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Date: April 30, 2024 Tue
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Results for migrants
160 results foundAuthor: Images Asia Title: Migrating with Hope: Burmese Women Working in Thailand and the Sex Industry Summary: This report attempts to present and highlight the needs, interests, and realities of undocumented migrant women from Burma working as sex-workers in Thailand. The final conclusions and recommendations suggest ways in which the governments in the region can adapt policy and legislate for better protection of undocumented migrant laborers, particularly Burmese sex workers. Details: Muang Chiangmai, Thailand: Images Asia, 1997 Source: Year: 1997 Country: Thailand URL: Shelf Number: 115681 Keywords: BurmaFemalesMigrantsProstitution |
Author: Horwood, Chris Title: In Pursuit of the Southern Dream Victims of Necessity: Assessment of the Irregular Movement of Men from East Africa and the Horn to South Africa Summary: This document summarizes the research and findings of a project investigating the irregular movement of men from East Africa and the Horn of Africa to the Republic of South Africa (RSA). The key findings elaborated in this assessment concern the logistics, economics, causal factors and trends in the smuggling of migrants south through the eastern corridor of the African continent. It also emphasizes the dynamics of the abuse and exploitation of these irregular migrants during their multi-country journey. Details: Geneva: International Organization for Migration, 2009 Source: Year: 2009 Country: Switzerland URL: Shelf Number: 116662 Keywords: Human SmugglingMigrants |
Author: Pearson, Elaine Title: Underpaid, Overworked and Overlooked: Volume 1, The Realities of Young Migrant Workers in Thailand Summary: This report assesses economic, legal, social and policy factors affecting four sectors where trafficking of children and women is known or suspected to occur in Thailand: agriculture, domestic service, fishing boats and fish processing, and manufacturing and domestic work. Details: Geneva: International Labour Office, 2006. 176p. Source: Internet Source; The Mekong Challenge Year: 2006 Country: Thailand URL: Shelf Number: 117641 Keywords: Forced LaborHuman TraffickingMigrants |
Author: Saha, K.C. Title: Smuggling of Migrants from India to Europe and in Particular to UK: A Study on Tamil Nadu Summary: This field-based research study is a preliminary assessment of the situation of irregular migration from Tamil Nadu, India. As part of the study, an examination of records of relevant government agencies in the public domain, secondary data, as well as focus group studies were untertaken. The study concludes by recommending a number of concrete actions which will help to protect the interests of lawful unskilled labour going overseas for emplyment and minimize opportunities for the exploitation of vulnerable smuggled migrants. Details: New Delhi: United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime, Regional Office for South Asia, 2009. 60p. Source: Year: 2009 Country: India URL: Shelf Number: 117368 Keywords: Human SmugglingMigrants |
Author: Varia, Nisha Title: Slow Reform: Protection of Migrant Domestic Workers in Asia and the Middle East Summary: This report surveys progress in Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, the United Arab Emirates, Bahrain, Lebanon, Jordan, Singapore, and Malaysia in extending protection to domestic workers under labor laws, reforming immigration sponsorship systems that contribute to abuse, ensuring effective response by police and courts to physical and sexual violence, and allowing civil society and trade unions to organize. The report highlights best government responses and continuing protection gaps and makes detailed recommendations to ensure respect for migrant domestic workers' rights. Details: New York: Human Rights Watch, 2010. 26p. Source: Internet Resource Year: 2010 Country: Asia URL: Shelf Number: 119143 Keywords: Human RightsMigrant Workers (Asia and Middle East)MigrantsSexual Violence |
