The Morning Edition ‘They view it as a contagion’: Why Trump wants our migrant data
Nov 25, 2025
Michael Koziol, a North America correspondent and journalist, delves into Trump's controversial directive for U.S. diplomats in Canberra to gather data on migrant crime. He discusses the administration's claim that migration threatens Western civilization and how it exploits cultural differences to stoke fear. The conversation highlights the unusual shift in priorities for U.S. reporting on human rights and the implications for Australia's domestic politics. Koziol also considers whether this move could exacerbate the migration debate in Australia.
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US Seeks Migrant Crime Data
- The US embassy in Canberra was told to collect data on crimes and human rights abuses involving migrants for the State Department's report.
- Michael Koziol says many Western countries don't break down crime by migration status, making the task unclear.
Western Allies Targeted
- The cable went primarily to Western countries, especially in Europe, plus Canada, Australia and New Zealand.
- The State Department said the directive could be expanded later.
Migration Framed As Cultural Threat
- The senior official framed migration from "radically different cultures" as a cause of unrest, explicitly linking some European crimes to "radical Islam."
- Koziol says the Trump administration is unabashed about this prejudiced framing.