Latest news with #refugeeCrisis
National Post
a day ago
- General
- National Post
U.S. crackdown on illegal immigrants is sending a surge of refugees to Canada
As fears of refugee deportation mount in the United States, a surge of asylum seekers is turning to Canada — only to find a border that is getting increasingly hard to cross. Article content The number of refugee seekers processed by the Canadian Border Services Agency (CBSA) has shot up by 87 per cent between January and April. Article content In April, 494 ineligible refugee claimants from the U.S. were turned back at the Canadian border under the Safe Third Country Agreement, which bars most people from seeking asylum in Canada at the border. That's up from 280 in January — a 76 per cent increase. Article content Article content Growing refugee traffic at the Canadian border this year has emerged amid a looming clampdown on illegal immigration in the U.S. that experts say could trigger a flood of asylum seekers to Canada. Article content Article content A controversial U.S. move in late March that paused protected legal status for refugees from Colombia, Haiti, Nicaragua and Venezuela (CHNV) is likely behind the spike, say immigration lawyers and researchers. Article content 'That is what we would see as a major indicator towards potential migration flows northbound,' said Dan Anson, director general of intelligence and investigations for the CBSA. 'Those… main groups… are likely going to be targets of potential enforcement and removal operations (in the U.S.)' Article content Toronto immigration lawyer Mario Bellissimo said his office has seen around a 200-per-cent jump in inquiries in the past week. Article content 'Any time you have a dramatic announcement, it does prompt individuals to move,' he said. Article content On Tuesday, the federal government responded to 'rising migration' concerns with new measures it says will make the country's immigration and asylum systems 'more responsive to new and developing pressures.' Article content Article content Among those steps will be new ineligibility rules to 'protect the asylum system against sudden increases.' Article content The CHNV parole program in the U.S. initially offered 'parole' to certain Cubans, Haitians, Nicaraguans and Venezuelans to stay in the U.S. for two years. The Trump administration paused those protections on March 25, 2025. Article content The following month, asylum claims processed by the Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA) rose to 4,560, up from 2,940. Article content A federal judge blocked Trump's order in April. Article content CBSA data released to the Investigative Journalism Bureau on Tuesday shows a drop in refugee removals at the border in May following that court order.
New York Times
29-05-2025
- Entertainment
- New York Times
‘Ghost Trail' Review: A Cat and Mouse Thriller
The fuzzy line between justice-seeking and vengeful vigilantism is by now a common staple of the crime thriller, casting a dark shadow of moral ambiguity over even the most righteous crusades. Jonathan Millet's 'Ghost Trail' takes a mostly conventional approach to this blueprint, in which a protagonist loses their head (and their humanity), but it offers a novel context: the Syrian refugee crisis. Hamid (a hypnotizing Adam Bessa), a former literature professor, was imprisoned and tortured under the authoritarian Assad regime — which was toppled in 2024, with the end of the 13-year presidency of Bashar al-Assad. We meet the somber Hamid in Strasbourg — at the border of France and Germany — scouring refugee centers and questioning other Syrian refugees about the figure in a blurry photograph, whom he claims is a relative. Bessa's brooding performance, which conveys devastating inner struggles without appearing clichéd, adds to the mystery of this first act. Millet keeps his cards close, slowly and inventively revealing the stakes. From the point-of-view of a computer game, in which a soldier runs aimlessly around a desert battlefield, we hear Hamid conversing in code with other users whom we soon realize are members of a clandestine group seeking to bring down Syrian war criminals in hiding. Though Hamid has never seen his torturer's face, he knows his smell and voice — and he's convinced that a man studying at the nearby university (Tawfeek Barhom) is the same guy. The cat-and-mouse game, which involves Hamid tracking his suspect throughout campus, plays out in a relatively low-key manner, with the film relying on Bessa (and eventually, an eerie Barhom) to deepen the survivor's dilemma. Hamid's calls with his mother, who is living in a refugee camp in Beirut, and his hapless flirtations with another Syrian refugee working at a laundromat, remind him that he's meant to start a new life in Europe. He has this in common with Barhom's student, which adds a provocative, more cerebral undercurrent to the film's portrait of modern immigration. What is lost by forgetting the past? What is gained?