Author: Mahmoud, Toman Omar Title: The Economic Drivers of Human Trafficking: Micro-Evidence from Five Eastern European Countires Summary: Human trafficking is a humanitarian problem of global scale, but quantitative research on the issue barely exists. This paper is a first attempt to explore the economic drivers of human trafficking and migrant exploitation using micro data. The paper argues that migration pressure combined with informal migration patterns and incomplete information are the key determinants of human trafficking. To test this argument, the study uses a unique new dataset of 5513 households from Belarus, Bulgaria, Moldova, Romania and Ukraine. The main result is in line with expectations: migrant families in high migration areas and with larger migrant networks are much more likely to have a trafficked victim among their members. The results also indicate that illegal migration increases trafficking risks and that awareness campaigns and a reduction of information asymmetries might be an effective strategy to reduce the crime. Details: Kiel, Germany: Kiel Institute for the World Economy, 2009. 24p. Source: Internet Resource; Kiel Working Papers No. 1480 Year: 2009 Country: Europe URL: Shelf Number: 118686 Keywords: Human TraffickingIllegal MigrationMigrants |
Author: United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime Title: Migrant Smuggling by Air Summary: This report presents the findings from an UNODC Expert Group Meeting in Vienna on 7 to 9 December 2009 aimed at increasing understanding of migrant smuggling by air, with the objective of better preventing and combating the phenomena. The Expert Group Meeting specifically aimed to gain a better understanding of: 1) the modus operandi of migrant smugglers who use air routes to commit their crimes; 2) good practice of law enforcement and other actors involved in responding to this problem; 3) what the gaps in knowledge of and response to this particular method of migrant smuggling are; and 4) how UNODC and other international actors can better assist states in strengthening capacities to prevent and combat the smuggling of migrants by air. Details: Vienna: UNODC, 2010. 21p. Source: Internet Resource; Issue Paper Year: 2010 Country: International URL: Shelf Number: 119248 Keywords: Human SmugglingHuman TraffickingJuvenile DelinquencyJuvenile OffendersMentoringMentorsMigrant SmugglingMigrantsPrevention, Juvenile Delinquency |
Author: Aung, Winston Set Title: Illegal Heroes and Victimless Crimes: Informal Cross-border Migration frm Myanmar Summary: This paper highlights the perception of those involved in the course of cross-border migration from Myanmar in each step they, intentionally or unintentionally, maintain the status of illegality. It also attempts to identify the implications of cross-border migration on migrants’ families and their community in the country of origin. Interviews and questionnaire surveys conducted in different projects in 2008 and 2009 in different places in Myanmar and neighboring countries, coupled with qualitative and quantitative analyses, attempt to enhance the reliability and representativeness of the findings in this paper. Details: Stockholm: Institute for Security and Development Policy, 2009. 56p. Source: Internet Resource; Asia Paper Year: 2009 Country: Burma URL: Shelf Number: 118592 Keywords: Human SmugglingHuman TraffickingIllegal AliensMigrantsMigration |
Author: Velkoska, Violeta Title: Criminal Justice Responses to Organized Crime Summary: This survey represents a systematized collection of data at the national leval about the majority of cases related to the criminal offences of trafficking in human beings, mediation in prostitution, and smuggling of migrants, as well as other forms of organized crime, which are tried before the basic courts in Macedonia. Details: Skopje, Macedonia: Coalition "All for Fair Trials", 2007. 103p. Source: Internet Resource Year: 2007 Country: Macedonia URL: Shelf Number: 119454 Keywords: Human SmugglingHuman TraffickingMigrantsOrganized Crime (Macedonia)ProstitutionSexual Exploitation |
Author: Tyldum, Guri Title: Someone Who Cares: A Study of Vulnerability and Risk of Marriage Migration from Russia and Thailand to Norway Summary: This report describes opportunities and challenges for women who come to Norway from Thailand and Russia through marriage. The main emphasis is on ways into, as well as ways out of, transnational marriage. The report takes up topics such as motivation and expectations among those seeking transnational marriage, opportunities for marriage migration through networks and tourism, the role of international marriage agencies, consequences of divorce, the (lack of) willingness to return to country of origin and the women’s opportunities for starting a life on their own in Norway. The report describes the economic, legal and discursive frameworks that the women have to relate to, and how this in combination with the women’s personal resources for some can combine to create particular vulnerabilities and room for exploitation. In light of this the authors also discuss how exploitation of marriage migrants could raise the need for prosecution and protection within the human trafficking framework. Details: Oslo: Fafo, 2008. 142p. Source: Internet Resource: Fafo-report 2008:26; Accessed September 2, 2010 at: http://www.fafo.no/pub/rapp/20068/20068.pdf Year: 2008 Country: Norway URL: http://www.fafo.no/pub/rapp/20068/20068.pdf Shelf Number: 119733 Keywords: Human TraffickingMigrantsSexual Exploitation |
