Thematic Focus: Human Trafficking & Smuggling

Short pieces:

Anti-Trafficking State of Play 2026 (USCRI, July 2026) [text]

- Focuses on the US.

Statement on World Day against Trafficking in Persons, 2026 (OHCHR, July 2026) [text]

Reports:

Child trafficking in the context of statelessness, migration and forced displacement: report of the Special Rapporteur on Trafficking in Persons, Especially Women and Children, Siobhán Mullally, UN Doc. No. A/HRC/62/41 (UN Human Rights Council, May 2026) [access] 

- See also related inputs submitted to the rapporteur to assist in the preparation of her report.

"The Criminalisation of Humanitarian Actors under Counter-Smuggling Measures and Facilitation Laws," Section 4 in Criminalisation and Constraint of Humanitarian Action at Sea, Legal and Protection Policy Research Series, no. 48 (UNHCR, June 2026) [text]

- Scroll to p. 18.

Smuggling dynamics within and to Mauritania (Mixed Migration Centre, June 2026) [access]

- Available in English and French.

Study on the collection and improvements of EU Statistics on Trafficking in Human Beings (European Commission, July 2026) [text]

Victims of Trafficking in Human Beings in Asylum and Reception, Situational Update, no. 26 (EU Agency for Asylum, July 2026 [text]

Journal articles & book chapters:

Journal of Human Trafficking, Enslavement and Conflict-Related Sexual Violence, vol. 7, no. 1 (2026) [contents]

- Special issue on "Human Trafficking, Enslavement and CRSV, with a Focus on Nigeria."

"The Migration–Trafficking Nexus: Child Refugees at Risk and the Slow Violence that Deepens Their Vulnerability," Journal of Criminal Law, vol. 90, no. 1 (Feb. 2026) [preprint]

- Focuses on Sweden.

"People-smuggling through Mexico and the role of organised crime and corruption," Chapter in Organised Crime and Migration: Criminal Groups, Corruption and the Displacement Crisis in Central America and Mexico (Univ. of London Press, 2026) [open access]

*"Le recours aux passeurs pour limiter le risque de détention-expulsion du pays de transit : la traversée du Mexique par les migrants centraméricains, 2009-2019," Revue européenne des migrations internationales, vol. 42, no. 1 (2026) [open access]

"Underinclusion by Design in Human Trafficking Protection" Iowa Law Review, vol. 112 (Forthcoming, 2027) [preprint]

- Focuses on the US.

"When return becomes re-victimization: Gendered structural violence and Nigerian victims of trafficking," Migration Studies, vol. 14, no. 3 (Sept. 2026) [open access]

  

*UPDATED

Related post:

- Thematic Focus: Human Trafficking & Smuggling (2 June 2026)

Thematic Focus: Statelessness & Nationality

Short pieces:

Counting the Votes in the Supreme Court’s Birthright Citizenship Decision (Just Security, July 2026) [text]

The Odd One Out? Arbitrary Deprivation of Nationality in Nicaragua and the Regional Outlook (Globalcit Blog, June 2026) [text]

A short guide for stateless Palestinians in Europe, by stateless Palestinians in Europe (ENS Blog, July 2026) [text]

Spotlight series: Statelessness (Global Voices, July 2026) [access]

- "Drawing from our global network, this spotlight brings together diverse perspectives that explore the realities of statelessness, the systems that perpetuate it, and the movements working to dismantle it. We aim to highlight not only the challenges, but also the resilience, resistance, and visions for change emerging from affected communities worldwide."

Journal articles & book chapters:

"Discrimination Concerning Nationality in the Case Law of Judicial Bodies," Copernican Journal of Law, no. 4 (2026) [open access]

- "The focus will be on analysing the extent to which the requirements of non-discrimination and the prevention of statelessness are reflected in the case law of universal and regional judicial or quasi-judicial human rights protection bodies."

"From Last Resort to Intimidating Enforcement Tool: Denaturalization in the Trump Era," Migration Information Source, 24 June 2026 [text]

"'Geo-Cultural' Identity and Addressing Statelessness: A Critical Analysis of Rohingya Refugees in the Context of Bangladesh," IUBAT Review, vol. 9, no. 1 (2026) [open access]

"Menores extranjeros en riesgo de apatridia," Derechos y libertades: Revista de Filosofía del Derecho y derechos humanos, vol. 54 (2026) [open access]

"Persuading to Ratify: A Calculus of the Ratification of the Statelessness Convention in Asia," Chapter in Statelessness in Asia (Cambridge University Press, Dec. 2024; posted July 2026) [preprint]

- Focuses on the Philippines.

Related posts:

- Thematic Focus: Statelessness & Nationality - Pt. 1 (8 July 2026)

- Thematic Focus: Statelessness & Nationality - Pt. 2 (8 July 2026)

Regional Focus: MENA

Short pieces:

"A Blueprint for Complicity"- Three Years On, EU-Tunisia Deal Continues to Fuel Human Rights Violations: Joint Statement by 46 Human Rights and Humanitarian Organizations (Human Rights Watch et al., July 2026) [text]

- See also related HRW news release.

