By Esi-ife Arogundade
The UN Migration Agency, International Organisation for Migration (IOM), has been forced to lay off thousands of employees due to significant cuts in US funding. The agency, which plays a vital role in assisting vulnerable migrant populations worldwide, is grappling with the repercussions of a freeze on US foreign aid, following the re-election of President Donald Trump, who has consistently pushed an anti-migrant agenda.
The IOM had about 22,000 employees at the end of the previous year but has now seen a substantial reduction in its workforce as funding challenges intensify. “These funding cuts directly affect IOM’s ability to support some of the world’s most vulnerable people,” stated an IOM spokesperson.
“This situation is likely to lead to more suffering, increased migration, and greater insecurity.” Accusations have emerged that the agency has been complicit in providing a veneer of legitimacy to the Trump administration’s mass deportation strategies. Critics argue that IOM’s assisted voluntary return programme has been manipulated to “blue wash” these deportations, effectively giving a UN endorsement to policies that many view as inhumane.
Despite its staffing crisis, the agency announced on February 1 its intent to ramp up efforts across Latin America and the Caribbean to facilitate the return of migrants to their home countries. The IOM has resumed its assisted voluntary return programmes in several countries, including Mexico, Guatemala, Honduras, and Panama. In a collaborative effort with Costa Rica, these countries have reached agreements to accept deported migrants from the United States.
The IOM’s current predicament underscores the critical impact that geopolitics and funding policies have on humanitarian efforts, raising concerns about the future of migration support at a time when it is needed most. Observers are calling for immediate action to restore funding and ensure that essential services for migrants are not compromised further.
