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Monday, February 23, 2026

Tag: Asylum Seekers
February 17, 2026
Health
News

America’s Northern Neighbor is Blowing Nearly A Billion Dollars a Year on Migrant Healthcare.

PULSE POINTS

âť“WHAT HAPPENED: Canadians will spend approaching $1 billion on health-care premiums for asylum seekers this year, including those with rejected claims.

👤WHO WAS INVOLVED: The Office of the Parliamentary Budget Officer, asylum claimants, and the Conservative Party.

đź“ŤWHEN & WHERE: Across 2026, Canada.

đź’¬KEY QUOTE: “Rejected asylum claimants are now receiving better health care than many Canadians who have paid into a system their entire life.” – Conservative lawmakers Dan Mazier and Michelle Rempel Garner.

🎯IMPACT: The cost of the Interim Federal Health Program is projected to reach $1.5 billion by 2029, with Canadians spending $6.2 billion by 2030.

IN FULL

Canada’s Interim Federal Health Program (IFHP), which provides health coverage to asylum seekers, is projected to cost approximately $750 million this year, up sharply from about $158 million six years ago. According to a recent report by the Office of the Parliamentary Budget Officer, annual costs could rise to roughly $1.125 billion by 2029, with total spending on healthcare for refugees and refugee claimants expected to reach $4.65 billion by 2030.

The report, requested by the opposition Conservative Party, notes that the IFHP is available not only to active asylum claimants but also, in some cases, to migrants whose claims have been rejected but who remain in Canada. The program covers services such as dental care, vision care, and prescription medications—benefits that exceed what many Canadians receive through provincial health plans.

Conservatives Dan Mazier and Michelle Rempel Garner said the disparity is troubling at a time when millions of Canadians report difficulty accessing primary care. They argue that with long wait times and ongoing doctor shortages, the federal government should prioritize improving access for citizens.

“Rejected asylum claimants are now receiving better health care than many Canadians who have paid into a system their entire life,” the two politicians said.

Liberal Party Prime Minister Mark Carney‘s government has announced reforms to the Interim Federal Health Program set to take effect May 1. Under the changes, asylum claimants will supposedly be required to pay a portion of prescription drug and supplemental health costs. Even with those adjustments, the overall scope of coverage will remain broader than what many Canadians receive without private insurance.

Debate over migrant healthcare spending is not limited to Canada. In the United States and Britain, the cost of providing housing, medical care, and other support services to asylum seekers has become a contentious political issue. Reports in both countries have highlighted taxpayer-funded accommodations and access to publicly financed healthcare for migrants, amid strained public systems and long wait times for citizens.

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February 11, 2026
Crime
Immigration
UK

Afghan Convicted for Kidnap and Repeated Rape of 12-Year-Old.

PULSE POINTS

âť“WHAT HAPPENED: An Afghan asylum seeker was found guilty of abducting and raping a 12-year-old girl in a targeted attack in Nuneaton, England.

👤WHO WAS INVOLVED: Afghan national Ahmad Mulakhil, 23, was convicted of multiple offences. His co-defendant, Mohammad Kabir, was acquitted of all charges.

đź“ŤWHEN & WHERE: The attack occurred last summer in Nuneaton. The trial took place at Warwick Crown Court.

đź’¬KEY QUOTE: “He will plainly receive a substantial custodial sentence which will automatically make him liable for deportation at its conclusion.” – Judge Kristina Montgomery KC

🎯IMPACT: The case sparked protests and calls for more transparency from public figures regarding the immigration status of offenders.

IN FULL

Ahmad Mulakhil, a 23-year-old Afghan asylum seeker, has been convicted of multiple serious offences following a targeted attack on a 12-year-old girl in Nuneaton, England, last summer. A jury at Warwick Crown Court found him guilty of rape, two counts of sexual assault, child abduction, and taking an indecent video of the child. He had also admitted to an additional rape charge before the trial began.

