unhcr.org | 14 July 2025
Concern Over the Worsening Climate Against Refugees and Migrants in Political and Public Discourse
Recently, the public and media discourse around refugees and migrants, particularly in relation to the rise in new arrivals via Libya to Crete – has reflected a growing climate of anxiety and polarization. This has been further fuelled by statements from political leaders, political parties, and public authorities. The use of derogatory terms such as “clandestines,” the portrayal of new arrivals as an “invasion” and a “population replacement” attempt, and the dissemination of misleading claims about privileges and benefits supposedly given to migrants and refugees at the expense of others are just a few examples having a negative impact on local communities and fuelling social division. Such narratives contribute to the portrayal of these individuals as a threat to society, instrumentalize fear and undermine social cohesion. As the Network’s findings have repeatedly shown, this type of rhetoric may normalize, encourage, and ultimately escalate intolerance and racist violence.
Policies such as the suspension of asylum applications for those entering from North Africa, as well as proposals to criminalize irregular entry or stay in the country, risk further targeting refugees and migrants. While States have the right to manage their borders, such measures raise serious legal and ethical concerns – particularly when combined with narratives that depict all new arrivals as “illegal invaders” and ignore the obligation to provide international protection to refugees. The right to seek asylum is a fundamental human right, enshrined in international, European and national law, and applies to everyone regardless of how or where they arrive in a country. Even at times of migratory pressure, States must ensure that people seeking asylum have access to asylum procedures and are not returned, prior to a final decision on their asylum claim, to a place where they would face threats to their life or freedom. This would breach the principle of non-refoulement – an essential pillar of international law from which no derogation is permitted.
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