Tripoli- The campaigns launched by Libyan security services, on the evening of Tuesday, June 3, in the Sarraj area, west of the capital, Tripoli, against irregular immigrants, brought the immigration issue back to the forefront of the political and social scene in the country.
These campaigns came at a time when popular fears of the growing numbers of migrants and refugees are rising, and European pressures related to transit routes towards the northern bank of the Mediterranean are increasing.
In recent days, the hashtag “No to resettlement” has spread widely on social media platforms, coinciding with the circulation of video clips showing gatherings of migrants in a number of Libyan cities.
There were also allegations about the issuance of documents to migrants by the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees, which prompted official and international institutions to issue explanatory statements and warnings about undocumented information.
These developments come at a time when the migration file in Libya is no longer limited to being a transit issue towards Europe, but has gradually turned into an internal file that raises increasing political, economic, and security discussions within the country.
At the heart of the migration map
According to the latest data from the International Organization for Migration, the number of migrants inside Libya reached about 936,000 migrants until the end of 2025, which is the highest number monitored by the organization since the start of regular monitoring operations in the country.
Data indicate that Sudanese, Nigerians, Egyptians, Chadians, and Nigerians represent the largest percentage of immigrants inside Libya, while the main concentrations are concentrated in Tripoli, Benghazi, Misrata, Sebha, and the surrounding agricultural and industrial areas.
This increase is due to several factors, including:
- Continued demand for foreign labor in the construction, agricultural, and service sectors.
- Security and economic crises in source countries.
- The expansion of the southern Libyan border and the difficulty of fully monitoring it.
- The Sudanese war that broke out on April 15, 2023 also contributed to increasing pressure on Libya, with the influx of large numbers of Sudanese fleeing the conflict.
Refugees and migrants
Amid the ongoing controversy, the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees confirms that there is widespread confusion between the concepts of “refugee” and “migrant.”
The UNHCR said in a special statement to Al Jazeera Net that refugees are people who were forced to leave their countries due to wars, persecution, conflicts, or the collapse of public order, and they need international protection until conditions improve in their countries.
As for migrants, they move for various reasons, including work, improving economic conditions, or searching for better living opportunities, and their legal statuses differ from those of refugees and asylum seekers.
The Commission added that its mandate is limited to people who may need international protection, while managing migration and regulating residency and borders remain the sovereign prerogatives of the Libyan state.
What are the limits of the role of UNHCR?
With the escalation of talk about “settlement”, the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees denied to Al Jazeera Net the implementation of any programs or arrangements to settle refugees or migrants inside Libya.
She stressed that Libya is not a resettlement country within its programs, and that its role is limited to providing humanitarian protection and basic assistance to people who may need international protection, in coordination with the competent Libyan authorities.
She explained that registering refugees does not grant the right to residency, citizenship, work, or resettlement within Libya, but rather aims to identify people in need of international protection and assess their humanitarian needs.
She added that more than 83% of the people registered with her inside Libya are Sudanese who fled the war in their country.
She also indicated that more than 15,000 people have left Libya since 2017 through evacuation programs to third countries, and according to other available legal paths, people in need of international protection have been resettled.
Transit country or temporary settlement country?
Although the name Libya is traditionally associated with migration boats heading to Europe, the current reality is more complex. While many migrants use Libya as a transit point towards Europe, others have settled for years within the country and engaged in various economic sectors, especially in construction, agriculture, services, hygiene, and craft work.
Researchers believe that Libya now combines two characteristics at the same time: a major transit country towards Europe, and a temporary settlement country for large segments of foreign workers coming from sub-Saharan African countries, Egypt and Sudan.
The most dangerous
The geographical location of Libya gives special importance in the migration file, as its land borders extend for about 4,400 kilometers with six countries: Egypt, Sudan, Chad, Niger, Algeria, and Tunisia, in addition to a coastline of more than 1,900 kilometers on the Mediterranean Sea.
The International Organization for Migration classifies the Central Mediterranean route, a large proportion of its flights depart from the Libyan coast, as one of the most dangerous migration routes in the world.
In recent years, this route has recorded thousands of deaths and missing cases during attempts to cross to Europe.
During the past few days, Greek media outlets, including the newspapers Kathimerini and To Vima, reported the arrival of hundreds of migrants to the islands of Crete and Gavdos, noting that a significant percentage of arrivals departed from the Libyan coast, especially from the eastern regions near Tobruk.
Greek newspapers also reported intensive contacts between Athens, the European Union, and the Libyan authorities to confront the increasing flows expected during the summer.
Rapid official movements
On the internal level, the Zliten Security Directorate announced during the past few days the start of new procedures to regulate the conditions of foreigners residing in the city, which included registering those without official documents and reviewing the conditions of expatriate workers in coordination with the heads of the African communities.
Municipalities and other security agencies have also launched similar measures to regulate foreign presence, follow up on violators, and deport them in accordance with applicable laws.
In the same context, the Batnan Security Directorate warned against renting properties to illegal immigrants, while the Zuwara Municipality took measures to regulate the movement of foreigners within the city.
As the popular debate escalated, official institutions in the east and west of the country announced similar positions on the issue. The Libyan House of Representatives confirmed its rejection of any projects or arrangements that might lead to settlement or demographic change, considering that national sovereignty and Libyan identity are a “red line.”
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Government of National Unity also renewed its rejection of any trends related to the resettlement of migrants inside Libya, and called for expressing opinions through peaceful means and respecting international missions and organizations operating in the country.
The government appointed by the House of Representatives, headed by Osama Hammad, announced its adherence to the same position, stressing the rejection of any arrangements that might lead to permanent stability for migrants within Libyan territory.
On the other hand, the United Nations Support Mission in Libya expressed its concern about the spread of misinformation and inflammatory speeches related to the migration issue, warning of the dangers of hate speech, discrimination, and violence against migrants and refugees.
Accurate balancing
The current controversy reflects the extent of the complexity surrounding the migration file in Libya, where security, demographic, and economic considerations overlap with international humanitarian and legal obligations.
While the Libyan authorities continue deportation campaigns and regulate the conditions of migrants, international organizations confirm that addressing the phenomenon requires a careful balance between protecting borders and respecting human rights.
In light of the continuing conflicts and crises in neighboring countries, and the increasing European pressures to limit migration flows across the Mediterranean, it seems that the migration file will remain one of the most sensitive and influential files on the Libyan scene during the next stage.