Mulakhil arrived in Britain around four months before the attack after submitting an immigration application that referred to unspecified “problems” in Afghanistan. Although the jury was not told how he entered the country, it later emerged that he had arrived illegally on a small boat.

His co-defendant, Mohammad Kabir, also an Afghan asylum seeker, was cleared of all charges, including intentional strangulation, attempted child abduction, and committing an offence with intent to commit a sexual offence. Kabir denied any wrongdoing, telling the court that he “never touched the victim and had no sexual intentions toward her.” He claimed to be 22, while court records listed his age as 24.

Remanding Mulakhil in custody ahead of sentencing, Judge Kristina Montgomery KC said, “He will plainly receive a substantial custodial sentence which will automatically make him liable for deportation at its conclusion.” This does not mean he definitely will be deported, however, with many foreign sex offenders in Britain able to use human rights laws to stay in the country.

The convictions drew sharp reactions from senior political figures. Reform Paarty leader Nigel Farage and Warwickshire County Council leader George Finch accused authorities of a “cover-up” over how details of the case were handled publicly. Farage renewed calls for police to routinely disclose the immigration status of criminal suspects, something that is not standard practice despite being permitted under current guidance “if deemed necessary for legitimate policing purposes.”

The case has added to wider debate following other recent reports involving Afghan nationals in the United Kingdom and the United States, including prosecutions for serious sexual offences, fatal stabbings, and alleged terror threats.

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January 31, 2026
Crime
Immigration

Migrant Housed in Taxpayer-Funded Hotel Sentenced for Murdering Hotel Staffer.

PULSE POINTS

âť“WHAT HAPPENED: An asylum seeker has been sentenced to life imprisonment for the murder of a hotel worker.

👤WHO WAS INVOLVED: Deng Chol Majek, the convicted killer, and Rhiannon Whyte, the victim.

đź“ŤWHEN & WHERE: Whyte was murdered in October 2024 at Bescot Stadium railway station in Walsall, England; Majek was sentenced this week.

đź’¬KEY QUOTE: CCTV footage showed Majek “laughing and dancing in the hotel car park” after the attack.

🎯IMPACT: Majek has been sentenced to a minimum of 29 years in prison.

IN FULL

Deng Chol Majek, an asylum seeker, has been sentenced to “life” in prison with a minimum term of 29 years before possible parole, for the murder of 27-year-old hotel worker Rhiannon Whyte in England. The attack took place in October 2024 after Majek followed Ms Whyte from the Park Inn Hotel in Walsall, where he was being housed at taxpayers’ expense, to Bescot Stadium railway station.

Prosecutors told the court that Majek launched an unprovoked assault at the station, using a screwdriver to stab his victim 23 times. One of the blows caused catastrophic damage to her brain stem. She was taken to the hospital but died three days later from her injuries. Whyte, who was a mother, was described by family members as devoted to her child and well-liked by colleagues.

CCTV footage showed Majek trailing Whyte after she finished work and later captured his behaviour back at the hotel. Jurors were shown images of him laughing and dancing in the parking lot while emergency services were attending to his victim. The court heard there was no clear motive for the killing. However, evidence was presented that Majek had previously been reported for making female staff uncomfortable by staring at them. During the trial and sentencing, he showed no remorse. Majek must serve at least 29 years in prison before he can be considered for parole.

The sentencing has drawn attention to the wider debate around crime linked to the asylum system in Britain. The country has seen hundreds of cases involving migrants housed in taxpayer-funded hotels who were later charged with serious offences, including rape, violent assault, and robbery. One hotel resident convicted of rape was reported to have had a prior terrorism conviction overseas.

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January 22, 2026
William Upton
Immigration

American Transgender ‘Refugees’ Put in Camp With Migrants.

PULSE POINTS

âť“WHAT HAPPENED: The Netherlands is placing American transgenders who are claiming refugee status because of President Donald J. Trump in the country’s infamous Ter Apel refugee camp.