The Human Cost of Migration Deterrence in Egypt (E-International Relations, July 2026) [text]

Thirty-one organisations call on the EU to urgently end abusive migration cooperation with Libyan authorities (Amnesty International et al., July 2026) [text]

Reports:

Humanitarian Access and Protection Under Siege: A Focus on Gaza, Sudan, Syria, Yemen and Lebanon (Center for Conflict and Humanitarian Studies, June 2026) [text via UCL]

Lebanon - Syrian Refugee Return: Snap Return Intentions, Perceptions and a Qualitative Analysis (UNHCR, June 2026) [text]

Living Conditions of Vulnerable Palestinian Refugees in Jordan: Access, Assistance and Experience of UNRWA Service Users (Fafo Institute, July 2026) [text via ReliefWeb]

Quick impact projects: Sixteen facilities rehabilitated by UNHCR in 2025 (UNHCR, July 2026) [text]

- Focuses on Libya.

Southern Responses to Displacement from Syria: Views from Lebanon, Jordan, Türkiye and Beyond (UCL Migration Research Unit, 2025; posted June 2026) [text]

Underfunding Syrian refugees in Lebanon & Turkey after Assad’s fall, MidEast Policy Brief, no. 1 (PRIO, 2026) [text]

Journal articles:

"Drought amplifies the psychological burden of war," Nature Sustainability, 22 July 2026 [open access]

"Everyday Humanitarianism: Household-Level Refugee–Refugee Hosting as a Humanitarian Act in Amman, Jordan," Journal of Humanitarian Affairs, vol. 7, no. 1 (2025) [open access]

"From Syria to Gaza: A Critical Analysis of the Changing Role of Neutrality in Humanitarian Discourse," Journal of Humanitarian Affairs, vol. 7, no. 1 (2025) [open access]

"Transferts européens et dynamiques endogènes : politisation et racialisation de l’immigration subsaharienne en Tunisie," Mondes & Migrations, no. 1354 (2026) [open access]

"The Unknowable Cost of Camps: An Exploration of WASH Spending in Zaatari Camp, Jordan," Journal of Humanitarian Affairs, vol. 7, no. 1 (2025) [open access]

Multimedia:

Lebanon at a Breaking Point: Conflict, Displacement, and the Regional Protection Crisis, 9 July 2026 [access]

Tahjeer Podcast [access]

- "[A] podcast devoted to examining displacement across the Arab world as an engineered political, economic, and social process. Through conversations with scholars, practitioners, journalists, and international experts, TAHJEER moves beyond statistics to explore the histories, policies, conflicts, and systems of power that produce displacement and shape the lives of refugees and internally displaced people. Each episode seeks to connect academic knowledge with lived experience and to make research on forced migration accessible to wider audiences." See also related post on the Forced Migration List.

Related post:

- Regional Focus: MENA (9 July 2026)

Regional Focus: Europe - Pt. 2

New open access book/book chapters:

"The Beginnings of Activism? Refusal as Political Engagement for Refugees in Slovakia," Chapter in Everyday Revolutions in Eastern Europe and the Balkans (Routledge, July 2026) [open access]

The British Asylum System in Policy and Practice (Bristol Univ. Press, July 2026) [open access]

- "This clear and concise guide demystifies the UK asylum process from application to post-decision outcomes, placing each stage in its wider historical and policy context. Featuring vivid vignettes and empirical data to bring policy to life, it bridges theory, practice and lived experience to show how national decisions are encountered on the ground."

"Refugee Satire as a Form of Resistance: Polish Displaced Persons Take a Ghost Train and Resettle on Saturn," Chapter in Everyday Revolutions in Eastern Europe and the Balkans (Routledge, July 2026) [open access]

Journal articles:

"Distributing mobility: regressive asylum agreements and racialised difference," London Review of International Law, Advance Articles, 15 July 2026 [open access]

- Focuses on the UK Supreme Court's legal decision AAA (Syria) and others and the migration agreement under which asylum-seekers were forcibly transferred to Rwanda.

"Migrant Securities: Community Obligations, Informal Care, and Everyday Security among Uzbek Migrants in Russia," Journal on Migration and Human Security, OnlineFirst, 16 July 2026 [full-text]

"Narrative negotiation over migrant agency: framing fire, resistance, and criminalisation in the #FreeTheMoria6ampaign," Journal of Ethnic and Migration Studies, Latest Articles, 18 July 2026 [open access]

- Focuses on Greece.

"To speak or not to speak. The responses of social workers and volunteers to adverse conditions in supporting refugees," European Journal of Social Work, Latest Articles, 18 July 2026 [open access]

"Transnational Engagements among Ukrainian Refugees Residing in Norway under Temporary Protection," Refugee Survey Quarterly, Advance Articles, 22 July 2026 [open access]

Related post:

- Regional Focus: Europe - Pt. 1 (23 July 2026)

Regional Focus: Europe - Pt. 1

Short pieces:

Czech nonprofits applied lessons learned during the COVID‑19 pandemic to the Ukrainian refugee crisis – but had little say in key decisions (The Conversation, July 2026) [text]

The New EU Return Regulation: A Step Towards Crimmigration? (EJIL: Talk Blog, July 2026) [text]

A New Prime Minister, a New Deal: Time for an ambitious UK–EU pact on small boats (MPI Commentary, July 2026) [text]

Towards effective realisation of refugee rights in Northern Ireland: reflections on the role of a university migration policy clinic in a unique local setting (RLI Blog, July 2026) [text]

- Note: This is the final post in the series, "International Law and Refugee Rights in Northern Ireland."

