Public Policy & NGOs
Here's a look at documents from public policy and non-governmental organizations
Featured Stories
Parks Group Applauds Bipartisan Support for Reducing Wildlife-Vehicle Collisions
WASHINGTON, Dec. 19 -- The National Parks Conservation Association issued the following news release:
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Parks Group Applauds Bipartisan Support for Reducing Wildlife-Vehicle Collisions
The National Parks Conservation Association (NPCA) commended leadership by a bipartisan group of senators who recently introduced legislation to reauthorize the Wildlife Crossings Program. The crossings program, which is set to expire in 2026, was passed under the 2021 infrastructure spending bill to reduce wildlife-vehicle collisions and support enhanced connectivity to help animals adapt to the changing
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WASHINGTON, Dec. 19 -- The National Parks Conservation Association issued the following news release:
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Parks Group Applauds Bipartisan Support for Reducing Wildlife-Vehicle Collisions
The National Parks Conservation Association (NPCA) commended leadership by a bipartisan group of senators who recently introduced legislation to reauthorize the Wildlife Crossings Program. The crossings program, which is set to expire in 2026, was passed under the 2021 infrastructure spending bill to reduce wildlife-vehicle collisions and support enhanced connectivity to help animals adapt to the changingclimate.
"NPCA supports this solutions-focused policy that would benefit public safety and national park wildlife alike," said National Parks Conservation Association Legislative Director Christina Hazard. "From elk herds at Theodore Roosevelt to black bears in Catoctin Mountain, our national parks provide habitat for an incredible range of wildlife, which also supports strong tourism and outdoor recreation economies.
Each year an estimated 1-2 million collisions with large species result in close to 30,000 human injuries and hundreds of fatalities. These accidents add up to $8 billion in costs to Americans.
NPCA advocates for transportation policy that addresses wildlife collisions and will improve roadways to allow for wildlife corridors at places like Great Smoky Mountains National Park and adjacent national forests. By identifying where animals naturally cross these dangerous highways, the organization and its partners help find solutions for safe wildlife passages to reduce deadly wildlife-vehicle collisions that impact bears, elk and other species.
Senators Alsobrooks (D-Md.), Cramer (R-N.D.), Merkley (D-Ore.), and Curtis (R-Utah) introduced the bipartisan legislation this week, along with a similar bill by Senators Heinrich (D-NM) and Sheehy (R-MT). A bipartisan companion bill in the House is led by Representatives Beyer (D-VA) and Zinke (R-MT).
"In a time where common ground is hard to come by, polling results found that 87% of Americans support restoring or preserving wildlife habitat connectivity and improving migration corridors on lands and waters within and beyond park borders," said Hazard. "NPCA urges Congress to support and advance this incredible investment in America's national parks."
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About the National Parks Conservation Association: Since 1919, the nonpartisan National Parks Conservation Association (NPCA) has been the leading voice in safeguarding our national parks. NPCA and its more than 1.9 million members and supporters work together to protect and preserve our nation's most iconic and inspirational places for future generations. For more information, visit www.npca.org.
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Original text here: https://www.npca.org/articles/11274-parks-group-applauds-bipartisan-support-for-reducing-wildlife-vehicle
[Category: Environment]
PETA Statement Re Glue Trap Ban
NORFOLK, Virginia, Dec. 19 -- People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals issued the following news release:
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PETA Statement re Glue Trap Ban
Please see the following statement from PETA President Tracy Reiman regarding the New York City Council's introduction of a citywide glue trap ban:
"It's great to see city officials recognizing that killing and villainizing rats is pointless and cruel. Small animals can suffer for days, as they starve, suffocate, or bleed to death after being caught in glue traps, which fail to address the source of the problem: New York City's overflowing garbage.
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NORFOLK, Virginia, Dec. 19 -- People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals issued the following news release:
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PETA Statement re Glue Trap Ban
Please see the following statement from PETA President Tracy Reiman regarding the New York City Council's introduction of a citywide glue trap ban:
"It's great to see city officials recognizing that killing and villainizing rats is pointless and cruel. Small animals can suffer for days, as they starve, suffocate, or bleed to death after being caught in glue traps, which fail to address the source of the problem: New York City's overflowing garbage.Ever since the city began focusing on trash containment, rat sightings have steadily decreased, showing that compassionate, common-sense solutions are the answer."