👤WHO WAS INVOLVED: American transgenders, the Netherlands, Dutch immigration officials, the Ter Apel refugee camp, and U.S. President Donald J. Trump.

đź“ŤWHEN & WHERE: Several American transgenders have sought refugee status in the Netherlands since President Trump’s inauguration last year.

💬KEY QUOTE: “My dream is to go to America or the UK. America for me is the paradise. You can work, you can make a million if you have a good idea. Why they come here?” — 21-year-old North African refugee

🎯IMPACT: It is expected that every American transgender claiming refugee status will be denied asylum and deported back to the United States.

IN FULL

The Netherlands is placing American transgenders who are claiming refugee status because of President Donald J. Trump in the country’s infamous Ter Apel refugee camp. While Dutch officials describe the facility as a “permanent reception center,” the facility appears more like a prison—with extensive fencing surrounding the encampment and a heavy guard presence.

Notably, the presence of the American asylum seekers isn’t sitting well with the nearly 2,000 other migrants from around the world housed at Ter Apel. “My dream is to go to America or the UK. America for me is the paradise,” a 21-year-old North African woman living at the camp said in a recent interview. “You can work, you can make a million if you have a good idea. Why they come here?”

Still, several dozen Americans have left the United States since President Trump’s inauguration over a year ago and sought asylum in the Netherlands. Jane-Michelle Arc, a transgender from San Francisco, flew to the Netherlands last April and promptly asked a Dutch customs agent how to seek refugee status. “And they laughed because: what’s this big dumb American doing here asking about asylum? And then they realized I was serious,” Arc said.

The claims being made by the so-called American refugees are bizarre. In Arc’s case, he asserts that President Trump’s United States had become so terrifying and dangerous that he would no longer leave his San Francisco home “unless there was an Uber waiting outside.” However, he would likely face more danger from unchecked crime in the greater Bay Area than the President.

Transgender and LGBTQ refugees are kept in separate housing from the camp’s general population—which includes asylum seekers from places like Syria, Libya, Sudan, and other countries. It is expected that every American claiming refugee status will be denied asylum and deported back to the United States. Over the last several years, only around a couple of dozen U.S. passport holders have received asylum in the Netherlands—all children and all dependents on parents who are of Yemeni, Syrian, or Turkish origin.

Image via FCDO.

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January 19, 2026
Crime
Immigration

Students Gang Raped, Sexually Assaulted in Migrant ‘Integration’ Experiment.

PULSE POINTS

âť“WHAT HAPPENED: Students living alongside asylum seekers at Stek Oost in the Netherlands reported years of sexual assaults, violence, and harassment, according to an investigation.

👤WHO WAS INVOLVED: Students, migrants, local authorities, and Stadgenoot, the housing association managing Stek Oost.

đź“ŤWHEN & WHERE: Stek Oost in Amsterdam, the Netherlands; attacks reported from its opening in 2018 to present.

đź’¬KEY QUOTE: “We were completely overwhelmed. We no longer wanted to be responsible for the safety of the complex.” – MariĂ«lle Foppen, Stadgenoot representative.

🎯IMPACT: Stek Oost is set to close by 2028, with reports of ongoing safety issues continuing to affect students and staff.

IN FULL

An investigation has found that Dutch students living at the Stek Oost housing complex in Amsterdam endured years of sexual assault, intimidation, and violence while sharing accommodation with migrants under a government-backed integration initiative. Stek Oost opened in 2018 with 125 students and 125 asylum seekers living side by side. The project promoted a “buddy” system intended to help migrants integrate into Dutch society.

Former residents told the investigative television program Zembla that instead of fostering safety and cooperation, the arrangement exposed students to repeated harassment, stalking, and violent and sexual crime.

One former resident, identified as Amanda, said she was raped in 2019 by a Syrian migrant after he invited her to his room to watch a movie. She reported the incident to police, but the case was dropped due to insufficient evidence. The same man was arrested in 2022 and later convicted of raping two residents of the complex. He received a short three-year prison sentence in 2024. Students also reported other violent incidents, including a case in which a man said he was threatened with an eight-inch kitchen knife by a migrant.