**For much more news and info on the latest developments, check out the ECRE Weekly Bulletin.**

Reports:

Afghan Asylum Applications & Recognition Rates in the EU+: Evolving Trends (UNHCR, July 2026) [text]

Assessment pursuant to Article 4 of Commission Implementing Decision (EU) 2025/2323 (European Commission, July 2026) [access]

- "[A] first assessment on the current application of the new responsibility rules under the Pact on Migration and Asylum. It covers the first three weeks since the Pact entered into application (12 June 2026)."

Asylum Report 2026: Executive Summary (EU Agency for Asylum, June 2026) [access]

- Note: Multiple language versions of the executive summary of the Asylum Report 2026 are now available. Follow the a/m link and use the drop-down menu to locate them.

Country Reports (AIDA, July 2026)

- Updated profiles are available for The Netherlands, Serbia, Slovakia and Sweden.

Data analysis of decisions on asylum applications and recognition rates at second or higher instances in 2025, Fact Sheet, no. 45 (EU Agency for Asylum, July 2026) [text]

Related posts:

- Regional Focus: Europe - Pt. 1 (13 July 2026)

- Regional Focus: Europe - Pt. 2 (13 July 2026)

Thematic Focus: Climate Change & Disasters

Short pieces:

Climate, Disasters and Human Mobility: What the Global Compact for Migration Can Advance by 2030 (Nansen Initiative +10 Blog, July 2026) [text]

Climate Wars and the Limits of Refugee Protection (RLI Blog, July 2026) [text]

Colombia’s Climate Displacement Law Can Be a Model for the World (Emissary Blog, June 2026) [text]

New open access book:

Disaster Displacement and International Protection in the EU: Challenges, Misconceptions, and the Way Forward (Routledge, July 2026) [open access]

- "This book investigates the reasons behind the absence of consolidated protection concerning disaster displacement in the EU. ...Through a comprehensive and detailed analysis, it sheds light on the challenges and misconceptions faced by individuals displaced across borders in the context of disasters. It offers a thorough examination of existing legislation, policies, and case law at both the national and EU levels, with a particular focus on Italy. By addressing these issues, it provides a valuable insight for academics, policymakers, and decision-makers, advocating for an evolutive approach to protection claims related to disaster displacement. It calls for the dismantling of State-led barriers to asylum, arguing that such measures are neither effective nor human rights compliant."

Reports & journal articles:

"Après le déluge: Evolving approaches to international protection in the context of climate change and disasters," International Journal of Refugee Law, Advance Articles, 13 June 2026 [open access]

"Cambio climático y migraciones: Una aproximación Delphi en la búsqueda del consenso," Papers, vol. 111, no. 3 (2026) [open access]

- See also related post on The Conversation.

Climate Resilience in Displacement: Examining UNHCR’s SuLMER Intervention in Cox’s Bazar, Bangladesh (UNHCR et al., Dec. 2025; posted July 2026) [text]

- Note: SuLMER = Sustainable Land Management and Environmental Rehabilitation 

"Climate-induced displacement and urban insecurity in Pakistan: comparative evidence from Karachi and Lahore," Conflict, Security & Development, Latest Articles, 2 July 2026 [open access]

*Global research prioritization and action plan on health, migration and displacement in the context of climate change: strengthening research and translating research priorities into policy and practice (WHO, June 2026) [text]

The human cost of disaster displacement in Bangladesh: A life-year approach to understanding impacts (Internal Displacement Monitoring Centre, July 2026) [access]

- Follow link for report and other related documents.

"The Tuvalu precedent: Necessary paradox and the limits of climate displacement governance," Climate Risk Management, vol. 53 (Sept. 2026) [open access]

Multimedia:

Climate refugees: Once again on nomenclature and why it matters, 8 July 2026 [access]

How the World is Learning to Respond Collectively to Climate Displacement (Changing Climate, Changing Migration Podcast Series, June 2026) [access]

*UPDATED

Related post:

- Thematic Focus: Climate Change & Disasters (12 June 2026)

Thematic Focus: Detention

Short pieces:

Children detained under ‘one-in-one-out’ scheme lays bare the UK scheme’s brutal reality (Border Criminologies Blog, July 2026) [text]

Federal Court Delivers Major Blow to Trump Detention Policy of Jailing Immigrants with No Hearing, No Explanation (American Immigration Council, July 2026) [text]

A High Court ruling could allow hundreds of former detainees to sue the government. A legal expert explains why (The Conversation, June 2026) [text]

- Focuses on Australia.

How many children are affected by parental immigrant detention? (Brookings, May 2026) [text]

- Focuses on the US.

Inhumane Detention Conditions Aren’t Uncommon, They’re Part of the Problem (Immigration Impact Blog, July 2026) [text]

- Focuses on the US.

Tunisia-Libya border: UN experts alarmed by alleged system of mass detention, expulsion and trafficking (OHCHR, July 2026) [text]

US: Türk alarmed at deaths in ICE custody, calls for urgent preventive action (OHCHR, June 2026) [text]

- See also related article in The Guardian reporting the 22nd death in 2026.

Reports & journal articles:

"Can Immigration Detention Ever Be in the Best Interests of the Child? The Detention of Unaccompanied Minors in Europe under International and European Law," The Age of Human Rights Journal, vol. 27 (2027) [open access]

Dying in Detention: Rising Deaths in an Expanding US Immigration Detention System (Human Rights Watch, June 2026) [access]

"The Immigration Habeas Deluge: Adjudicating Mass Government Torts," Indiana Law Journal, vol. 102 (Forthcoming) [preprint]

- Focuses on the US.

