Migration remains a contentious issue, and the movement of undocumented migrants crossing EU borders is high on the agenda. However, many policies designed to manage arrivals and prevent the movement of migrants and refugees within the EU have proved ineffective. The EU-funded SOLROUTES project examines the characteristics and trends of unauthorised migration in relation to solidarity networks, using ethnography, collaborative methods and digital research. The project explores the link between migration routes and solidarity networks by examining 50 key nodes along migration routes passing through Turkey, Tunisia, Morocco and the EU’s outermost regions (French Guiana and Mayotte). SOLROUTES develops an innovative theory within migration studies and identifies distinctive features, offering new narratives for policy-makers, local communities and other relevant stakeholders.