Residents said they repeatedly raised concerns with authorities but felt their complaints were not taken seriously. Police confirmed receiving seven reports of sexual assault connected to Stek Oost, though they claim they have no record of a reported gang rape mentioned by students interviewed for a documentary about the site.

Stadgenoot, the housing association managing the complex, sought to close Stek Oost as early as 2023, citing ongoing safety risks. Local authorities initially opposed shutting it down, but the project is now scheduled to end in 2028 when its contract expires. Stadgenoot representative Mariëlle Foppen described the strain on staff, saying, “We were completely overwhelmed. We no longer wanted to be responsible for the safety of the complex.”

The revelations have renewed debate over migrant integration failures, coming amid wider scrutiny of migrant-linked sexual violence across Europe. Recent criminal cases and official statistics in several European countries have highlighted the disproportionate involvement of recently arrived migrants in serious sexual offences. However, in some instances, populist politicians have faced penalties for publicly citing government crime data related to migrant rape statistics.

Image by cottonbro studio.

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January 15, 2026
Bonkers Britain
Immigration

France BANS British Anti-Migration Activists for Disrupting Illegal Boat Crossings.

PULSE POINTS

âť“WHAT HAPPENED: Ten members of a British anti-illegal immigration group were prohibited from entering France after being accused of destroying small boats used by migrants crossing the English Channel.

👤WHO WAS INVOLVED: Activists from the Raise the Colours group and the French Interior Ministry.

đź“ŤWHEN & WHERE: Prohibition enacted on Tuesday; actions took place along the northern French coastline.

🎯IMPACT: Cross-Channel migration remains high, with over 41,000 people making the journey last year, despite the British government paying the French government tens of millions of pounds to stop the crossings. French action against British activists for destroying the boats the French authorities are failing to seize themselves increases the perception that Paris is not really interested in ending the crisis.

IN FULL

French authorities have barred ten members of the British anti-mass migration activist group Raise the Colours from entering or remaining in France, citing their involvement in actions targeting migrant boats along France’s northern coastline. The French Interior Ministry confirmed on Wednesday that the ban was imposed on Tuesday and applies to individuals within the movement who have taken action on French soil to disrupt illegal immigration to Britain.

In a statement, the ministry said the activists had been involved in operations against boats linked to cross-Channel migration and had also carried out “propaganda activities” along the coast. Notably, the British government has been paying the French government tens of millions of pounds annually to stop these boats, but it has failed to do so.

Cross-Channel migration remains a politically charged issue in Britain, where more than 41,000 people arrived in small boats last year, according to government data. While that figure is below the record 45,000 crossings seen in 2022, it remains extremely high by historical standards.

Public concern in Britain has been heightened by a series of criminal cases involving migrants who entered the country by boat. In one recent case, a migrant was convicted of raping a teenage girl within weeks of his arrival.

Critics argue that France is to some extent actively facilitating crossings, at times distributing life jackets and other safety equipment to migrants preparing to launch boats from French beaches rather than detaining or otherwise deterring them.

Deportations from Britain to France remain limited. Estimates from 2024 suggested that only around 0.5 percent of boat migrants had been removed.

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December 29, 2025
Immigration

Trump Admin Plans to Make Asylum Seekers Apply for Refuge in Third Countries.

PULSE POINTS

âť“WHAT HAPPENED: The Trump administration is directing courts to dismiss asylum claims without hearings, sending migrants to third countries.

👤WHO WAS INVOLVED: The Department of Homeland Security (DHS), President Donald J. Trump, and various third countries, including Uganda, Honduras, and Ecuador.

đź“ŤWHEN & WHERE: In recent months, in the United States and third countries.