"Monitoring and evaluation of remote medico-legal report assessments when documenting evidence of torture for asylum seekers detained on Diego Garcia," Torture Journal, vol. 36, no. 1 (2026) [open access]

A ripple effect of suffering: Children and young people’s experiences of parental immigration detention and deportation (Australian Human Rights Commission, July 2026) [access]

- See also related post on The Conversation and Univ. of Sydney news release.

"When Detention Becomes a Death Sentence: The Urgent Need for Greater Due Process Protections for ICE Detainees," Vanderbilt Law Review, vol. 79, no. 2 (2026) [full-text]

- Focuses on the US.

"You’re Only Getting Out Deported or Dead": Abusive US Immigration Detention at Ft. Bliss (Human Rights Watch, July 2026) [access]

Related post:

- Thematic Focus: Detention (8 June 2026)

Thematic Focus: Children & Families

Short pieces:

The Missing Child in the Chișinău Declaration (RLI Blog, June 2026) [text]

Ukrainian families have been torn apart by the war – reunifying them is no easy task (The Conversation, June 2026) [text]

US immigration policies interfere with prenatal care and parenting choices, hurting people and communities (The Conversation, June 2026) [text]

Reports: 

Beyond Return: Child and Family Wellbeing among Refugee and IDP Returnees in Ukraine and Syria (World Vision, June 2026) [text via ReliefWeb]

Children’s Right to Family Life in the Context of Migration and Asylum Policies (Women's Refugee Commission, June 2026) [text]

- Submission to the Special Rapporteur on the human rights of migrants regarding "Children’s right to family life in the context of migration and asylum policies."

Enforcing the Rights of Children in Migration: Final Report (International Law Association, 2026) [text]

Explainer for Parents and their Helpers Seeking Family Reunification (Women's Refugee Commission, June 2026) [access]

- Available in English and Spanish.

Family Reunification: A right, not a privilege (Caritas Europa, June 2026) [text via InfoMigrants]

A ripple effect of suffering: Children and young people’s experiences of parental immigration detention and deportation (Australian Human Rights Commission, July 2026) [access]

- See also related post on The Conversation.

Their Future, Their Voice: Centering Displaced Children in Global Protection and Policy (US Committee for Refugees & Immigrants, June 2026) [text via ReliefWeb]

Journal articles:

"Criminalización de menores migrantes no acompañados: una comparativa entre México y España," REMHU: Revista Interdisciplinar da Mobilidade Humana, no. 34 (2026) [open access]

"The Impact of Intergroup Collaboration on In-Group Bias Between Rohingya Refugee and Bangladeshi Host Community Children," Developmental Science, vol. 29, no. 4 (July 2026) [open access]

"Normalization of abuse and barriers to reporting among adolescents and young people in settings of displacement in Nigeria," Conflict and Health, 8 June 2026 [open access]

"Syria, the Homeland. Feeling at Home in Rotterdam? The Multiple Feelings of Belonging of Resettled Syrian-Born Youngsters with a Refugee Background," Journal of Immigrant & Refugee Studies, vol. 24, no. 2 (2026) [open access]

Related post:

- Thematic Focus: Children & Families (11 June 2026)

Regional Focus: Europe - Pt. 2

Journal articles:

"Becoming Non-Religious: Exploring the Emotional Experiences of Apostasy and Refugee Status Determination," Secularism and Nonreligion, vol. 15 (2026) [open access]

- Focuses on the UK. See also related report.

"Beyond deportation: regularisation and voluntary return as alternative policy approaches to irregular migration in Spain and the United Kingdom," Comparative Migration Studies, 8 July 2026 [open access]

"From Asylum to the Witness Stand: Asylum Seeking Witnesses in Universal Jurisdiction Trials in Europe," Refugee Survey Quarterly, Advance Articles, 2 July 2026 [open access]

"Hardly a nexus: The Polish frames on humanitarian assistance, peace, and development aid for Ukraine and Ukrainians in 2022," Globalizations, Latest Articles, 2 July 2026 [open access]

"Hinge Diplomacy between the Great Powers: Romania’s Response to East Pakistani Refugees," Nationalities Papers, First View, 7 July 2026 [open access]

"'It's a Sensitive Topic for Me, But I Want to Tell You': Ethical and Trauma-Informed Issues of Conducting Interviews with Young Ukrainian Refugees," Cosmopolitan Civil Societies, vol. 18, no. 2 (2026) [open access]

"Living in Uncertainty: Wartime Waiting and the Dialectic of Uncertainty–Certainty in Ukrainian Diasporic Collectivities in Poland," Refugee Survey Quarterly, Advance Articles, 11 July 2026 [open access]

Related posts:

- Regional Focus: Europe - Pt. 1 (13 July 2026)

Regional Focus: Europe - Pt. 1

Short pieces:

The Danish ‘paradigm shift’ and the quiet rewriting of refugee protection in Europe (RSC Blog, July 2026) [text]

"EU expands Libya cooperation despite repeated warnings over violence at sea," The New Humanitarian, 10 July 2026 [text]

The EU Migration and Asylum Pact is now in force – but the data suggests it may not work as intended (Mixed Migration Centre, June 2026) [text]