Author: Bouteillet-Paquet, Daphne Title: Smuggling of Migrants: A Global Review and Annotated Bibliography of Recent Publications Summary: The purpose of this thematic review is to survey existing sources and research papers on migrant smuggling and to provide a gap analysis of existing knowledge from a global perspective. Indeed, despite the fact that migrant smuggling has attracted great media and political attention over the last two decades, there has not been any comprehensive analysis of the state of expert knowledge. Great confusion still prevails about what is migrant smuggling within the global context of irregular migration. Smuggling of migrants is a crime defined under international law as “the procurement, in order to obtain, directly or indirectly, a financial or other material benefit, of the illegal entry of a person into a State of which the person is not a national or a permanent resident”, according to the definition of Article 3 (1) of the Protocol against the Smuggling of Migrants by Land, Sea and Air – commonly referred to as the Migrant Smuggling Protocol – supplementing the United Nations Convention Against Transnational Organized Crime. In order to comply with the Migrant Smuggling Protocol, Article 6 also requires States to criminalize both smuggling of migrants and enabling of a person to remain in a country illegally in order to obtain, directly or indirectly, a financial or other material benefit as well as aggravating circumstances that endanger lives or safety, or entail inhuman or degrading treatment of migrants. By virtue of Article 5, migrants shall not become liable to criminal prosecution for the fact of having been smuggled under the Migrant Smuggling Protocol. It is therefore to be understood that the Migrant Smuggling Protocol aims to target migrant smugglers, not the people being smuggled. While most researchers refer to the Migrant Smuggling Protocol, some authors have developed a broader definition referring to the sociological characteristics of migrant smuggling. According to Van Liempt, a broader definition is necessary in order to properly reflect the changing character of intermediary structures in international migration processes and to shed a light on the possible criminal character of smuggling. From a sociological perspective, migrant smuggling may then include every act lying on a continuum between altruism and organized crime. Doomernik defines migrant smuggling as “every act whereby an immigrant is assisted in crossing international borders whereby this crossing is not endorsed by the government of the receiving state, neither implicitly nor explicitly”. To the extent that the literature available making a distinction to be made, the issues of “irregular migration” and “trafficking in persons” are deliberately not covered per se by this thematic review, despite the fact that these phenomena are closely connected with migrant smuggling in practice. The overall objective of the report is to enhance the concrete understanding of this phenomenon by looking at the following issues: - Chapter 2 will look at legal definitions of closely connected issues and the conceptualization of migrant smuggling; - Chapter 3 will look at the methodology currently applied for researching migrant smuggling; - Chapter 4 will discuss the strengths and limitations of the methods used to quantify irregular migration and migrant smuggling. It will also consider the current state of knowledge – or lack thereof – regarding smuggling trends, geography and organization of travel in different regions; - Chapter 5 will include a discussion about the motivations (root causes) and profile of smuggled migrants; - Chapter 6 will discuss the profile of migrant smugglers and motivations; - Chapter 7 will analyse smuggler-migrant relationships; - Chapter 8 will discuss the organizational structures of smuggling networks in different regions of the world; - Concrete recruitment processes and fees are discussed in chapter 9. The different methods to smuggle (basic transfer services versus all-inclusive service with travel visa smuggling, forged documents) but also the role of corruption as a cause and consequence of migrant smuggling will be considered; - Chapter 10 will be devoted to the human and social costs of migrant smuggling. The research is based on literature available in English and French language, such as journalistic books, reports and academic articles. Research reports published by international organizations and NGOs were also considered. Neither the annotated bibliography, nor the thematic review pretends to be comprehensive. Rather, they are conceived as a summary of existing knowledge and identified gaps based on the most recent and relevant research available. Details: Vienna: UNODC, 2010. 