Policy and Practice Updates From the Gulf 

In the past year, detention and deportation operations have been on the rise across the Gulf region. The GDP’s partner in the region, Migrant-Rights.org, has been documenting and reporting on these campaigns. They have detailed how every week “hundreds of migrant workers [are] detained in searches and raids. Most workers are detained for having inaccurate […]

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Al Hidd Detention Centre (Source: Migrant-Rights.org)

Slovenia Extends Border Controls and Announces Migrant “Handling Facilities” at Croatian Border 

Amid a rise in the number of irregular arrivals intercepted at the country’s border, the Slovenian government has introduced increased border controls along its Croatian and Hungarian borders and announced plans to establish a migrant “handling facility” at the Obrežje border crossing.  According to Slovenian police, 60,587 people were intercepted while attempting to enter Slovenia […]

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Russian Legislators Introduce Amendments to Administrative Code

In December Russia introduced important amendments to its Code of Administrative Offences–including limiting the maximum period of detention in immigration detention facilities to 90 days, and permitting detainees the right to apply to a court to verify the legality of their detention.  […]

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The GDP's map of detention centres in Russia (https://www.globaldetentionproject.org/detention-centres/map-view)

As Finland Closes Eastern Border, Authorities Announce Plans for New “Registration Centres”

In response to what authorities have described as “instrumentalised migration” at its eastern frontier, in November Finland took the extraordinary step of closing its entire border with Russia. The government has also permitted the Immigration Service to establish “registration centres” where arrivals can be held for up to seven days.  In November, Finland recorded a […]

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Dominican Republic Deportations Surge as Authorities Announce Opening of New Detention Centre

Since our last update in December 2022, the Dominican Republic has continued to step up its policy of mass deportations of Haitians, violating the rights and dignity of non-nationals despite numerous calls for authorities to moderate their actions. To facilitate these deportations, the General Directorate of Immigration has announced plans to establish a new immigration […]

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The Centro Vacacional de Haina has long been plagued by reports of deplorable conditions (Source: Google Maps)

Chile Continues To Step Up Anti-Migrant Efforts Amidst Growing International Criticism 

On 17 December, Chileans will head to the polls to decide if they approve a new draft of the country’s constitution, to replace that which has been in force since Pinochet’s dictatorship. Amongst the proposed new constitution’s articles, written by a right-wing dominated committee, is one requiring the expulsion of irregular migrants from the country. […]

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Chilean protestors tear down a makeshift Venezuelan migrant camp, January 2022 (source: BBC News, https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-latin-america-60197980)

Rwanda’s Asylum Practices Under Spotlight as UK Supreme Court, UN, and US State Department Highlight Dangers

Two weeks after the UK’s Supreme Court unanimously ruled that the government’s plan to outsource asylum processing to Rwanda is unlawful, the UN Committee against Torture expressed concerns about Denmark’s plans to externalise asylum processing to Kigali.  […]

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Australia’s High Court Rules Indefinite Detention Unlawful 

In a landmark decision, Australia’s High Court has ruled that indefinite immigration detention is unlawful–overturning a previous decision from 2004. The case concerned a stateless Rohingya man who faced the prospect of lifelong detention as no country would resettle him.  […]

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