Rats are empathic, family-oriented individuals who will put themselves in harm's way to save someone else. Rats, mice, and other small animals--including birds, lizards, and squirrels--who get stuck in the adhesive that covers glue traps struggle desperately to escape, sometimes chewing off their own limbs before succumbing to starvation, dehydration, asphyxiation, or blood loss.
PETA notes that three U.S. cities have banned glue traps, and the devices are banned in several countries, including England, Iceland, and New Zealand. Additionally, hundreds of companies--including CVS, Dollar General, Dollar Tree, Target, and Walgreens--have banned them after hearing from PETA.
PETA--whose motto reads, in part, that "animals are not ours to abuse in any way"--points out that Every Animal Is Someone and offers free Empathy Kits for people who need a lesson in kindness. For more information, please visit PETA.org or follow PETA on X, Facebook, or Instagram.
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Original text here: https://www.peta.org/media/news-releases/peta-statement-re-glue-trap-ban/
[Category: Animals]
New York State Takes Important Step in Protecting People in State Custody With Prison Reform Omnibus Bill
NEW YORK, Dec. 19 [Category: Sociological] -- The Vera Institute of Justice, an organization that says its mission is to end overcriminalization and mass incarceration of people of color, immigrants and people experiencing poverty, posted the following news release:
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New York State Takes Important Step in Protecting People in State Custody With Prison Reform Omnibus Bill
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Contact: media@vera.org
NEW YORK - In response to Governor Kathy Hochul's signing of the Prison Reform Omnibus Bill, Alana Sivin, director of the Greater Justice New York initiative at the Vera Institute of Justice,
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NEW YORK, Dec. 19 [Category: Sociological] -- The Vera Institute of Justice, an organization that says its mission is to end overcriminalization and mass incarceration of people of color, immigrants and people experiencing poverty, posted the following news release:
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New York State Takes Important Step in Protecting People in State Custody With Prison Reform Omnibus Bill
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Contact: media@vera.org
NEW YORK - In response to Governor Kathy Hochul's signing of the Prison Reform Omnibus Bill, Alana Sivin, director of the Greater Justice New York initiative at the Vera Institute of Justice,issued the following statement:
"The Vera Institute of Justice thanks Governor Hochul for signing the Prison Reform Omnibus Bill today. The killings of Robert Brooks and Messiah Nantwi exposed longstanding failures in New York's prison system, underscoring the need for stronger oversight, transparency, and accountability. Today's reforms are an important step toward protecting people in state custody and ensuring their families and communities receive answers when harm occurs. New York must build on this legislation with sustained commitment to deeper systemic change to prevent future tragedies and ground our corrections system in safety, humanity, and justice." Alana Sivin, Director, Greater Justice New York, Vera Institute of Justice
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Original text here: https://www.vera.org/newsroom/new-york-state-takes-important-step-in-protecting-people-in-state-custody-with-prison-reform-omnibus-bill
NCDEQ Approves Water, Air Permits for SSEP
WASHINGTON, Dec. 19 [Category: Environment] -- The Sierra Club posted the following news release:
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NCDEQ Approves Water, Air Permits for SSEP
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RALEIGH, N.C. \- Today, the North Carolina Department of Environmental Quality has approved the water and air permits for Transco's proposed Southeast Supply Enhancement Project pipeline.
The NCDEQ approved the air permit on Dec. 18 and the water permit on Dec. 19. The SSEP project includes 55 miles of new pipeline proposed by Williams Transco that would run through Virginia and North Carolina, and also includes compressor station expansions.
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WASHINGTON, Dec. 19 [Category: Environment] -- The Sierra Club posted the following news release:
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NCDEQ Approves Water, Air Permits for SSEP
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RALEIGH, N.C. \- Today, the North Carolina Department of Environmental Quality has approved the water and air permits for Transco's proposed Southeast Supply Enhancement Project pipeline.
The NCDEQ approved the air permit on Dec. 18 and the water permit on Dec. 19. The SSEP project includes 55 miles of new pipeline proposed by Williams Transco that would run through Virginia and North Carolina, and also includes compressor station expansions.The pipeline would cross more than 150 streams and wetlands in North Carolina, using methods that can degrade water quality, pollute drinking water sources and harm habitat for aquatic species. The proposed route crosses both Jordan Lake and Randleman Lake watersheds, which together supply drinking water to more than 1 million North Carolinians and serve as a recreational area for residents across the state.