163p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed September 3, 2010 at: http://www.unodc.org/documents/human-trafficking/Marian/Smuggling_of_Migrants_A_Global_Review.pdf Year: 2010 Country: International URL: http://www.unodc.org/documents/human-trafficking/Marian/Smuggling_of_Migrants_A_Global_Review.pdf Shelf Number: 119735 Keywords: Human SmugglingHuman TraffickingIllegal AliensImmigrantsMigrantsOrganized Crime |
Author: Jackson, Keith Title: Setting the Record: The Trafficking of Migrant Women in the England and Wales Off-Street Prostitution Sector Summary: Project Acumen is a wide-ranging study aimed at improving our understanding of the nature and scale of the trafficking of migrant women for sexual exploitation so it can be tackled more effectively. Led by the Regional Intelligence Unit for the South West, the project sought to measure the extent of trafficking in England and Wales and provide a more nuanced picture of the trafficking landscape. It highlights the sometimes complex circumstances of trafficked women and the varied techniques used by traffickers to influence, control and exploit them. The estimate of trafficking is built up from an examination of the off-street prostitution sector in seven regions, which has then been generalised to represent England and Wales as a whole. The project calculated the number of businesses operating in the sector, and then converted this into the number of women involved in prostitution (allowing for differences in size between businesses). The project has estimated the sector consists of 6,000 businesses and 30,000 women involved in prostitution. 17,000 of these women are migrants, and these were the focus of further analysis. To assess the extent of trafficking, detailed information was gathered from a sample of migrant women involved in prostitution. This was done using a systematic methodology drawn from an internationally recognised process drawing on the International Labour Organisation’s operational indicators of trafficking system and adhering to the United Nations definition of human trafficking (which is also used by the Government). This definition requires three components: the recruitment, transportation, transfer, harbouring or receipt of persons by certain defined means for the purpose of exploitation. The research included specially trained police officers conducting interviews with a sample of over 200 women involved in prostitution to determine each woman’s individual circumstances. The results and findings were considered in consultation with experts from law enforcement, support services and academia; this rigorous approach was intended to ensure that the estimate is as reliable as possible. The analysis suggests that of the 17,000 migrant women involved in prostitution in the off-street sector: • 2,600 are trafficked. These are highly vulnerable people. Although most are not subject to violence themselves, many are debt-bonded and strictly controlled through threats of violence to family members. 1,300 of these women are from China, and most of the rest are from South East Asia (primarily Thailand) and Eastern Europe. • 9,00 are considered to be vulnerable. Although they have elements of vulnerability to trafficking, most are likely to fall short of the trafficking threshold. There may be cultural or financial factors which prevent them from exiting prostitution (or seeking help to do so) but they tend to have day to day control over their activities, and although they may have large debts they generally do not consider themselves to be debt-bonded. The majority of women in this category are from Eastern Europe (4,100), followed by those from China and South East Asia (3,700). The remaining women are from South America and Africa. • 5,500 do not meet the ‘trafficked’ or ‘vulnerable’ thresholds. These women were aware before leaving their home country that they would likely become involved in prostitution, live and work largely independently of third party influence, keep a significant proportion of the money they earn and are not subject to debt-bondage or threats of violence. 