💬KEY QUOTE: “Asylum was not designed to provide people a backdoor way to get to a country of their choosing.” – Senior administration official

🎯IMPACT: The strategy aims to reduce the asylum claims backlog and increase deportations.

IN FULL

The Trump administration is actively pursuing a new immigration strategy where courts are being asked to dismiss asylum claims without hearings, and instead direct asylum seekers to third countries to pursue relief. This approach is backed by agreements with nations like Uganda, Honduras, and Ecuador, which have been identified as third countries that can host asylum claimants during the processing of their immigration requests.

The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) is leading these efforts as part of a broader initiative to curb immigration and meet deportation targets. Nearly 900,000 asylum claims were filed in Fiscal Year 2024, a significant increase from previous years, prompting the administration to seek expedited removals. The new process, the administration contends, closes “a huge loophole” in the U.S. immigration system.

A senior administration official, speaking to the media, emphasized that asylum is not meant as a means for migrants supposedly in need of safe harbor to pick out a new homeland of their choice, stating, “Asylum was not designed to provide people a backdoor way to get to a country of their choosing.” The administration’s approach gained momentum when the U.S. Department of Justice’s (DOJ) Board of Immigration Appeals supported considering third-country removals before U.S. asylum hearings.

Critics, including Democrat lawmakers and professional mass immigration advocates, argue that this undermines the U.S. asylum system. However, the administration is defending its actions as lawful and necessary to address systemic asylum abuse and a daunting claimant backlog.

“They shouldn’t care about what specific location,” a Trump administration official said, adding: “Many [immigration groups] somehow think that it’s bad to be doing this—that everyone should get a hearing, no matter anything else. But the reality from our perspective is, it is the law. And you may disagree with the law, but the way to address that is through Congress.”

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December 10, 2025
Crime
UK

Afghan Charged With Rape of Underage Teens.

PULSE POINTS

âť“WHAT HAPPENED: An Afghan migrant has been charged with the rape of two teenage girls in England.

👤WHO WAS INVOLVED: Sultani Bakatash, a 28-year-old Afghan national, and two girls aged 14.

đź“ŤWHEN & WHERE: The alleged incidents occurred in Bolton, Greater Manchester, with the arrest taking place on Sunday, December 7.

💬KEY QUOTE: “This is a deeply concerning report, and our priority is supporting the two young girls and their families at this traumatic time.” – Chief Superintendent Helen Critchley

🎯IMPACT: The case highlights ongoing concerns about safeguarding young girls and public safety amid ongoing mass migration.

IN FULL

An Afghan migrant, Sultani Bakatash, aged 28, has been charged with serious sexual offences against two 14-year-old girls in Bolton, Greater Manchester. He faces two counts of rape of a girl under 16, one count of sexual assault, and one count of assault by penetration. Greater Manchester Police arrested Bakatash in the early hours of Sunday, December 7, after receiving a report of a rape at an apartment in the Middle Hulton area.

Authorities allege he contacted the girls online before meeting them in person. Both victims are receiving support from specialist officers, and police say no one else is being sought in connection with the incident. Bakatash has been remanded in custody and appeared at Manchester and Salford Magistrates’ Court on December 9.

This case adds to ongoing concerns about crimes involving asylum seekers, many of whom come to Britain illegally by boat, with tens of thousands housed in taxpayer-funded hotels across the country, sometimes close to schools. Reports indicate hundreds of migrants in such accommodations have faced charges for serious offences, including rape and sexual assault.

Separate incidents have involved asylum seekers accused or convicted of sex attacks on children, with one case involving a migrant who stabbed a migrant hotel worker to death earlier this year.

Image by Metro Centric.

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December 4, 2025
Immigration

Trump Announces Major Changes to Immigrant Work Permits.

PULSE POINTS

âť“WHAT HAPPENED: President Donald J. Trump announced a reduction in the validity period of work permits for certain immigrants, cutting it from five years to 18 months.

👤WHO WAS INVOLVED: President Donald Trump, U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) Director Joe Edlow, and immigrants filing for work permits.

