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Unchecked mass migration, particularly in Western nations where millions have settled after leaving third-world countries, tends to erode national sovereignty, one expert said—an issue President Donald Trump highlighted during his speech last week in front of other world leaders at the United Nations General Assembly.
As migrants continue to reach Western shores, those countries are grappling with stretched resources and tensions between newly arrived immigrants, some here illegally, and the native population, many of whom feel their best interests and cultural identity are being overlooked by government bureaucrats.
The pushback stands in contrast to the vision of “global citizenship” advocated by entities like the World Economic Forum and U.N. initiatives, set against the rise of nationalist opposition led by figures like Trump.
Much of the push for illegal migration comes from non-governmental groups and other grantmaking networks, Lora Ries, director of the Border Security and Immigration Center at The Heritage Foundation, told Digital.
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Migrans in in Ceuta, Spain, on Aug. 20, 2026. The migrants were relocated following a historic mass influx of more than 70,000 migrants who crossed the Tarajal on July 30 and 31. Experts have warned that mass migration can erode the sovereignty of the countries that taken them in if the influx is left unchecked. (Europa Press via Getty Images)
“It’s no coincidence that we’ve seen the same tactics in a handful of countries at the same time, whether that’s to the U.K., to France, to Germany, other parts of Western Europe, or to the U.S., particularly during Biden’s four years,” said Ries. “And what that does is it erodes the sovereignty of the nation-state. So no longer do people in a nation get to decide who’s coming, how many, for what reason, and for how long, and whether people are complying with our laws.”
Groups like the U.N., World Economic Forum, and International Organization for Migration (IOM) all advocate for managed, regular, and lawful migration while treating mobility as a natural economic and demographic reality.
However, European countries are being stretched thin as migrants continue to change the demographic and cultural landscape within their borders, critics of mass migration say. Ries cited the lack of assimilation among some migrants, the formation of ethnic enclaves, language shifts, and hesitation by law enforcement and elected officials to address the matter driven by political correctness.
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Migrants run and cheer as they cross on foot into the North African enclave of Ceuta from Morocco, after swimming over from the Moroccan side and overwhelming police at the city’s breakwater, according to Spain’s Guardia Civil, in Ceuta, Spain, July 30, 2026. (FARO TV via Reuters)
“And now we’ve got Western countries like the U.K. and France really teetering on, are they still the same countries?” said Ries. “The U.S. is on the same path—we’re just further behind. And so now… we have to ask ourselves, ‘Do we want to continue down the same path that the U.K. has been on? Or do we want to get off this path?’”
During Trump’s speech last week at the United Nations General Assembly, he reiterated his administration’s hardline position on defending American borders while criticizing the U.N.
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Illegal migrants try to board smugglers’ boats in an attempt to cross the English Channel off the beach of Gravelines, northern France on Sept. 27, 2025. (Sameer Al-Doumy/AFP via Getty Images)
“It is deeply ironic that the United Nations has an entire institution, the UNESCO group of people and countries, devoted to protecting cultural heritage—yet, with their ceaseless promotion of mass migration, these globalists are actively destroying the greatest cultures and most extraordinary heritage in history,” he said. “There is no human right to illegal immigration, but there is a right to remain a sovereign nation.”
The IOM, an arm of the U.N., states that it’s committed to the principle that humane and orderly migration benefits migrants and society. Ries cited the U.N. 2030 agenda, the universal action plan adopted in 2015 by its member states to combat poverty and fight climate change.
At the heart of the plan are 17 sustainable development goals.
“They view mass migration as a way to achieve some… all of those 17 goals of sustainable development. But it’s certainly not sustainable for the nation-states that are being overrun,” Ries said.
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President Donald Trump delivers remarks to the United Nations General Assembly at the UN headquarters in New York City on Sept. 23, 2025. (Timothy A. Clary/AFP via Getty Images)
One aspect of the mass migration crisis is the asylum process, which critics say is ripe for abuse, allowing people into countries despite not having a valid claim and rendering asylum and refugee protection meaningless.
“We need to get back to the original objective grounds for persecution, which is it has to be a government actor persecuting you on account of your race, your religion, your nationality, or political opinion,” Ries said. “And really get the meaning of persecution back into a box, because right now it is so watered down.”
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“Good for President Trump for calling this out on this world stage,” she added. “We need other leaders to do the same. It takes a lot of political courage, a lot of political will, and the ability to say no to this global funding and these major donors that are involved in this racket.”
On Monday, a migrant caravan that began last week in Honduras crossed into Mexico as hundreds head north toward the U.S.-Mexico border.
“Migrants considering making the dangerous journey to our country should also be aware that the days of ‘catch and release’ are over, and Biden’s disastrous open border policy has been SEALED SHUT,” the Department of Homeland Security said in response.