85 per cent of migrants in this category are from Eastern Europe, and there are relatively few barriers preventing them from existing prostitution and returning to their countries of origin. The report also finds that significant regional differences exist. For example, in London 96.4 per cent of women involved in prostitution are migrants, compared with only 31.5 per cent in Yorkshire and the Humber. Details: London: Association of Chief Police Officers, Regional Intelligence Unit for the South West, 2010. 58p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed September 14, 2010 at: http://www.acpo.police.uk/asp/policies/Data/Setting%20the%20Record%20(Project%20ACUMEN)%20Aug%202010.pdf Year: 2010 Country: United Kingdom URL: http://www.acpo.police.uk/asp/policies/Data/Setting%20the%20Record%20(Project%20ACUMEN)%20Aug%202010.pdf Shelf Number: 119794 Keywords: Human TraffickingMigrantsProstitutionSexual Exploitation |
Author: 11 Million Title: The Arrest and Detention of Children Subject to Immigration Control: A Report Following the Children's Commissioner for England's Visit to Yarl's Wood Immigration Removal Centre Summary: Using the power of entry given by Parliament, the Children’s Commissioner for England, Sir Al Aynsley-Green, visited Yarl’s Wood Immigration Removal Centre (IRC) on 16 May 2008. The purpose of the visit was to see first hand the provision and conditions at Yarl’s Wood, and to hear from children, young people and their families about their experiences of the detention process. The Children’s Commissioner first visited and reported on Yarl’s Wood in 2005, and has remained concerned about the detention of children for administrative purposes and the impact this has on them. There is substantial evidence that detention is harmful and damaging to children and should be used only as a last resort. 11 MILLION believes that depriving children of their liberty and detaining them for administrative convenience without judicial oversight is never in their best interests and does not contribute to meeting the Government’s outcomes for children under the Every Child Matters framework. This report presents the findings of the Children’s Commissioner’s visit, and considers the detention of children at Yarl’s Wood in the light of the Government’s obligations under Article 37 of the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child (UNCRC). It examines the impact of detention upon children’s mental and physical health; particularly as evidence suggests its duration is lengthening. Details: London: 11 MILLION, 2008. 59p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed September 15, 2010 at http://www.jrseurope.org/publications/di550e08psxhlc9f3mmrlqwd.pdf Year: 2008 Country: United Kingdom URL: http://www.jrseurope.org/publications/di550e08psxhlc9f3mmrlqwd.pdf Shelf Number: 119808 Keywords: Immigrant DetentionImmigrationJuvenile DetentionMigrants |
Author: Hamilton-Smith, Niall Title: Determining Identity and Nationality in Local Policing Summary: This research examined practices for checking the nationality and migrant status of arrestees in a sample of 14 custody suites in the UK. The study also involved the piloting of enhanced checking processes in four custody suites. The research demonstrated that more rigorous practices in custody suites could increase the number of foreign nationals and illegal migrants who are identified as being involved in criminal activity. The pilots also showed that custody suites with dedicated UK Border Agency staff could significantly increase the volume of checks undertaken and the number of foreign nationals and illegal migrant arrestees identified. Despite the challenges identified, significant progress and momentum in addressing many of these problems were achieved in the pilot sites. Since the fieldwork was completed, a range of operational and policy improvements has been implemented that has addressed many of the issues identified by the research, referenced throughout the report. Details: London: Home Office Research, Development and Statistics Directorate, 2010. 33p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed October 6, 2010 at: http://rds.homeoffice.gov.uk/rds/pdfs10/horr42c.pdf Year: 2010 Country: United Kingdom URL: http://rds.homeoffice.gov.uk/rds/pdfs10/horr42c.pdf Shelf Number: 119872 Keywords: Illegal ImmigrationsImmigrationMigrantsOrganized Crime |
