Overview

• Pope says cutting development aid while tightening borders is short-sighted and will destabilize origin countries closer to migration hotspots.
• She warned U.S.-led reductions in Ukraine aid will leave the IOM with a $1 billion funding shortfall that could trigger new displacement crises.
• Tighter U.S. border policies have reversed migration flows toward Latin America, placing extra strain on Central American transit nations.
• Pope praised Italy’s plan to issue nearly 500,000 work permits for non-EU workers from 2026 alongside its stricter border controls.
• The IOM will suspend cooperation on returns if migrants are found to be deported against their will, upholding its voluntary-return standards.