U.S. Directs Embassies to Document Human Rights Abuses Linked to Mass Migration in Western Hemisphere

The U.S. State Department has instructed American embassies across the Western Hemisphere to identify and report human rights abuses tied to mass migration, the department said in posts on X. The guidance asks diplomatic missions to document crimes occurring along transnational migration routes and to evaluate whether national policies contribute to large-scale movements of people.

Office lights are illuminated in the U.S. Department of State headquarters building at dusk on July 11, 2025, in Washington, D.C.

What the State Department Said

The department said mass migration and the criminal networks that enable it have caused serious harms — including recurring flows of deadly drugs and threats to public safety. Officials described groups they called 'narco-terror' actors as participating in severe human rights violations across the region.

Secretary of State Marco Rubio (R) looks on as President Donald Trump (C) meets with Argentina's President Javier Milei in the Cabinet Room at the White House in Washington, D.C., on Oct. 14, 2025.

'The narco-terror organizations that facilitate mass migration routinely engage in child trafficking, forced labor, sexual assault, and other heinous human rights abuses,' the State Department said in its posts.

What Embassies Will Do

Under the new guidance, U.S. embassies will:

• Report incidents of human rights abuses and criminal activity linked to migration routes;
• Press regional governments to confront trafficking and related abuses;
• Assess whether local policies facilitate mass migration or prioritize migrants over citizens;
• Coordinate with U.S. and regional partners to respond to what the department calls a 'global crisis.'

Officials say the effort aims to improve diplomatic engagement, target transnational criminal networks, and provide a clearer picture of the humanitarian and security impacts of migration across the hemisphere. The State Department emphasized its readiness to work with partners to reduce abuses and strengthen the rule of law.