Author: De Sas Kropiwnicki, Zosa Title: Wolves in Sheep's Skin: A Rapid Assessment of Human Trafficking in Musina, Limpopo Province of South Africa Summary: This report found evidence of the trafficking of migrants entering South Africa from Zimbabwe. The report, "Wolves in Sheep's Skin: A Rapid Assessment of Human Trafficking in Musina, Limpopo Province of South Africa", finds that migrants in the region are regularly subjected to high levels of abuse and violence, which in turn makes them vulnerable to trafficking. It specifically identifies cases involving trafficking for sexual and labour exploitation, forced criminal activity such as the sale of illegal substances, servitude, extortion and other forms of exploitation. The report found that some migrant groups are particularly at risk, such as victims of Sexual and Gender-Based Violence (SGBV); those who have been stranded, robbed or subjected to other forms of violence; women and girls involved in prostitution and transactional sexual behaviour; and unaccompanied minors travelling alone or with adults. Situated approximately 20 km from the Zimbabwean border, Musina is the point of entry for a large number of Zimbabwean migrants. A total of 130 respondents from Zimbabwe and South Africa were interviewed in August 2009, including migrants, government officials, service providers, farm managers and so called malaisha or taxi drivers, frequently involved in human smuggling. Identified factors contributing to migrant vulnerability include the political and socio-economic insatiability in Zimbabwe, the lack of adequate border controls, difficulty in obtaining travel documents, the establishment of informal criminal networks, an increase in the movement of women and unaccompanied minors, and a lack of awareness and experience regarding safe migration. The report also notes that addressing the incidence of violence and abuse reported by migrants – and particularly by women and children – is as critical as the issue of human trafficking itself. The assessment also revealed that migrants in Musina are vulnerable to a range of health care concerns such as sexually transmitted infections (STIs) and reproductive health problems, physical trauma, negative psychosocial reactions, malnutrition and limited access to health care. The report identifies shortfalls in policy and practice with regard to human trafficking in Musina, including insufficient capacity of law enforcement and border officials to identify cases of human trafficking; inadequate referral, shelter and assistance networks; and deficient investigation and prosecution of incidences of abuse and violence against migrants. Details: Geneva, Switzerland: International Organization for Migration, 2010. 78p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed October 14, 2010 at: http://www.iom.int/jahia/Jahia/media/press-briefing-notes/pbnAF/cache/offonce?entryId=27157 Year: 2010 Country: South Africa URL: http://www.iom.int/jahia/Jahia/media/press-briefing-notes/pbnAF/cache/offonce?entryId=27157 Shelf Number: 119964 Keywords: Forced LaborHuman TraffickingMigrantsSexual Exploitation |
Author: Hancilova, Blanka Title: Labour Exploitation and Trafficking in Azerbaijan: An Exploratory Overview, June 2008 Summary: The report explores the issues of labour exploitation and forced labour of Azerbaijanis abroad and of foreigners in Azerbaijan. It documents in more detail than it was done so far that next to women and children, also men are potentially vulnerable to exploitation and that exploitation takes place not only in commercial sex but in many other sectors of the economy. Details: Vienna: International Centre for Migration Policy Development, 2010?. 42p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed October 20, 2010 at: http://www.anti-trafficking.net/fileadmin/ICMPD-Website/Other/2009_AZ_research_FINAL_for_PRINT2.pdf Year: 2010 Country: Azerbaijan URL: http://www.anti-trafficking.net/fileadmin/ICMPD-Website/Other/2009_AZ_research_FINAL_for_PRINT2.pdf Shelf Number: 12004 Keywords: Forced LaborHuman TraffickingMalesMigrants |
Author: United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime Title: Model Law Against the Smuggling of Migrants Summary: The Model Law against the Smuggling of Migrants was developed by the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) in response to a request by the General Assembly to the Secretary-General to promote and assist the efforts of Member States to become party to and implement the United Nations Convention against Transnational Organized Crime and the Protocols thereto. It was developed in particular to assist States in implementing the provisions contained in the Protocol against the Smuggling of Migrants by Land, Sea and Air, supplementing the Convention. The Model Law will both facilitate and help systematize the provision of legislative assistance by UNODC as well as facilitate the review and amendment of existing legislation and the adoption of new legislation by States. It is designed to be adapted to the needs of each State, whatever its legal tradition and