Exit Denied — How EU Externalisation Undermines the Right to Leave (EU Immigration & Asylum Law & Policy Blog, July 2026) [text]

The first run of the new Solidarity Mechanism: “more for more” or “back to square one”? (EU Immigration & Asylum Law & Policy Blog, July 2026) [text]

International Law and Refugee Rights in Northern Ireland Blog Series (RLI Blog, July 2026) [access]

Why Pope Leo’s visit to Lampedusa matters for migrants, the church and global politics (The Conversation, July 2026) [text]

Reports:

Energy-related hardships faced by new refugees in England (Univ. of Manchester, June 2026) [text]

Lives on hold: Intentions and Perspectives of Refugees from Ukraine, Regional Intentions Report, no. 7 (UNHCR, July 2026) [text]

Reconsidering ‘Home’: Aspirations and Intentions of Syrians in Sweden in the Context of Syrian Political Transition (IOM, July 2026) [text via ReliefWeb]

State Strategy on Internal Displacement (UNHCR, July 2026) [text]

- Focuses on Ukraine.

Related posts:

- Regional Focus: Europe - Pt. 1 (2 July 2026)

- Regional Focus: Europe - Pt. 2 (2 July 2026)

Thematic Focus: Work/Economic Aspects

Short pieces:

UNHCR: ‘A reliable immigration pathway could unlock potential’ (UNHCR, June 2026) [text]

- Focuses on Canada.

New open access book:

Digital Exiles: Refugee Work in the Global Digital Economy (MIT Press, June 2026) [open access]

- "The pursuit of a digital livelihood—from attending coding schools in Berlin to training datasets for AI in crisis-stricken Lebanon to online freelancing in Kenya’s refugee camps—represents an increasingly important income opportunity for refugees. Digital work programs by aid organizations and the private sector aim to help the forcibly displaced become self-reliant and successful workers, yet, for many, it creates new forms of exclusion, precarity, and risk. Combining human stories with insights from five years of multisited research and applied work with leading organizations, the author presents an alternative vision of an inclusive world of work that can help shape the fair digital economy of the future."

Reports:

4th JDC Research Conference on Forced Displacement, Bangkok, 4-6 June 2026 [access]

- Follow the link to view presentations that have been posted.

Economic and Magnet Effects of Work Authorization for Asylum Seekers: Descriptive Evidence from the United States, HBS Working Paper, no. 91 (Harvard Business School, June 2026) [text]

Labor Mobility and Skills Profiles of Refugees and Asylum Seekers in Algeria, Mauritania, Morocco and Tunisia (UNHCR, June 2026) [text]

Lessons from eight years of refugee employment (Univ. of Sydney, June 2026) [access]

- Focuses on Australia.

Pioneering Evidence Shows How Entrepreneurship Model Can Reduce Extreme Poverty Among Refugees (Mercy Corps, June 2026) [access]

- Focuses on East Africa.

Series: Labour market inclusion for refugees and other forcibly displaced persons (International Labour Organization, June 2026)

- Includes briefs focusing on Germany, Kenya and Uganda. See also related news release.

Shock, awe, and economic fallout: The employment effects of ICE enforcement in US cities (Brookings, May 2026) [text]

- See also related NYT op-ed.

Temporary Protection, permanent effects? The labor market impact of Ukrainian refugees in the European Union, GLO Discussion Paper, no. 1769 (Global Labor Organization, 2026) [text via RePEc]

Uganda Refugee Response: Private Sector Engagement in the Agricultural Sector (UNHCR et al., June 2026) [text]

Journal articles:

"The Cruel Optimism of Work Permits: Vulnerabilities and Deportability Among Rejected Asylum-Seekers and International Students Pursuing Track Changes in Sweden," Journal of Immigrant & Refugee Studies, vol. 24, no. 2 (2026) [open access]

Research in Globalization [access]

- Special collection on "Forced Migration, Integration, and Employment of Ukrainians: A Global View."

"Working Your Way to Remain: Subjective Well-Being and Employment of Migrants in the United Kingdom," International Migration, vol. 64, no. 4 (July 2026) [open access]

Related posts:

- Thematic Focus: Work/Economic Aspects - Pt. 1 (5 June 2026)

- Thematic Focus: Work/Economic Aspects - Pt. 2 (United States) (5 June 2026)

Thematic Focus: Sexual Orientation & Gender Identity - Pt. 2

Journal articles:

"The European Dream: Migration Narratives of Transpinays," International Migration, vol. 64, no. 4 (July 2026) [open access]

"An Experimental Test of Stereotype Congruency in Credibility Assessments of Sexual Orientation Asylum Claims," Applied Cognitive Psychology, vol. 40, no. 3 (May/June 2026) [open access]

- Focuses on the UK.

"Protection for All? Inclusion of Sexual and Gender Minority Refugees in Indonesia," International Migration Review, vol. 60, no. 2 (June 2026) [free full-text]

"Quantifying Homonegativity Among Refugees in Germany: First Evidence and Implications for LGBTQI Refugees’ Safety," Sexes, vol. 7, no. 3 (June 2026) [open access]

"Queer Refugees and Asylum Seekers: A Forced Return to the Closet," LSE Undergraduate Political Review, vol. 9, no. 1 (2026) [open access]

- Focuses on Ukrainians and Syrians.