The decision to approve these permits ignored the input from five impacted municipalities, which passed resolutions expressing concern and opposition to the SSEP over the past six months. These include the town of Midway, Guilford County, Forsyth County, the city of Greensboro, and Davidson County.
In response, the Sierra Club and partners released the following statements:
"At every opportunity, North Carolinians have spoken out against SSEP," said Chris Herndon, Director of the North Carolina Chapter of the Sierra Club. "More than 750 people urged NCDEQ to deny the water permit for this project and several of the impacted counties and towns have passed resolutions opposing it. NCDEQ has chosen to ignore this clear opposition to this unnecessary and dangerous pipeline that would damage our streams, rivers, and air, putting the profits of companies like Transco ahead of the wellbeing of North Carolinians. The fight isn't over. Our communities are dedicated to protecting their health and environment and will continue to stand up to pipelines like SSEP."
"It seems like Transco has gone out of its way to choose some of the most harmful methods for this project polluting gas-powered compressor stations instead of electric and destructive dry-ditch, open-cut stream crossings," said Juhi Modi, North Carolina Field Coordinator for Appalachian Voices. "NCDEQ's decision to go along with this is baffling and contrary to its mission to protect North Carolina residents and their communities."
"Environmental harm is already high in the communities where Transco proposes to construct its Southeast Supply Enhancement Project, a proposal which puts our air, clean drinking water, rivers, and streams at risk for generations," said Dr. Crystal Cavalier-Keck of 7 Directions of Service. "NCDEQ's decision to grant SSEP's air and water permits ignores widespread public opposition and concern for health and safety. We'll keep raising our voices against SSEP, and the dangerous policies that put corporate profit over community wellbeing."
"People in North Carolina have had enough of high power bills and constant news about contamination compromising our drinking water," said Steph Gans, Assistant Director at Clean Water for North Carolina. "Approving this permit fails to meet the moment: People want to see change. We won't stop fighting for that."
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Original text here: https://www.sierraclub.org/press-releases/2025/12/ncdeq-approves-water-air-permits-ssep
Insights Into Dry Eyes Gained From Stem Cell-derived Tear Glands
EVANSTON, Illinois, Dec. 19 -- The International Society for Stem Cell Research issued the following news release:
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Insights Into Dry Eyes Gained from Stem cell-derived Tear Glands
An estimated 5-15% of people have problems with dry eyes, with symptoms including eye redness, stinging, or burning sensation, and eye fatigue. Dry eye disease (DED) occurs when the eyes' tear glands produce insufficient or poor-quality tears which can be due to allergy or autoimmune disease, hormonal changes, aging, etc. When left untreated, DED can increase the risk of eye infections and abrasion damage to
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EVANSTON, Illinois, Dec. 19 -- The International Society for Stem Cell Research issued the following news release:
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Insights Into Dry Eyes Gained from Stem cell-derived Tear Glands
An estimated 5-15% of people have problems with dry eyes, with symptoms including eye redness, stinging, or burning sensation, and eye fatigue. Dry eye disease (DED) occurs when the eyes' tear glands produce insufficient or poor-quality tears which can be due to allergy or autoimmune disease, hormonal changes, aging, etc. When left untreated, DED can increase the risk of eye infections and abrasion damage tothe ocular surface, which may impair vision.
A process called autophagy, which is needed to clear up a cell's interior from damaged proteins etc., is thought to be compromised in tear glands of people with DED. To understand the connection between DED and autophagy and to potentially open up new therapeutic avenues, Sovan Sarkar and his team from the University of Birmingham, UK, have generated tear gland organoids from stem cells, 3D structures resembling human tear glands. The work was recently published in Stem Cell Reports. These organoids contained the different cell types which build up human tear glands and made tear proteins required for eye lubrification and for the prevention of infections. Interestingly, when autophagy was disabled in the organoids using a genetic tool, the cellular composition of the organoids was disrupted, the secretion of tear proteins was reduced, and cell death was increased. Pharmacological intervention with nicotinamide mononucleotide (NMN) or melatonin had a beneficial effect in this model and helped to prevent cell death and to restore tear protein secretion in the autophagy-deficient organoids.
"Autophagy is essential for proper tissue development and organ function. Here, we provide genetic evidence that autophagy is required for glandular tissue development by using autophagy-deficient human embryonic stem cells to generate tear glands with developmental and functional defects," Sovan Sarker said.
