The UN refugee agency has warned that refugees and asylum seekers are increasingly being politicised and used as scapegoats. UNHCR chief Barham Salih said nearly 118 million people were forcibly displaced at the end of 2025, even as funding for humanitarian protection fell sharply. Restrictions on asylum, hostile political rhetoric and major staff reductions are weakening the international response, he said, urging governments to defend the right to seek safety and share responsibility.