"Telling asylum stories differently: arts-based methods and vignettes of SOGIE asylum claims in Sweden," Social & Cultural Geography, Latest Articles, 17 June 2026 [open access]

"A Trauma-Informed Analysis of Resettlement Policies for LGBTQI+ Refugees and Asylees in the United States," Social Sciences, vol. 15, no. 7 (July 2026) [open access]

Related post:

- Thematic Focus: Sexual Orientation & Gender Identity - Pt. 1 (8 July 2026)

Thematic Focus: Sexual Orientation & Gender Identity - Pt. 1

Short pieces:

"'Avoid using the term': Oxfam in Africa retracts LGBTQ censorship guide," The New Humanitarian, 10 June 2026) [text]

"For LGBTQ+ People, America's Promise of Refuge is Fading," Time Magazine, 20 June 2026 [text]

For LGBTIQ+ refugees in Kenya, digital work remains more a dream than reality (Africa at LSE Blog, July 2026) [text]

Reports & book chapters:

Delivered to Danger: How the Trump Administration’s Third-Country Agreements Threaten the Lives of LGBTQ Refugees and Asylum Seekers (Immigration Equality, June 2026) [access]

"Migration, Identity, and Time: The Experiences of Queer Iranians in Exile," Chapter in Time and Temporalities in Migration Law (Hart Publishing, Forthcoming) [preprint]

"Shaping SOGIESC Asylum in the European Union: The Court of Justice on Trial," Chapter in 30 Years of LGBT Case Law at the CJEU (Hart Publishing, Forthcoming) [preprint]

"Unravelling the knot of credibility assessment in SOGIESC asylum," Chapter in Credibility Assessment in Queer Asylum Cases: Believe it or Not? (Bristol Univ. Press, Forthcoming Jan. 2027) [preprint]

- Focuses on jurisprudence from the European Court of Human Rights (ECtHR) and the Court of Justice of the European Union (CJEU).

Related post:

- Thematic Focus: Sexual Orientation & Gender Identity (28 May 2026)

Thematic Focus: ICTs & Other Technologies

Short pieces:

10 things migration policymakers need to know about AI (WEF Blog, June 2026) [text]

AI can help protect forcibly displaced: UNHCR highlights responsible innovation for refugees (UNHCR, July 2026) [text]

Deferring Accountability, Not Obligation: Generative Artificial Intelligence and Non-Refoulement in Asylum (RLI Blog, June 2026) [text]

For refugees at the economic margins, is AI a threat or an opportunity? (LSE Inequalities Blog, June 2026) [text]

Rethinking tech in alternatives to detention: 10 principles rooted in community empowerment and transparency (Border Criminologies Blog, June 2026) [text]

RETS: Connecting humanitarian response in Chad (UNHCR Blog, June 2026) [text]

- RETS = Refugee Emergency Telecommunications Sector.

The right to education for forcibly displaced people: Exploring ideas on participation, connectedness and technology (BERA Blog, June 2026) [access]

- Blog series.

UNHCR: Hate speech and misinformation are creating real-world harm for displaced people (UNHCR, July 2026) [text]

- See also info on related session at the AI for Good Summit.

Video games are helping players imagine the realities of climate migration (The Conversation, June 2026) [text]

New open access book:

Digital Exiles: Refugee Work in the Global Digital Economy (MIT Press, June 2026) [open access]

- "The pursuit of a digital livelihood—from attending coding schools in Berlin to training datasets for AI in crisis-stricken Lebanon to online freelancing in Kenya’s refugee camps—represents an increasingly important income opportunity for refugees. Digital work programs by aid organizations and the private sector aim to help the forcibly displaced become self-reliant and successful workers, yet, for many, it creates new forms of exclusion, precarity, and risk. Combining human stories with insights from five years of multisited research and applied work with leading organizations, the author presents an alternative vision of an inclusive world of work that can help shape the fair digital economy of the future."

Journal articles:

"Can the subaltern speak online? Digital tactics and conditional audibility of Syrian refugees in Türkiye," Communication, Culture and Critique, Advance Articles, 24 June 2026 [open access]

"Connected lives: smartphones, family ties and dataveillance for Syrian refugees in Greece," Online Media and Global Communication, Ahead of Publication, 11 June 2026 [open access]

"Exploring migration research with large language model: methods and insights," Royal Society Open Science, vol. 13, no. 6 (June 2026) [open access]

"Messy digitality: reflections on using social media methods with Sri Lankan refugees," Digital Geography and Society, In press, 2 July 2026 [open access]

- Focuses on Australia.

"Professional Inequality in Exile: Digital Precarity among Skilled Syrian Refugees in Germany," Social Inclusion, vol. 14 (2026) [open access]

Related posts:

- Thematic Focus: ICTs & Other Technologies - Pt. 1 (4 June 2026)

- Thematic Focus: ICTs & Other Technologies - Pt. 2 (4 June 2026)

Thematic Focus: Law/Policy Items - Pt. 2

Journal articles:

"Cessation and the ‘temporary turn’ in asylum law and practice," International Journal of Refugee Law, Advance Articles, 24 June 2026 [open access]

"Changing tracks in the map of migration and asylum law: an analysis of (im)mobility across multiple legal statuses within the ‘transit migration’ phenomenon," International Journal of Law in Context, FirstView, 17 June 2026 [open access]

"Countries Are Pushing Borders Outward to Expand Deterrence and Protection Alike," Migration Information Source, 18 June 2026 [text]

