest region of Xinjiang, in prisons and internment camps. Other primarily Muslim ethnic minorities residing in the region, including Kazakhs, have been subjected to the same treatment. Conditions in the camps include constant surveillance, beatings, forced sterilizations, and forced…
Migrant Children in Detention Facilities Left Unprotected
Despite the Biden administration’s efforts to reverse some of the horrendous Trump era immigration policies, they are not doing enough for detained immigrant children. These children continue to be subjected to abuse and unsafe conditions while in U.S. government custody. One of the most important legal protections for detained immigrant children is the Flores Agreement. Unfortunately,…
Children Left Behind: Inadequate Access to Education in a Global Pandemic
The views and opinions expressed on this blog are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of IRAP. One of countless consequences of the COVID-19 pandemic has been the substantial growth of existing educational gaps across the world, particularly in high risks groups like refugee children. The initial efforts meant…
Without a Home: Haitian Migrants Expelled at the Southern Border
The views and opinions expressed on this blog are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of IRAP. For years, Haitian citizens have experienced significant displacement, and the effects of both past and recent tragedies have exacerbated their paths to reclaiming and rebuilding their home country. In 2010,…
The International Refugee Assistance Project, Washington College of Law 