Millions sought asylum in 2022 but now countries are closing their doors

Rapidly reported and visualized breaking UN data showing 2.9 million asylum applications in 2022—the highest number since UNHCR began tracking in 2000. When the dataset dropped days earlier than expected, I pivoted quickly to analyze global migration patterns and interview policy experts, producing the story on an accelerated timeline. The piece identified that 40% of applications came from Latin America and the Caribbean, contextualizing a historic surge driving political debates across the U.S. and Europe.