This new human stem cell-based tear gland model will be an accessible tool to study tear gland function and how it can be modulated to prevent or treat DED.
Caption: Immunofluorescence image of cleaved caspase-3 in autophagy-deficient hESC-derived LG-like organoids, indicating high levels of cell death in the absence of autophagy.
Credit: Gamze Kocak in Sovan Sarkar lab at the University of Birmingham, UK
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About Stem Cell Reports
Stem Cell Reports is the open access, peer-reviewed journal of the International Society for Stem Cell Research (ISSCR) for communicating basic discoveries in stem cell research, in addition to translational and clinical studies. Stem Cell Reports focuses on original research with conceptual or practical advances that are of broad interest to stem cell biologists and clinicians. Stem Cell Reports is a Cell Press partner journal. Find the journal on X: @StemCellReports.
About ISSCR
With nearly 5,000 members from more than 80 countries, the International Society for Stem Cell Research (@ISSCR) is the preeminent global, cross-disciplinary, science-based organization dedicated to stem cell research and its translation to the clinic. The ISSCR mission is to promote excellence in stem cell science and applications to human health.
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Original text here: https://www.isscr.org/isscr-news/insights-into-dry-eyes-gained-from-stem-cell-derived-tear-glands
[Category: Medical]
Human Rights Watch's Submission to the UN Special Rapporteur on the Human Rights of Migrants
NEW YORK, Dec. 19 [Category: International] -- Human Rights Watch posted the following news:
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Human Rights Watch's Submission to the UN Special Rapporteur on the Human Rights of Migrants
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Human Rights Watch welcomes the opportunity to provide input to the Special Rapporteur on the Human Rights of Migrants to inform his second report on the externalization of migration management. This submission summarizes recent relevant research and analysis by Human Rights Watch, with findings related to multiple topics in the call for inputs (recent trends and human rights violations; legislation;
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NEW YORK, Dec. 19 [Category: International] -- Human Rights Watch posted the following news:
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Human Rights Watch's Submission to the UN Special Rapporteur on the Human Rights of Migrants
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Human Rights Watch welcomes the opportunity to provide input to the Special Rapporteur on the Human Rights of Migrants to inform his second report on the externalization of migration management. This submission summarizes recent relevant research and analysis by Human Rights Watch, with findings related to multiple topics in the call for inputs (recent trends and human rights violations; legislation;motivations of third states; transparency / monitoring; impacts on children), in the following contexts:
Externalizing states / institutions Cooperating states
United States
Americas : Panama, Costa Rica, El Salvador;
Africa : Eswatini, Ghana, Rwanda, South Sudan
European Union (EU); Spain Mauritania
EU; Italy; Germany; Spain; United Kingdom Tunisia
EU; Cyprus Lebanon
Australia Nauru
United States: Panama, Costa Rica, El Salvador; Eswatini, Rwanda, Ghana, South Sudan
Since the start of his second term, United States president Donald Trump has cracked down on irregular migration, unlawfully blocked access to asylum in the US for those entering through the southern border, and pursued externalization measures including soliciting the cooperation of other countries to accept third-country nationals expelled from the US.
Human Rights Watch reports in April and May 2025 documented the wrongful mass expulsions by the US in February 2025 of hundreds of third-country nationals (asylum seekers and migrants), including children, to Panama and Costa Rica. The reports document that these individuals were denied due process and the right to seek asylum in the US, faced abusive detention conditions in the US, and experienced arbitrary detention in Panama and Costa Rica. All three countries detained children for weeks in violation of international norms. None of the three governments made details of the expulsion agreements public. Panama accepted 299 people, including at least six families with children, from 13 countries. Costa Rica accepted 200 people, including 81 children, from at least 10 countries. Many subsequently returned to their home countries in circumstances that call into question whether their choices were truly voluntary.
The US also expelled over 250 Venezuelans in March and April to El Salvador, where they were transferred to the Center for Confinement of Terrorism and held incommunicado. After four months, they were released as part of a prisoner exchange and sent to Venezuela. A November 2025 Human Rights Watch report documents the serious abuses they experienced during detention in El Salvador, including arbitrary detention, enforced disappearance, systematic torture, and sexual violence.
