The UK government has announced that a deal to deport Albanians crossing the Channel will not result in a fast-tracking of Albanian asylum seekers back to their country of origin. The deal had been agreed on in August under the former Home Secretary Priti Patel.
The UK Home Office has enlisted two private companies to help pick up migrants in the English Channel. While one company appears to be a small enterprise, the other one is part of a large investment and consultancy firm based in the US.
The UK is continuing on its course of clamping down on immigration, announcing that it will be working more closely with Albanian authorities to this end. Many of the migrants who reach Britain by boat come from the small Balkan nation.
Nine months after they were evacuated from Kabul to Albania, a group of Afghan refugees this week protested against the long wait for their visas to the US. They were among some 2,400 evacuees Albania took in following the Taliban takeover of Afghanistan. According to media reports, some of the 900 Afghans who remain in Albania could be evicted from the hotels where they are staying.
Research has found that foreign nationals in Italy are poorer than those born in the country. Migrants have also suffered greater effects of the COVID-19 pandemic, leading to worsening poverty.
Police forces in several European countries have arrested 30 individuals accused of profiteering several hundred million euros to smuggle migrants into the European Union from Turkey on luxury sailboats.
Authorities in North Macedonia have discovered 42 migrants packed to the back of a truck. It appeared that they were part of a group of largely Syrian nationals due to be sent back to Greece.
Albania agreed to host Afghan refugees while they are being vetted for visas for the US. Although some in the country feel that Albania has a duty to help its NATO ally, others feel Albania is struggling enough as it is.
After the Taliban's takeover, there is an urgent need to find shelter for Afghans airlifted out. Albania has been negotiating with the US on accommodating people who have fled in Tirana. Details are slowly emerging.
An EU report assessing whether Western Balkan countries continue to meet requirements for visa liberalization showed that despite a drop in illegal crossings, improvement is needed in migration management.
An international network of cities is advocating for the just distribution of refugees and migrants in the European Union. During a founding conference in Italy, they articulated their vision of a welcoming Europe.
A new report has placed a spotlight on the migrant smuggling business and other illicit activities running through the Western Balkans, including drugs and money laundering. The report estimates that the migrant smuggling business alone could be worth up to €50 million per year in the region.