International Migrants Reach 304 Million Globally in 2024

The global number of international migrants reached 304 million in 2024, doubling since 1990, with countries like Qatar, the United Arab Emirates, and Kuwait hosting the highest proportions due to their reliance on foreign labor and the kafala system. The United States remains the country with the largest total migrant population at 52.4 million, with the Mexico-to-U.S. corridor being the busiest worldwide. Meanwhile, in India, the government plans to include migration statistics in its Periodic Labour Force Survey starting in 2026 to better track migration trends, revealing that nearly 29% of the population has migrated, with marriage being the leading cause for women and employment for men. Separately, some U.S. Republican senators advocate for regime change in Iran, arguing it would weaken Iran’s regional proxies and benefit Israel, but critics warn such actions historically increase migrant flows to the West, as seen after Libya’s regime change. This potential migrant crisis factor is often overlooked in calls for intervention, highlighting the complex geopolitical and humanitarian consequences of regime change strategies.