Human Rights Watch also tracked the impact of 2025 US agreements with multiple African states - including Rwanda, Eswatini, Ghana, and South Sudan - for the expulsion of third-country nationals. The implementation of these opaque agreements, often including promised US financial assistance, subjected people to arbitrary detention, ill-treatment, and risks of refoulement. For example, after Ghana accepted over 40 West Africans deportees, its onward expulsion of some to their countries - including a bisexual Gambian man - likely violated the principle of nonrefoulement due to persecution- or torture-related risks. In Eswatini, deportees were reportedly held in harsh conditions at the Matsapha Correctional Complex.
For more information:
* November 2025 report: "'You Have Arrived in Hell': Torture and Other Abuses Against Venezuelans in El Salvador's Mega Prison," https://www.hrw.org/report/2025/11/12/you-have-arrived-in-hell/torture-and-other-abuses-against-venezuelans-in-el
* September 2025 news release: "US/Africa: Expulsion Deals Flout Rights," https://www.hrw.org/news/2025/09/23/us/africa-expulsion-deals-flout-rights
* May 2025 report: "'The Strategy Is to Break Us': The US Expulsion of Third-Country Nationals to Costa Rica," https://www.hrw.org/report/2025/05/22/the-strategy-is-to-break-us/the-us-expulsion-of-third-country-nationals-to-costa
* April 2025 report: "'Nobody Cared, Nobody Listened:' The US Expulsion of Third-Country Nationals to Panama," https://www.hrw.org/report/2025/04/24/nobody-cared-nobody-listened/the-us-expulsion-of-third-country-nationals-to
EU, Spain: Mauritania
Between 2020 and 2024, increasing numbers of migrants and asylums seekers attempted boat journeys from Africa's northwest coast towards Spain's Canary Islands. Tens of thousands arrived in the Canaries; tens of thousands more died at sea or were intercepted and prevented from leaving the African continent. In Mauritania, a transit and departure country along the route, the EU and Spain (bilaterally) ramped up their efforts to outsource migration controls, while Mauritanian authorities cracked down on irregular migration. An August 2025 Human Rights Watch report documents serious human rights violations between 2020 and early 2025 by Mauritanian security forces against migrants and asylum seekers (men, women, and children) and people accused of migrant smuggling, including violence, arbitrary arrests, inhumane detention conditions, extortion, and collective expulsions. Responsible security forces, notably the police, coast guard, and gendarmerie, continued to receive equipment, training, and other support from the EU and Spain. Access to justice and legal aid for migrants in Mauritania is limited.
The report traces border externalization measures by the EU and Spain in Mauritania that exacerbated and disregarded rights violations, including: Spain's bilateral migration control support (equipment and training) to Mauritania's coast guard and police; deployment of Spanish police and civil guard to Mauritania; EU funding and projects aimed at bolstering migration/border control in Mauritania, without adequate human rights safeguards; the European Commission's attempts to negotiate an agreement for Frontex operational deployment to Mauritania; and the 2024 EU-Mauritania migration partnership and EUR210 million EU funding package for the Mauritanian government.
For more information:
* August 2025 report, "'They Accused Me of Trying to Go to Europe': Migration Control Abuses and EU Externalization in Mauritania," https://www.hrw.org/report/2025/08/27/they-accused-me-of-trying-to-go-to-europe/migration-control-abuses-and-eu
EU, Italy, Germany, Spain, UK: Tunisia
In a report and news release in July 2023, Human Rights Watch documented serious human rights violations by the Tunisian police, military, and national guard between 2019 and 2023 against migrants, refugees, and asylum seekers of multiple African nationalities. Violations included violence, arbitrary arrests and detention, life-endangering actions at sea, forced evictions, theft of money and belongings, andsince July 2023collective expulsions of men, women and children, including asylum seekers and people with regular immigration status, to life-threatening conditions in the desert along Tunisia's borders with Libya and Algeria. In October 2023, we reported on collective expulsions of adults and children by the national guard to the Tunisia-Algerian border, following their interception at sea in September 2023. Abuses against migrants have since continued while the Tunisian government has sought to suppress civil society organizations and limit assistance for migrants, refugees, and asylum seekers, including through arrests and prosecutions of members of non-governmental organizations.
