MPI's Migration Information Source Newsletter

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December 15, 2021

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Top Ten
Top 10 Migration Issues of 2021
www.migrationpolicy.org/programs/migration-information-source/top-10-migration-issues-2021
The slow and uneven recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic prompted new patterns of movement in parts of the world in 2021. New conflicts also erupted, ongoing crises smoldered, and migrants were often stuck in the middle. Our annual Migration Information Source Top 10 countdown reviews what we consider to be the year's most important migration trends and events.


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EDITOR'S NOTE

With the planet poised to enter its third year reckoning with COVID-19, the pandemic's effects have evolved. After international movement came to a virtual halt in 2020, borders gradually began to reopen this year, before snapping shut in places again with the arrival of the Delta and Omicron variants. The rollout of vaccines, uneven as it is, has given hope to many migrants and international travelers.

As you might expect, the pandemic was central to multiple aspects of our Top 10 Migration Issues of 2021, whether directly or more subtly. But COVID-19 was not the only issue that the globe grappled with this year. As we compiled the list, I was reminded of the broad array of factors that can influence individuals' decisions to migrate and affect government policies.

For instance, high on our list is the move by several governments in South America and the Caribbean, most notably Colombia, to provide legal status to millions of refugees and other migrants from Venezuela. The pandemic played some role in convincing policymakers in Bogotá and elsewhere of the benefits of regularizing often vulnerable migrants. But it was just one of many issues undergirding these policies, including broader geopolitical and domestic concerns.

Meanwhile, the Taliban's takeover of Afghanistan spurred one of the most dramatic wartime evacuations in recent decades. More than 122,000 people had been airlifted from Kabul by the time the U.S. military departed in August, many of them former military translators, guides, and others who faced danger under the Taliban. The consequences of the takeover appear dire and are likely to be long-lasting, with Afghanistan on the precipice of famine, economic disaster, and harsh new rule.

In the United States, President Joe Biden's inauguration in January promised a sharp break from his predecessor, Donald Trump, for migration policymaking in the world's top immigrant-destination country. But this promise was only partially fulfilled, and significant policies of the Trump administration have persisted particularly at the border, due to a combination of factors including resistance from the courts and state governments.

I invite you to read the Top 10 list, where we discuss these and other events: www.migrationpolicy.org/programs/migration-information-source/top-10-migration-issues-2021

As we wrap up the year, I should also note that 2021 marks MPI's 20th anniversary, which we celebrated with a high-level conference. Publishing the Migration Information Source has been a cherished tradition at MPI since shortly after our founding, and my colleagues and I would like to thank you for your support of our work. We look forward to bringing you engaging and nuanced articles that capture aspects of the endlessly fascinating and changing world of migration into the new year and beyond.

If you'd like to make a donation to support our work, you can do so here: [link removed]

Best regards,

Julian Hattem

Editor, Migration Information Source

[email protected]


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HAVE YOU READ?

Frequently Requested Statistics on Immigrants and Immigration in the United States
www.migrationpolicy.org/article/frequently-requested-statistics-immigrants-and-immigration-united-states-2020

United Kingdom's Decades-Long Immigration Shift Interrupted by Brexit and the Pandemic
www.migrationpolicy.org/article/united-kingdom-shift-immigration-interrupted-brexit-pandemic

Years After Crimea's Annexation, Integration of Ukraine's Internally Displaced Population Remains Uneven
www.migrationpolicy.org/article/fyears-after-crimea-annexation-integration-ukraine-internally-displaced-population


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MEDIA CORNER

The latest episode of MPI's "Changing Climate, Changing Migration" podcast features an interview with Joan Rosenhauer, the executive director of Jesuit Refugee Service/USA, about what climate change means for her organization's work.
[link removed]

MPI's "Moving Beyond Pandemic" podcast, which looks at how COVID-19 has changed international movement, has a new episode diving into the pandemic's impacts on the business sector.
[link removed]

Khalid Arar examines how educators meet refugee students' needs in "School Leadership for Refugees' Education: Social Justice Leadership for Immigrant, Migrants and Refugees."
www.routledge.com/School-Leadership-for-Refugees-Education-Social-Justice/Arar/p/book/9780367493226

Abel Escribà-Folch, Joseph Wright, and Covadonga Meseguer trace how migrant workers' remittances shape politics in "Migration and Democracy: How Remittances Undermine Dictatorships."
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In "The Rohingya Crisis: Human Rights Issues, Policy Concerns and Burden Sharing," Nasir Uddin examines issues facing Rohingya people in their native Myanmar and around the globe.
[link removed]


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