social, economic, cultural and geographic conditions. The Model Law contains all the provisions that the Protocol requires or recommends that States introduce in their domestic legislation. The commentary to the Model Law indicates which provisions are mandatory and which are optional. That distinction is not made with regard to the general provisions (chapter I) and the definitions (article 3), as they are an integral part of the Model Law but are not mandated by the Protocol per se. Recommended provisions may also stem from other international instruments, including international human rights law, humanitarian law and refugee law. Whenever appropriate or necessary, options for the wording of the provision are suggested in order to reflect the differences between legal cultures. The commentary also indicates the source of the provision and, in some cases, supplies alternatives to the suggested text or examples of national legislation from various States (in an unofficial translation where necessary). Due regard is also given to the interpretative notes for the official records the implementation of the Protocol to Prevent, Suppress and Punish Trafficking in Persons, Especially Women and Children, and the Protocol against the Smuggling of Migrants by Land, Sea and Air, both supplementing the United Nations Convention against Transnational Organized Crime. The Government of Canada contributed to the organization of one of the expert group meetings. Details: Vienna: United Nations, 2010. 108p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed November 4, 2010 at: http://www.unodc.org/documents/human-trafficking/Model_Law_Smuggling_of_Migrants_10-52715_Ebook.pdf Year: 2010 Country: International URL: http://www.unodc.org/documents/human-trafficking/Model_Law_Smuggling_of_Migrants_10-52715_Ebook.pdf Shelf Number: 120189 Keywords: Human SmugglingHuman TraffickingMigrantsOrganized Crime |
Author: Larsen, Jacqueline Joudo Title: Migration and People Trafficking in Southeast Asia Summary: Although the number of identified cases of trafficking into Australia is relatively low, the hidden nature of this crime and reluctance of trafficked persons to report to authorities suggests that a number of cases may go unidentified and the problem may be more extensive than available data indicates. Much can be learned about the risks of exploitation, including trafficking, from an overview of undocumented movement throughout the region. The risk of people being trafficked to Australia is largely mitigated by well-protected borders and economic opportunities in more accessible regions. However, management of the risks of trafficking in the southeast Asian region is connected to strategies that aim to prevent trafficking at source countries and to the activities of Australians and Australian entities in those countries. Characteristics of migration in southeast Asia—such as the role of informal networks in facilitating movement and the exploitation of migrants for non-sex work as well as sex work—hold important implications for Australia’s response to people trafficking. Details: Canberra: Australian Institute of Criminology, 2010. 6p. Source: Internet Resource: Trends & Issues in Crime and Criminal Justice, No. 401: Accessed November 29, 2010 at: http://www.aic.gov.au/documents/D/8/6/%7BD868274B-2F97-45DB-BA32-3DBB7290A7C4%7Dtandi401.pdf Year: 2010 Country: Asia URL: http://www.aic.gov.au/documents/D/8/6/%7BD868274B-2F97-45DB-BA32-3DBB7290A7C4%7Dtandi401.pdf Shelf Number: 120302 Keywords: Border SecurityHuman Trafficking (Australia)MigrantsMigrationSexual Exploitation |
Author: Kelleher Associates Title: Globalisation, Sex Trafficking and Prostitution: The Experiences of Migrant Women in Ireland Summary: Globalisation, Sex Trafficking and Prostitution - the Experiences of Migrant Women in Ireland" presents stark evidence of the trafficking of women and girls into and through Ireland for the purposes of sexual exploitation. It shines a light on the reality of large numbers of migrant women being sexually exploited in indoor prostitution in Ireland. Drawing on the experiences of these women, the report illustrates the severe emotional, physical and psychological harm that women who are trafficked and sexually exploited in Ireland endure. Details: Dublin: Immigrant Council of Ireland, 2009. 207p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed March 23, 2011 at: http://www.immigrantcouncil.ie/images/stories/Trafficking_Report_FULL_LENGTH_FINAL.pdf Year: 2009 Country: Ireland URL: http://www.immigrantcouncil.ie/images/stories/Trafficking_Report_FULL_LENGTH_FINAL.pdf Shelf Number: 121114 Keywords: Human Trafficking (Ireland)MigrantsProstitutionSexual ExploitationVictims of Trafficking |
