IOM
Misinformation about migration is spreading fast, increasingly amplified by artificial intelligence. It is turning anxiety into suspicion and people into targets, the head of the UN Migration agency warned today. Public trust in how migration is managed is under growing strain worldwide.
Speaking at the opening of the International Dialogue on Migration (IDM) in Geneva, International Organization for Migration (IOM) Director General Amy Pope said economic uncertainty, conflict and climate pressures are testing governments and communities alike.
"People's concerns are real, and we have to take them seriously. We also have to be honest about where our systems are falling short," DG Pope said. "Facts and figures alone won't win back public confidence. Institutions have to listen, and they have to act, even when what they hear is uncomfortable."
The space for constructive action is shrinking. IOM warns that false and misleading narratives about migrants, spread through social media and generative AI, are deepening polarization and mistrust within communities.
As trust erodes, governments face growing public resistance and have less room to cooperate. Migrants are left exposed to greater risks along their journeys. This comes as development funding shrinks and international cooperation is under pressure.
The stakes could hardly be higher. More than 304 million people now live outside their country of birth, including 168 million migrant workers.
Nearly half of all international migrants are women and girls, many of whom face heightened risks of discrimination, abuse and exploitation.
Money sent home by migrants reaches around one billion people, roughly one in eight people on the planet. It pays for food, schooling and healthcare.
DG Pope called for action in three areas. First, countries along the same migration routes must plan together to expand regular pathways, strengthen protection and humane border management, and support dignified return.
Second, communities hit by repeated floods and failing harvests need early investment, so people can stay where possible and move safely when they must.
Third, reliable data and the voices of affected people must be at the heart of decisions, with technology that protects people's information and guards against bias.
"Trust is earned one step at a time. Every agreement we honor, and every person we treat fairly, makes cooperation stronger," Pope said.
The warning comes at a pivotal moment. In May, a record number of States and stakeholders gathered at the International Migration Review Forum and reaffirmed their commitment to safe, orderly and regular migration.
In July 2027, the UN will review global progress on the Sustainable Development Goal target on well-managed migration. The SDG Summit follows in September 2027, where discussions will begin on what comes after the 2030 Agenda.
The IDM, IOM's main forum for migration policy dialogue, marks 25 years this year. It brings together governments, UN agencies, the private sector, local authorities, researchers and young people.
Its outcomes will feed into the IOM Council in December, which will hold a high-level panel on "Strengthening Political Trust for Migration Governance."
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