"Credibility as a fuzzy concept in refugee law: a systematic literature review," Journal of Ethnic and Migration Studies, vol. 52, no. 11 (2026) [free full-text]

"A Duty from a Bygone Era? On UNHCR’s Promotion of New Accessions to the Refugee Convention," International Journal of Refugee Law, Advance Articles, 6 June 2026 [open access]

"Solidarity and Accountability: Can the Global Compact on Refugees Enforce Refugee Protection Obligations?," Journal of African Law, FirstView, 28 May 2026 [open access]

"'Standing on the shoulders of giants': the relationship between the African and global refugee conventions," International Journal of Refugee Law, Advance Articles, 5 June 2026 [open access]

Related post:

- Thematic Focus: Law/Policy Items - Pt. 1 (3 July 2026)

Regional Focus: Europe - Pt. 2

Reports:

Asylum and Forced Displacement in the EU Enlargement Process: Contributions to inform the European Commission 2026 Enlargement Package in the area of asylum (ECRE, June 2026) [text]

A common system for the return of third-country nationals staying illegally in the European Union (European Parliament, June 2026) [text]

Country Reports (AIDA, June-July 2026)

- Updated profiles are available for Austria, France, Germany, Ireland, Malta, Poland, Portugal and Romania.

Criminalising Asylum in Ireland: Prosecuting Asylum-Seekers without a Valid Passport or Equivalent Document (Irish Refugee Council & Maynooth University, May 2026) [text via Refworld]

UNHCR recommendations to the Dutch Government (UNHCR, June 2026) [text]

Journal articles:

"'Access Gaps as Drivers of Vulnerability'—Access to social services for refugees through the lens of vulnerability: An intersectional analysis in Türkiye," British Journal of Social Work, Advance Articles, 24 June 2026 [open access]

"Alternatives to Return: An Ideal-Typical Categorization of State Responses to Non-Repatriated Irregular Migrants," Journal of International Migration and Integration, Latest Articles, 24 June 2026 [open access]

"Rebuilding home on 'hot ground': spiritual obligation and the decision to return to Srebrenica," Journal of Refugee Studies, Advance Articles, 13 June 2026 [open access]

"The role of medical evidence certifying PTSD for legal outcomes in Swedish asylum cases 2016–2020," Social Science & Medicine, vol. 404 (Sept. 2026) [open access]

"A spatial analysis of secondary movements and desertification in EU asylum governance," Territory, Politics, Governance, Latest Articles, 25 June 2026 [open access]

Related post:

- Regional Focus: Europe - Pt. 1 (2 July 2026)

Regional Focus: Europe - Pt. 1

Short pieces:

The Chișinău Declaration in the Data: Non-Refoulement and States’ Insatiable Appetite for a Restrained Court (EJIL: Talk Blog, June 2026) [text]

Commission proposes to extend temporary protection of people fleeing Ukraine for an additional year (European Commission, June 2026) [text]

Externalising Return: The Austria–Uzbekistan Migration Agreement and the Future of EU Return Governance (RLI Blog, June 2026) [text]

*The Future of Reintegration Is a Key Missing Piece in Europe’s Focus on Returns (MPI, June 2026) [text]

IOM-UNHCR: EU Pact offers hope for better migration management and fairer asylum systems (June 2026) [text]

Myths & Realities about Return Hubs under the Return Regulation (EU Immigration & Asylum Law & Policy Blog, June 2026) [text]

New migration and asylum rules enter into application: what is changing? (European Commission, June 2026) [text]

Refugee Protection in the unique context of Northern Ireland: an introduction (RLI Blog, July 2026) [text]

- New blog series.

UN Human Rights Chief concerned about new EU returns law, urges consistency with human rights and refugee law (OHCHR, June 2026) [text]

Why public attitudes to immigration don't respond to falling migration (LSE British Politics Blog, June 2026) [text]

- Focuses on the UK.

New open access books:

Fragmented Lives in Times of War: Displacement within and from Ukraine (transcript Publishing, June 2026) [open access]

- "What are the challenges faced by forced migrants within and from Ukraine due to the Russian invasion? The interdisciplinary contributors shed light on the lives of displaced persons, which are divided ‒ in terms of time, space, and social context ‒ into a 'before' and 'after' the war. They analyse the uncertainties faced by war migrants and those who have decided to remain in Ukraine, and how people navigate these uncertainties in everyday life. The volume presents case studies from various European countries that make an important contribution to the growing literature on forced migration from Ukraine and provides new insights into the under-researched areas of internal displacement and voluntary immobility in Ukraine."

Visas in Migration and Asylum Law: The Key that Opens the Door (Routledge, June 2026) [open access] 

- "This book explores and discusses the different perspectives stemming from the visa as a tool of international mobility. A visa has a multifaced nature. It is a 'key' which allows foreign nationals to reach the door of the State. It is also a tool for the State to govern migration and border control. In humanitarian and international protection terms, it is also a tool for human rights protection. Against this background, this book assesses the legal and socio-political implications arising from the multipurpose nature and scope of visas. It is divided into two parts. The first part focuses on the visa as an instrument for migration control, contextualizing the rationale behind its invention and the legal challenges it raises. The second part focuses on the visa as a tool for asylum, examining its use for humanitarian purposes, including resettlement schemes and emergency-related evacuation initiatives put in place in different legal systems." Part 1 focuses particularly on the EU.

