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PeakMetrics / Fact Checks

Immigration fact checks

Explore claims publishers have checked about immigration. Read their original ratings and follow the evidence.

1,620 published reviews in this topic

PA MediaImmigration

Home Secretary Suella Braverman has told MPs there are “100 million people around the world who could qualify for protection under our current laws” and “they are coming here”. She added in an opinion article that there are “likely billions more eager to come here if possible”. The Home Secretary’s comments came as the Government announced new legislation to control migration into the UK.

Publisher’s rating: There are around 100 million displaced people around the world, but the majority of these are still in their own countries. There is no evidence that 100 million people are coming to the UK or that billions more are eager to come to the UK.

Deutsche Presse-AgenturImmigration

Zwei Ukrainer, die in Deutschland derzeit für den Umgang mit dem Kampfpanzer Leopard 2 trainiert werden, haben politisches Asyl in Deutschland beantragt. Das berichtete die Financial Times.

Publisher’s rating: Falsch. Der zweite Absatz in dem Screenshot wurde manipuliert und die Geschichte über die zwei Soldaten erfunden. In dem Original-Text ist von den Soldaten und den Asylanträgen nie die Rede gewesen. Das bestätigte eine FT-Sprecherin auf Anfrage. Derweil hat das Bundesinnenministerium keine Hinweise darauf, dass ukrainische Soldaten im Rahmen der Ausbildung Asylanträge gestellt haben.

The claim concerned a supposed Financial Times report that two Ukrainian soldiers in Germany for Leopard 2 training had applied for political asylum. The review examined a screenshot circulating online that attributed the story to an FT article titled “Ukrainian troops to start training on Leopard 2 tanks next week,” which the FT had published on February 2, 2023. The screenshot’s alleged asylum passage was not in the published article: the review’s comparison found that the corresponding paragraph instead described preparations for training the Ukrainian forces. The review also reported that archived versions of the FT article from February 2 and 3 did not contain the asylum passage. An FT spokesperson confirmed to the German Press Agency that the circulating screenshot was fake and that the alleged paragraph had never appeared. Separately, the German Interior Ministry said it had no information that Ukrainian soldiers had applied for asylum in connection with the training. The evidence therefore supports the review’s conclusion that the claim attributed to the FT rested on a manipulated screenshot, not on the original article.

Factcrescendo ThailandImmigration

เกาหลีใต้ขึ้นบัญชีดำ คนไทยจาก 4 จังหวัด คือ ขอนแก่น, ศรีสะเกษ, อุดรธานี และยโสธร

Publisher’s rating: False

The claim concerned a social-media report that South Korea would blacklist Thai nationals from four northeastern provinces—Khon Kaen, Udon Thani, Sisaket and Yasothon—because of alleged illegal employment in South Korea. The review says the post was shared by the Facebook page “Thairath – ไทยรัฐออนไลน์” on March 11 and circulated widely. It also notes that the review’s account of the claim described the proposed measure as stricter screening, while the post’s headline said the four provinces’ residents would be blacklisted. The review reports that the four-province blacklist allegation was false. The review cites a statement posted on March 13 on the website of the Embassy of the Republic of Korea in Thailand. According to the text reproduced in the review, the embassy addressed reports about blacklisting Thai people from certain regions and said they were untrue. The review also reports that Thailand’s Department of Information, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, checked the information and said the South Korean government had not issued such a measure. The evidence presented therefore directly addresses the alleged government policy, rather than merely discussing illegal work or travel screening in general: both the embassy statement and the ministry’s clarification concern the reported regional blacklist. The excerpt does not provide the underlying embassy webpage or ministry statement as separate evidence, so their wording and conclusions here are attributed to the review’s account of those statements.

PA MediaImmigration

There is no huge influx. We take far fewer refugees than other major European countries.

Publisher’s rating: Supported by data to some extent: Data from the House of Commons (HoC) library supports the claim that the UK proportionally takes in fewer refugees than most other European countries. The HoC library figures show that the UK ranks 16th when compared with the 27 EU countries for the number of asylum claims granted in 2021 after accounting for population sizes. Disregarding population size, the UK ranks 8th when compared with the 27 EU countries for the number of asylum claims granted in 2021.

YouturnImmigration

வடநாட்டவர் கடும் உழைப்பாளிகள் தமிழர்கள் உழைக்காமல் இலவசங்களை எதிர்பார்த்து கையேந்தி நிற்கின்ற அவலமான காலகட்டத்தில் தமிழகத்திற்கான உழைப்புத் தேவையை நிறைவேற்றுபவர்கள் வடநாட்டவர்தான். அவர்களுக்கு வாக்குரிமை அளித்து அவர்களை இங்கேயே நிரந்தரமாக குடியேற்ற வழி செய்யவேண்டும். ஐ- வானதி சீனிவாசன், பாஜக எம்.எல்.ஏனியர்.

Publisher’s rating: Fake

Factcrescendo Sri LankaImmigration

Chatura Alwis Left Sri Lanka & Relocated To Canada !!

Publisher’s rating: Misleading

The review examined social-media posts claiming that Derana journalist Chatura Alwis had moved to Canada permanently. Those posts used a photo of Alwis with Sri Lankan businessman Riyaz Rouf at Toronto airport and claimed that Alwis had migrated with his family; other posts alleged that he had gone to seek political asylum. The review’s investigation addressed that specific trip and those claims, rather than whether Alwis had ever travelled to Canada. The review says it searched social media for “Chathura Alwis” and “Canada” and found a “Travel with Chathura Canada Tour” post. It then contacted Derana Media Network, which said Alwis had travelled to film programs for “Travel with Chathura” and “Talk with Chathura” and would return to Sri Lanka when the work was complete. Alwis gave the same explanation when contacted, and his official Facebook account showed filming in Canada for the programs. The airport photo did not establish that Alwis had relocated: Rouf said he welcomed Alwis because they knew each other, and that Alwis arrived without his family. The review concluded that the claim of a permanent move was false, describing the trip as work-related filming in Canada with an expected return to Sri Lanka.

BR24 FaktenfuchsImmigration

Flüchtlinge belasten nur die Sozialsysteme

Publisher’s rating: Das ist irreführend. Etwa 55 Prozent der Geflüchteten, die 2015 nach Deutschland kamen, sind hier heute erwerbstätig. Fluchtmigration kostet den deutschen Staat aber Geld. Investitionen in die Integration lohnen sich laut Ökonomen aber.

BR24 FaktenfuchsImmigration

Seit 2014 sind 2,9 Millionen (illegale) Migranten nach Deutschland gekommen.

Publisher’s rating: Das ist falsch. Die Zahl stammt vom Statistischen Bundesamt. Richtig ist, dass die Gesamtbevölkerung Deutschlands seit Ende 2014 um rund 2,9 Millionen Menschen gewachsen ist. Bei der Berechnung des Bevölkerungszuwachses fließen laut Angaben des Statistischen Bundesamts Zahlen zu Geburten, Sterbefällen, Zuzügen und Fortzügen mit ein. “Die Nettozuwanderung von Ausländerinnen und Ausländern zwischen 31.12.2014 und 30.06.2022 beläuft sich auf rund 4,8 Millionen”, schreibt das Statistische Bundesamt an den #Faktenfuchs. Zu den Menschen, die zuwanderten, zählen neben Geflüchteten auch EU-Zuwanderer, also Arbeitsmigranten.