LBCI
26-05-2025
- Politics
- LBCI
President Aoun backs Syria sanctions relief, announces plan to address arms in Palestinian camps
Lebanese President Joseph Aoun told a visiting U.S. delegation led by Senator Angus King that lifting U.S. sanctions on Syria was a "good option," arguing that a stronger Syrian economy could support the return of refugees currently residing in Lebanon. 'The improvement of Syria's economy would help address the refugee crisis,' Aoun said, adding that Syrian refugees should return home and take part in rebuilding their country. He also called on the United Nations to redirect humanitarian assistance to displaced Syrians inside Syria rather than in Lebanon. On another front, Aoun said Lebanon has formed joint Lebanese-Palestinian committees to address the issue of weapons in Palestinian camps. He added that work would begin in mid-June in three Palestinian camps in Beirut to tackle the presence of arms there.
Arab News
25-05-2025
- Politics
- Arab News
Rohingya refugees at the mercy of climate change
The Rohingya, a persecuted Muslim minority from Myanmar, face an escalating crisis in Bangladesh's overcrowded refugee camps. More than a million Rohingya have fled genocide and violence in Rakhine State since 2017, seeking refuge in Cox's Bazar, where they live in sprawling, makeshift settlements. These camps, among the most densely populated spaces on earth, are increasingly vulnerable to climate change. Cyclones, floods and earthquakes threaten the region, while rising sea levels shrink Bangladesh's landmass. Without urgent international investment in disaster preparedness, infrastructure and early warning systems — and without successful repatriation — the Rohingya will be among the first and most devastated victims of climate vulnerability. Bangladesh, one of the world's most densely populated countries, is on the front lines of climate change. Its low-lying delta geography makes it acutely susceptible to natural disasters. In recent years, the frequency and intensity of cyclones have increased, with storms like Cyclone Amphan (2020) and Cyclone Mora (2017) causing widespread destruction in Cox's Bazar. Flooding, triggered by monsoon rains and rising sea levels, is a recurring threat. The 2024 monsoon season alone displaced thousands in the camps, with flimsy shelters unable to withstand heavy rains. Adding to the peril, the region lies near tectonic fault lines, with recent earthquakes in the Bay of Bengal signaling growing seismic risks. For the Rohingya, living in bamboo and tarpaulin shelters on steep, deforested hillsides, these hazards are life-threatening. The camps, home to more than 1.2 million people, are a humanitarian catastrophe waiting to worsen. Designed as temporary shelters, they lack the infrastructure to endure extreme weather. Narrow, muddy pathways become impassable during floods. Poor drainage systems exacerbate waterlogging, breeding disease in overcrowded conditions. Landslides, triggered by heavy rains, have already claimed lives. In 2023, a fire exacerbated by dry conditions and strong winds razed parts of Kutupalong camp, displacing thousands. These disasters expose the camps' fragility, where even moderate climate events can cause disproportionate harm. Rising sea levels compound the crisis. Bangladesh loses approximately 1 percent of its landmass annually to erosion and inundation, with coastal areas like Cox's Bazar particularly at risk. By 2050, experts estimate that 17 percent of Bangladesh's land could be submerged, displacing millions, including the Rohingya. For a community already confined to shrinking, flood-prone land, this is a death sentence unless drastic measures are taken. The climate crisis disproportionately harms vulnerable populations like the Rohingya, who contribute negligibly to global emissions. Dr. Azeem Ibrahim Repatriation to Myanmar remains the preferred long-term solution, but prospects are bleak. Myanmar's junta, responsible for the Rohingya's expulsion, shows no willingness to ensure safe returns. Political instability following the 2021 coup has further dimmed hopes. Two failed repatriation attempts in 2018 and 2019, boycotted by the Rohingya due to fears of continued persecution, underscore the challenge. Without a viable path to return, the Rohingya remain trapped in camps ill-equipped