*UPDATED

Related posts:

- Regional Focus: Europe - Pt. 1 (9 June 2026)

- Regional Focus: Europe - Pt. 2 (9 June 2026)

New Issue of IJRL

The latest issue of the International Journal of Refugee Law (IJRL) has been published. Contents of vol. 38, no. 1, March 2026 include:

• Refugee law-making, state sovereignty and the paradox of non-independent territories [abstract]
• The changing landscape of immigration detention in Australia: preventive ‘crimmigration’ and the legislative response to NZYQ [open access]
• A more just social group test for the US [abstract]
• The removal of international protection as a process of administrative rebordering [abstract]

In addition, readers will find freely available case law summaries; two book reviews; and the following items from the 76th session of UNHCR's Executive Committee meeting: 1) Opening remarks by the Assistant High Commissioner for Protection; 2) the High Commissioner's opening statement; and 3) the text of the Note on International Protection.

Tagged Periodicals.

New Issue of JRS & Opportunity

The latest issue of Journal of Refugee Studies (JRS) has been published. Contents of vol. 39, no. 2, June 2026 include:

• Waiting out the crisis: a strategy for resisting displacement in Burundi [open access]
• The role of collective hypervisibility in everyday lives of refugees: the Syrian refugee hubs in metropolitan areas of Turkey [abstract]
• ‘I needed this journey’: home visits in wartime as transformative events [open access]
• Jonathan, a refugee who wants to be a Black Korean [abstract]
• Refuge by ‘technical’ means: humanitarianism, bureaucratic asylum, and the politics of refracted mandates in postcolonial India (1947–1981) [open access]
• ‘Uganda likes refugees too much’: domestic narratives on refugee protection [abstract]
• Reproductive health injustice in internally displaced persons camps in Nigeria [abstract]
• Telling the gendered story: the construction of migrant subjectivities in UNHCR’s animated information campaign [open access]
• Ambivalent intersectional solidarity: Berlin’s LGBTIQ+ civil society alliances during the war in Ukraine [open access]
• Art, agency, and access: refugee experiences and resistance in the context of EU’s migration management [open access]
• Field reflections from training Finnish asylum officials [open access]

Two reviews are also included.

Separately, JRS has announced a call for contributions to a special issue on "Forming and transforming the IDP label: Categories, binaries and internal displacement." Submit abstracts by 31 July 2026.

Tagged Periodicals.

New Issues of African Rev., Diasporas, IMR, Intl. Migr., J. Intercult. Stud., JEMS, Melbourne Asia Rev., Migr. Stud., REMHU, Torture J.

*Reminder: Postprints of articles published in the journals below that are marked with an asterisk can be archived/deposited in a repository immediately after publication (like the Forced Migration Research Archive) - i.e., there is no embargo period! This allows authors to provide open access to their scholarly journal articles without having to pay costly publication fees. Please refer to this earlier blog post for more information. 

Authors of open access articles in these journals are also encouraged to deposit their work in the Forced Migration Research Archive (FMRA). The submission form and guidelines are available on FMRA's website.

__________________________________________________________________

*The African Review, vol. 53, no. 3 (June 2026) [contents]

- Special issue on "Refugees, Displacement and the Politics of Belonging in Tanzania." The editorial is freely available.

Diasporas: Circulations, Migrations, Histoire, no. 45 (2026) [open access]

- Thematic dossier on "Chercher refuge au-delà de l’Europe: Réfugiés, migrants et exilés européens au Moyen-Orient et en Afrique du Nord (xixe-xxe siècles) = Seeking Refuge Beyond Europe. European Refugees, Migrants and Exilees in the Middle East and North Africa, 19th and 20th centuries."

International Migration (2026) [access]

- Special collection on "Digitised Migration: Entangled and Uneven Landscapes." The introduction is freely available and six articles are open access.

International Migration (2026) [access]

- Special collection on "Imagining Migratory Futures: The Transnational Chain of Actors in Migration Information Campaigns Between Africa and Europe.” The introduction is freely available and four articles are open access.

International Migration, vol. 64, no. 3 (May 2026) [contents]

- Mix of articles, with five that are open access.

*International Migration Review, vol. 60, no. 2 (June 2026) [contents]

- Features a special collection on "The Rippling Effects of European Migration Governance in Africa," and sub-sections on "Migrant Education and Human Capital" and "Migration Research Across the Asian Continent."

Journal of Ethnic and Migration Studies, vol. 52, no. 11 (2026) [contents]

- Mix of articles, with one that is freely available and eight that are open access.

Journal of Intercultural Studies, vol. 47, no. 2 (2026) [contents]

- Special issue on "Borderscapes: The de/construction of borders as an everyday practice." The introduction is freely available and three articles are open access.

Melbourne Asia Review, no. 26 (2026) [open access]

- Special issue on "Statelessness in Asia."

Migration Studies (2025-26) [access]

- Special collection on "Mobile Temporalities and Political Possibilities." Two articles are open access. See also this related Boston University post.

Migration Studies, vol. 14, no. 2 (June 2026) [contents]

- Mix of articles, with 12 that are open access.

REMHU: Revista Interdisciplinar da Mobilidade Humana, vol. 34 (2026) [open access]

- Mix of articles in either English, Portuguese or Spanish.

Torture Journal: Journal on Rehabilitation of Torture Victims and Prevention of Torture, vol. 36, no. 1 (2026) [open access]

- Mix of articles.

Tagged Periodicals.