How are countries responding to the increasing refugee crisis in 2023?

Countries responded to rising displacement in 2023 with a mix of temporary protection, asylum processing, resettlement and tighter border controls. There was no single international approach: policies depended on where people were fleeing from, the capacity of host countries and domestic politics.

The scale was considerable. UNHCR estimated that more than 110 million people were forcibly displaced by mid-2023. That figure includes refugees, asylum seekers and people displaced within their own countries, so it is broader than the number of people who crossed an international border to seek refuge.

Different responses in different regions

For people fleeing Ukraine, European Union countries used temporary protection, giving millions access to residence, work, education and basic services without requiring each person to complete the usual asylum process first. Elsewhere, neighboring countries continued to host large refugee populations. Uganda maintained a policy that generally allows refugees to move and work, while Colombia’s temporary protection scheme continued to give many Venezuelans a route to legal residence.

In the United States, the government opened some legal entry pathways, including humanitarian parole programs, while also introducing stricter rules for people arriving at the southern border after pandemic-era border restrictions ended. Across Europe, governments debated how to share responsibility for asylum applications, and several increased border enforcement or proposed limits on migration.

Protection was only part of the response

Host countries and aid agencies also provided shelter, health care, schooling and food assistance. But neighboring countries often carried the heaviest, long-term costs, while humanitarian appeals struggled to secure enough funding. For refugees, that can mean overcrowded services, fewer opportunities to work legally and uncertainty about whether they can stay.

So the overall response in 2023 was mixed: some governments expanded legal protection and access to services, while others focused more on deterrence and border control. The central challenge was not just admitting people, but sharing responsibility and sustaining support after they arrived.