Lora Ries, director of the Border Security and Immigration Center at The Heritage Foundation, stated that unchecked mass migration in Western nations erodes national sovereignty. Ries made these remarks to Fox News Digital, noting that the issue was highlighted by President Donald Trump during his speech at the United Nations General Assembly last week.
Ries argued that non-governmental groups and grantmaking networks drive much of the push for illegal migration. She observed that similar tactics have appeared simultaneously in the United Kingdom, France, Germany, and the United States, particularly during the four years of President Joe Biden's administration. According to Ries, this trend prevents people within a nation from deciding who enters the country, the number of arrivals, the reasons for entry, and the duration of stay.
The expert contrasted this development with the vision of global citizenship promoted by the World Economic Forum and United Nations initiatives. Organizations such as the International Organization for Migration advocate for managed, regular, and lawful migration, treating mobility as a natural economic and demographic reality. Ries cited the United Nations 2030 Agenda, a universal action plan adopted by member states in 2015 to combat poverty and fight climate change. She claimed that these bodies view mass migration as a method to achieve the 17 sustainable development goals contained in that plan.
Ries asserted that this approach is not sustainable for nation-states being overrun. She pointed to a lack of assimilation among some migrants, the formation of ethnic enclaves, and language shifts as contributing factors. She also noted that law enforcement and elected officials often hesitate to address these matters due to political correctness. Ries questioned whether Western countries like the United Kingdom and France remain the same countries they were before these demographic changes.
During his address at the United Nations General Assembly, President Trump criticized globalist entities for promoting mass migration. He stated that there is no human right to illegal immigration, but there is a right to remain a sovereign nation. Trump specifically criticized the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization for protecting cultural heritage while its member states promote migration that he described as destructive to those cultures.
The International Organization for Migration, an arm of the United Nations, maintains that it is committed to the principle that humane and orderly migration benefits both migrants and society. Ries argued that the current asylum process is prone to abuse, allowing individuals without valid claims into countries. She called for a return to original objective grounds for persecution, which require a government actor to persecute an individual based on race, religion, nationality, or political opinion.
On Monday, a migrant caravan that began in Honduras crossed into Mexico as hundreds traveled north toward the U.S.-Mexico border. In response, the Department of Homeland Security stated that the days of catch and release are over and that the open border policy associated with the Biden administration has been sealed shut.