The Trump administration‘s stringent immigration policies are disproportionately affecting nations most susceptible to climate-driven disasters, according to a comprehensive analysis. As the administration advocates for increased fossil fuel use, millions are compelled to flee their homelands due to intensified storms, floods, and droughts exacerbated by the climate crisis.
An in-depth examination of data from the Notre Dame Global Adaptation Initiative reveals that out of the 39 countries with restricted entry to the US, 22 are among the most vulnerable to climate impacts. This stark reality underscores the urgent need to address the intersection of climate change and immigration policies.
Climate Vulnerability and Immigration Restrictions
Countries like Chad and Niger, ranked as the most climate-vulnerable globally, face complete bans on immigration to the US. Similarly, Sudan, Somalia, and Sierra Leone, all within the top 10 most exposed to climate impacts, are also affected by these restrictions. Honduras, another highly vulnerable nation, has experienced severe weather events, including Hurricane Mitch in 1998, which killed 7,000 people and left devastation in its wake.
Evelyn, a teenager during Hurricane Mitch, recalls the devastation: “There were bodies and dead animals floating in the water, the house was messed up, the furniture was all gone – doors, windows gone. It was so, so sad.” Her family’s plea to move to the US highlights the desperate situation faced by many in climate-vulnerable regions.
The Impact of Climate-Driven Displacement
The United Nations estimates that severe heatwaves, droughts, storms, and floods have displaced 250 million people globally over the past decade. In 2026, nearly 30 million people were internally displaced by disasters, with wildfires being a significant cause. However, there are no official pathways for so-called “climate refugees” to seek protection in other countries, as neither US law nor the UN’s 1951 refugee convention recognizes environmental disasters as a valid reason for asylum.
Jocelyn Perry, program manager of the climate displacement program at Refugees International, emphasizes the growing number of climate refugees: “People are being displaced by climate change, the number is growing every year and, increasingly, the displacements are permanent.” She notes that residents of developing countries now blacklisted by the US struggle to cope with the loss of crops, sea level rise, and other climate-related upheavals.
The Future of Climate Migration
Efforts to update the US immigration system to include consideration of the climate crisis have so far been unsuccessful. The 1952 Immigration and Nationality Act does not include protections for those displaced by environmental degradation. Democratic lawmakers have introduced the Climate Displaced Persons Act to amend the Act and provide legal status and resettlement support to climate-displaced individuals. However, the political environment makes the passage of such legislation unlikely.
Yael Schacher, director for the Americas and Europe at Refugees International, suggests that future administrations might focus on adaptation funding to help people stay in their home countries rather than creating new visa pathways. “We have our own displacement in the US, too – we aren’t immune from this,” she notes, highlighting the broader implications of climate change on migration.