đź“ŤWHEN & WHERE: The policy announcement follows the deadly terrorist attack on National Guard troops in Washington, D.C.

💬KEY QUOTE: “It’s clear that USCIS must enforce more frequent vetting of aliens. All aliens must remember that working in the United States is a privilege, not a right.” – Joe Edlow

🎯IMPACT: The new policy aims to enhance vetting opportunities and ensure stricter oversight of immigrant work permits.

IN FULL

President Donald J. Trump announced on Thursday that his administration will move to shorten the validity period for work permits issued to certain immigrants present in the United States. The move follows the deadly terrorist attack against National Guard troops in Washington, D.C., last month.

Under the new policy, immigrants who apply for asylum or other humanitarian designations will only be able to obtain a work permit valid for 18 months. Previously, the permits were valid for five years.

The Trump administration contends the shortened period of validity will allow officials to conduct more frequent revetting of immigrants. “It’s clear that USCIS must enforce more frequent vetting of aliens,” U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) Director Joe Edlow said, adding: “All aliens must remember that working in the United States is a privilege, not a right.”

Notably, the work permit changes come as President Trump ramps up sweeping changes to the U.S. immigration system. The National Pulse reported on Wednesday that the Trump administration is preparing to expand its travel bans to include as many as 32 additional countries. According to a State Department cable, the proposed expansion under current consideration could add dozens more nations to the list of “countries of concern.”

Officials argue the additional restrictions are needed because some countries “lack a competent or cooperative government authority to produce reliable identity documents,” or have histories of visa overstays, producing national security threats, or inadequate cooperation in repatriating citizens ordered removed from the U.S.

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December 2, 2025
Immigration
UK

Third of Students in Britain’s ‘Asylum Capital’ Don’t Speak English as Their First Language.

PULSE POINTS

âť“WHAT HAPPENED: Primary (elementary) schools in Britain’s “asylum capital” report that nearly one-third of pupils do not speak English as their first language, highlighting challenges linked to record migration levels.

👤WHO WAS INVOLVED: Glasgow City Council, Councillor Christina Cannon, and Glasgow children, parents, and teachers.

đź“ŤWHEN & WHERE: The latest data was revealed in December 2025, focusing on primary schools in Glasgow, Scotland.

💬KEY QUOTE: “We have seen an explosion in the number of children who need English as an additional language support.” – Councillor Christina Cannon

🎯IMPACT: Schools are struggling with stretched resources, cultural divides, and concerns over integration and education standards.

IN FULL

New figures from Glasgow, Scotland‘s largest city and Britain’s “asylum capital,” show that 31 percent of primary (elementary) school pupils now require support for English as an additional language (EAL). That represents a 24 percent rise since 2020, with Arabic, Polish, Urdu, and Punjabi among the most commonly spoken.

Glasgow City Council education lead Christina Cannon said the increase reflects waves of migration, including refugees from Syria, Ukraine, and Afghanistan, with Glasgow having far more asylum seekers dumped on it per capita than any other city in the United Kingdom.

“We have seen an explosion in the number of children who need English as an additional language support,” Cannon said, warning of severe strain despite expensive efforts such as hiring EAL coordinators in over 100 schools, with some schools forced to rely on tools like Google Translate for parent-teacher meetings.

One parent described her child’s class as having “15 different languages—it’s wonderful in theory, but [my son is] struggling because the teacher spends half the day translating.” Others worry that children are forming cliques rather than mixing across backgrounds.

Murdo Fraser, a Conservative Member of the Scottish Parliament (MSP)—roughly equivalent to a U.S. state legislature—warns “parallel societies” may begin forming, as in certain areas in London, where integration has failed and social tensions have grown.

England, which is more diverse than Scotland overall, also faces substantial issues in its schools, with White British students being in the minority at one in four schools. At least 72 schools have no White British students at all, and they comprise less than two percent of the student body in a further 474 schools.

Image by Ian Dick.

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