Published daily by the Lowy Institute

Migration and Border Policy Links: Trump and refugee swap, local vs national, the big freeze and more

This week's links include the will he/won't he debate over whether a Trump administration will honour the Australia-US refugee agreement.

Refugees in freezing Belgrade this week (Photo: Josep Vecino//Getty Images)
Refugees in freezing Belgrade this week (Photo: Josep Vecino//Getty Images)
Published 12 Jan 2017 

By Rachael Buckland, an intern with the Lowy Institute's Migration and Border Policy project

  • Despite comments from Congressman Babin, Sarah Graham from the US Studies Centre at Sydney University is confident that the Australia-US refugee swap agreement will be honoured by Trump.
  • Australia's Commonwealth Ombudsman has released two reports criticising practice at the Department of Immigration and Border Patrol. Report 7 examines visa cancellations following criminal charges and issues of ongoing detention. Report 8 reviews Section 501 of the Migration Act and visa cancellation procedures following criminal charges or convictions.
  • Drawing on the local contributions of migrant communities, the UN's Cécile Riallant queries national approaches to migration policy.
  • For ODI’s Marta Foresti, 2016 was the year that put migration and displacement on the global political agenda. She asks: what’s next?
  • With temperatures plummeting in Europe, IOM has expressed its concern for migrants and asylum seekers across the continent.
  • UN Special Rapporteur Yanghee Lee has begun her 12-day official visit to Myanmar as the plight of Rohingya in Rakhine State attracts headlines around the globe. 
  • The 12th Task Force on Population Movement has identified 2,007,216 conflict-related, internally displaced persons across 21 governorates in Yemen.
  • Refugee innovation: read about Sahrawi refugees building energy efficient homes to withstand desert conditions in Algeria.
  • MPI’s Luka Klimaviciute analyses US policy on STEM student retention in light of growing international competition to attract talented graduates.
  • MPI and ADB have released a report examining the different approaches ASEAN Member States have taken to facilitate mutual recognition of qualifications in the region.
  • Oxford University’s Border Criminologies project has kicked off a series of posts focusing on current legal issues underpinning migration.


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