Policies of forced migration of populations due to environmental degradation pose a real challenge for public institutions, and they expose migrants to a certain number of potential risks, particularly in emerging countries such as China. This article aims to explore the contribution of institutional governance and migrant participation to the mitigation of these risks. Based on an empirical survey conducted in two villages in Ningxia autonomous province of China, we consider the dynamic and interactive relations between migrants and local government. We find that the (non)participatory nature of local institutions plays a fundamental role in determining the success or failure of the migration policies. Thus, the risks of impoverishment and social dislocation are not inevitable consequences imposed on migrants: when given the opportunity, they can respond, adapt, influence, and even improve projects in order to promote their interests and mitigate the risks to which they are exposed.