EU migration cooperation with Tunisia has largely disregarded the ongoing violations against migrants. In 2023, the EU signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Tunisia for a new "strategic partnership" and funding package of up to EUR1 billion, including EUR105 million to curb irregular migration. The MoU failed to include safeguards to prevent rights violations and ensure that EU support would not reach entities responsible for violations. In 2024, the European Ombudsman criticized the European Commission for its lack of transparency about the human rights information it relied on before signing the MoU, emphasizing the need for complaint mechanisms and explicit criteria for suspending EU funding. Previously, between 2015 and 2022, the EU had already dedicated EUR93 to EUR178 million in migration-related funding to Tunisia (including support to Tunisian security forces) under the EU Trust Fund for Africa, which the European Court of Auditors found did not comprehensively address human rights risks.
Bilaterally, EU member states including Italy, Germany, and Spain also spent millions on border control equipment and technical assistance for Tunisian security forces. The United Kingdom in 2025 announced a multi-million-pound deal with Tunisia to "target the root causes of migration" and said it had supplied equipment to help the Tunisian national guard "intercept small boats carrying irregular migrants."
For more information:
* November 2025 news release: "Tunisia: Abusive Prosecutions of Refugee Group," https://www.hrw.org/news/2025/11/24/tunisia-abusive-prosecutions-of-refugee-group
* October 2024 joint statement: "Tunisia is Not a Place of Safety for People Rescued at Sea," https://www.hrw.org/news/2024/10/04/joint-statement-tunisia-not-place-safety-people-rescued-sea
* October 2023 news release: "Tunisia: African Migrants Intercepted at Sea, Expelled," https://www.hrw.org/news/2023/10/10/tunisia-african-migrants-intercepted-sea-expelled
* September 2023 opinion: "EU Commission Should Stop Ignoring Tunisia's Abuses Against Migrants," https://www.hrw.org/news/2023/09/28/eu-commission-should-stop-ignoring-tunisias-abuses-against-migrants
* July 2023 report: "Tunisia: No Safe Haven for Black African Migrants, Refugees," https://www.hrw.org/news/2023/07/19/tunisia-no-safe-haven-black-african-migrants-refugees
EU, Cyprus: Lebanon
A 2024 Human Rights Watch report documents how the Lebanese Armed Forces and Cypriot Coast Guard and other authorities worked together to keep Syrian refugees from reaching Europe by intercepting people in boats and pushing them back or deporting them to danger in Syria between 2021 and 2024. Children were among those impacted. The report shows how the EU and its member states provided Lebanese security authorities with at least EUR16.7 million in funding from 2020 to 2023 for border/migration management, in addition to a broader EUR1 billion EU package to Lebanon for 2024-2027 that included money to the "Lebanese Armed Forces and other security forces with equipment and training for border management and to fight against smuggling."
For more information :
* September 2024 report, "'I Can't Go Home, Stay Here, or Leave': Pushbacks and Pullbacks of Syrian Refugees from Cyprus and Lebanon," https://www.hrw.org/report/2024/09/04/i-cant-go-home-stay-here-or-leave/pushbacks-and-pullbacks-syrian-refugees-cyprus
Australia: Nauru
In November 2024, Australia passed new legislation expanding its offshore detention regime, which Human Rights Watch said seeks to further evade Australia's international obligations and marks an escalation in Australia's existing mistreatment of refugees, migrants, and asylum seekers. Under three new laws amending the Migration Act ( Migration Amendment, Removal and Other Measures, and Prohibiting Items in Immigration Detention Facilities ), the government now has the authority to pay third countries to accept noncitizens, including refugees. Contrary to international standards, the laws do not include adequate safeguards to protect refugees from abuses or onward refoulement.
In January 2025, the UN Human Rights Committee found Australia responsible for the arbitrary detention of asylum seekers held offshore in Nauru. Nonetheless, in August 2025, the Australian government struck a A$400 million deal with Nauru for the expulsion/transfer of about 350 non-citizens (third-country nationals and stateless people). The government had previously been forced to release these individuals after a 2023 high court ruling found their indefinite immigration detention illegal; they could not be deported to their countries of origin due to statelessness or risks at home. Previous Human Rights Watch research has found that refugees and asylum seekers forcibly transferred to Nauru suffered severe abuse, inhumane treatment, and neglect. Some died from medical neglect and suicide.
For more information:
* September 2025 opinion: "Australia Should Halt Plan to Deport Refugees, Migrants to Nauru," https://www.hrw.org/news/2025/09/03/australia-should-halt-plan-to-deport-refugees-migrants-to-nauru
* November 2024 opinion: "Australia Passes Harsh New Anti-Migration Laws," https://www.hrw.org/news/2024/11/28/australia-passes-harsh-new-anti-migration-laws
Recommendations
To externalizing states and institutions (Australia, US, UK, EU institutions & member states):
* Respect the right of everyone to seek asylum under international law, regardless of immigration status; uphold due process rights; and ensure humane treatment during any immigration-related arrests, detention, deportations, or other operations.