for the climate realities of the 21st century. Bangladesh, despite its generosity in hosting the Rohingya, cannot address this crisis alone. The country faces its own climate adaptation challenges, with a gross domestic product per capita of just $2,800 and a population of 170 million. Resources are stretched thin. The government has invested in some camp improvements, such as concrete drainage channels and cyclone shelters, but these are insufficient for the scale of the threat. With 30,000 children born in the camps annually, the Rohingya population continues to grow. By 2030, the camps could house 1.5 million people, making the need for robust infrastructure urgent. International support has been inadequate. In 2024, the UN's Joint Response Plan for the Rohingya was only 37 percent funded, leaving critical gaps in food, healthcare and shelter. Disaster preparedness receives even less attention. Early warning systems, which could save lives by alerting residents to impending cyclones or floods, are rudimentary. Many Rohingya lack access to mobile networks or radios, while language barriers hinder communication. Infrastructure upgrades — elevated shelters, reinforced roads and reforestation to prevent landslides — require billions of dollars, far beyond Bangladesh's capacity. The international community must act swiftly. First, funding must prioritize climate-resilient infrastructure. Elevated, durable shelters can withstand floods and winds. Improved drainage and sanitation systems can mitigate disease outbreaks. Reforestation efforts can stabilize hillsides against landslides. Second, early warning systems must be expanded. Solar-powered radios, multilingual alerts and community-based disaster training can empower Rohingya to respond to threats. Third, renewable energy solutions, like solar microgrids, can reduce reliance on firewood, curbing deforestation and fire risks. These measures, while costly, are far cheaper than the human and economic toll of inaction. Global powers, particularly wealthy nations with high carbon emissions, bear a moral responsibility. The climate crisis disproportionately harms vulnerable populations like the Rohingya, who contribute negligibly to global emissions. The US, EU and other G20 nations must lead funding efforts, not only through humanitarian aid but also through climate adaptation grants. Regional players, including India and China, should support diplomatic efforts to pressure Myanmar for safe repatriation while contributing to camp resilience. The Rohingya crisis is a litmus test for global solidarity. If the world fails to act, the camps will become death traps, with cyclones, floods and earthquakes claiming countless lives. The Rohingya, already victims of genocide, will face a second injustice as climate refugees in a land not their own. But with concerted international action — combining repatriation advocacy with massive investment in disaster preparedness — their suffering can be mitigated. The clock is ticking. The world must decide whether to let the Rohingya become climate change's first high-profile casualty or to act with the urgency the situation demands.
Fox News
21-05-2025
- Politics
- Fox News
Can California Be Redeemed? Plus, More Biden Revelations Emerge From Cover-up (ft. Steve Hilton)
Story #1: The Left tries to play their 'Get Out Of Jail Free' cards as more revelations come out about the cover-up of former President Joe Biden's medical conditions, including the Biden camp's belief that President Donald Trump was going to end up in jail after a massive lawfare campaign against him. Story #2: Can California be redeemed after years of reckless policies that have people fleeing the state? Plus, breaking down the South African refugee crisis as the President of South Africa is set to meet President Trump with Republican candidate for Governor of California and Author of 'Califailure: Reversing The Ruin Of America's Worst-Run State,' Steve Hilton. Story #3: What are your Top 5 Sports Movies of All-Time? Will shares his Top 5, and you'll be shocked which Kevin Costner movie is on his list. Tell Will what you thought about this podcast by emailing WillCainShow@ Subscribe to The Will Cain Show on YouTube here: Watch The Will Cain Show! Follow Will on Twitter: @WillCain Learn more about your ad choices. Visit
