United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres on Thursday warned that poor governance and misinformation around migration are fueling hatred and division, putting millions of lives at risk.
“Migration is a powerful driver of progress,” Guterres said in a statement marking International Migrants Day. “Yet when migration is poorly governed or misrepresented, it can fuel hate and division, endangering the lives of people seeking safety and opportunity.”
His comments come as global displacement reaches record levels, with conflicts, climate shocks and economic instability pushing people across borders in search of safety or work. Rights groups say migrants are increasingly targeted by hostile policies and inflammatory rhetoric, often with limited legal protections.
Among the most vulnerable are Afghan migrants, many of whom have faced growing pressure in host countries across the region. In Iran, authorities say more than 1.6 million undocumented Afghan nationals have been deported this year under a repatriation campaign. In Pakistan, another large-scale crackdown has forced hundreds of thousands to return, including families who had lived in the country for decades.
Humanitarian organizations have warned that many returnees to Afghanistan are arriving in precarious conditions, with limited shelter, jobs or access to aid.
Guterres did not single out specific countries in his statement, but he called on governments to work together to uphold migrant rights and to build systems that reflect shared responsibilities.
“Let’s make migration dignified and safe for all,” he said.