* Ensure no migration-control funding is disbursed to external governmental entities committing human rights violations against migrants or asylum seekers. Suspend financial support to and cease joint operations with security forces in contexts where serious violations have been documented; set human rights benchmarks for future support.
* Reduce deterrence and securitization approaches to migration policy. Instead, redirect personnel and resources to expand legal pathways for migration and asylum; humanitarian aid and protection services; search-and-rescue operations at sea; and support to locally designed and managed projects in countries of origin and transit focused on development, jobs, legal aid, and reintegration support for returned migrants.
* Cease all expulsions/transfers of noncitizens to third countries and any efforts toward such deals. Allow people wrongfully removed to return and seek asylum in line with international obligations. Process asylum claims at borders and within the territory, rather than outsourcing this responsibility to countries with limited capacity to assess claims or provide protection, to ensure respect for the principle of nonrefoulement: the obligation not to return people to a country where they face risks of persecution or other harm.
To cooperating states :
* Ensure respect for the rights of migrants, asylum seekers, and refugees. Hold to account any security force personnel who commit violations. Cease collective or arbitrary/summary expulsions and ensure due process in immigration proceedings, including individual case reviews and access to asylum procedures.
* Cease accepting third-country nationals expelled or transferred from other states. If any such transfers take place, they should only occur under a formal agreement ensuring strict adherence to due process and international law, including access to full and fair asylum procedures and protection from arbitrary detention and refoulement.
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Original text here: https://www.hrw.org/news/2025/12/19/human-rights-watchs-submission-to-the-un-special-rapporteur-on-the-human-rights-of
Congress Must Return from the Holidays with a Plan to Extend the Enhanced Premium Tax Credits and Protect Affordable, Quality Coverage Options for Cancer Patients and Survivors
WASHINGTON, Dec. 19 [Category: Medical] -- The American Cancer Society Cancer Action Network posted the following news release:
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Congress Must Return from the Holidays with a Plan to Extend the Enhanced Premium Tax Credits and Protect Affordable, Quality Coverage Options for Cancer Patients and Survivors
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WASHINGTON, D.C. - With Congress done for the year without extending the enhanced premium tax credits that are set to expire on December 31, the American Cancer Society Cancer Action Network (ACS CAN) urges members of the Senate and the House to prioritize the health and wellbeing of
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WASHINGTON, Dec. 19 [Category: Medical] -- The American Cancer Society Cancer Action Network posted the following news release:
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Congress Must Return from the Holidays with a Plan to Extend the Enhanced Premium Tax Credits and Protect Affordable, Quality Coverage Options for Cancer Patients and Survivors
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WASHINGTON, D.C. - With Congress done for the year without extending the enhanced premium tax credits that are set to expire on December 31, the American Cancer Society Cancer Action Network (ACS CAN) urges members of the Senate and the House to prioritize the health and wellbeing oftheir constituents and come together in a bipartisan way to extend these tax credits when they return in 2026.
Lisa Lacasse, president of ACS CAN, released the following statement:
"For two years, ACS CAN has been calling on Congress to come together to extend the enhanced premium tax credits that made it possible for millions of people to access affordable, quality health insurance. We are heartened that more and more members across the House and Senate are seeing a need to act. Our cancer advocates have spent months raising the alarm about what it would mean in the fight against cancer for millions to lose access as premium costs skyrocket and coverage becomes unaffordable. They know, just as the research shows, that without access to the care they need, people will live sicker and die sooner.
"With just days remaining before the December 31 deadline to extend these tax credits, Congress has left this business unfinished. People's lives are on the line; they can't afford to delay potentially lifesaving cancer screening, detection and treatment.
"Come January 1, health care costs for millions of families will go up. When Congress returns in January, lawmakers have an opportunity to come together to prioritize timely access to affordable, meaningful health care by extending the enhanced tax credits. Comprehensive health insurance isn't a 'nice to have,' it is a necessity.
"ACS CAN is once again calling on Congress to extend these tax credits as quickly as possible."
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Original text here: https://www.fightcancer.org/releases/congress-must-return-holidays-plan-extend-enhanced-premium-tax-credits-and-protect