Author: Fujita, Koichi Title: Myanmar Migrant Laborers in Ranong, Thailand Summary: Thailand is the major destination for migrants in mainland Southeast Asia, and Myanmar (Burmese) migrants account for the dominant share. This paper sheds light on the actual working conditions and the life of Myanmar migrants in Thailand, based on our intensive survey in Ranong in southern Thailand in 2009. We found a wide range of serious problems that Myanmar migrants face in everyday life: very harsh working conditions, low income, heavy indebtedness, risk of being human-trafficking victims, harassment by the police and military (especially of sex workers), high risk of illness including malaria and HIV/AIDS and limited access to affordable medical facilities, and a poor educational environment for their children. Details: Chiba, Japan: Institute of Developing Economies, 2010. 42p. Source: Internet Resource: IDE Discussion Paper No. 257: Accessed April 26, 2011 at: http://ideas.repec.org/p/jet/dpaper/dpaper257.html Year: 2010 Country: Thailand URL: http://ideas.repec.org/p/jet/dpaper/dpaper257.html Shelf Number: 121493 Keywords: Human TraffickingMigrantsMigrationsProstitutionSex Trafficking |
Author: Butter, Tamara Title: Exploitative Labour Relations and Legal Consciousness of Irregular Migrant Workers in the Netherlands Summary: Because of their precarious position in the Netherlands, irregular migrants are potential victims of trafficking. The issue of trafficking in human beings is gaining more attention in the Netherlands, initially mainly in connection with prostitution but now increasingly also with regard to other forms of exploitation. Given the relevance of combating human trafficking of irregular migrants, IOM The Hague asked the University of Amsterdam (UvA) to research this issue. The first part of the UvA’s exploratory research is conducted through legal desk research based on the study of international and national law, jurisprudence and literature. In addition, staff members were interviewed of the Expertise Centrum Mensenhandel en Mensensmokkel, the Dutch Labour Inspectorate the Social Intelligence and Investigation Service (SIOD), representatives of Okia Foundation and BLinN as well as three lawyers assisting irregular migrants in labour law cases. The second part of the research, dealing with the migrant perspective regarding labour rights, was based on semi-structured interviews conducted with irregular migrants (previously) working in the Netherlands themselves. The irregular migrants were contacted at the consultation hours of the IOM. Moreover, migrants held in aliens detention centres were contacted. This exploratory research demonstrates that combating exploitative labour relations through a rights-based approach in the Netherlands is a complex undertaking, for which both institutional reforms at the (sub-)state level, as well as individual understanding and willingness to enforce labour rights for irregular migrant workers are necessary conditions. The rights-based approach can only be a viable alternative when the institutional steps to which the Dutch government is legally obliged are taken, resulting in more protection and awareness-raising among irregular migrants. However, even if these measures are taken, it remains doubtful whether irregular migrants will be willing to actually enforce their rights. From our empirical research it appears that a vast majority is currently not willing to take such steps for various reasons. Although many of these reasons relate to the existence of a parallel society without de facto labour rights – which could be changed through State action – the fact that they are just glad to have a job, are grateful for that and do not want to damage their contacts proved to be decisive in not claiming rights. Nevertheless, the creation of more awareness of rights and enforcement possibilities would be a first step towards dissolving the parallel society which is a necessary requirement for abolishing exploitative labour relations in the Netherlands. Details: Amsterdam: University of Amsterdam, 2011. 63p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed May 10, 2011 at: http://www.iom-nederland.nl/english/Configuratie/Homepage/About_IOM/IOM_in_the_Netherlands/Publications/Reports/Exploitative_Labour_Relations_and_Legal_Consciousness_of_Irregular_Migrant_Workers_in_the_Netherlands Year: 2011 Country: Netherlands URL: http://www.iom-nederland.nl/english/Configuratie/Homepage/About_IOM/IOM_in_the_Netherlands/Publications/Reports/Exploitative_Labour_Relations_and_Legal_Consciousness_of_Irregular_Migrant_Workers_in_the_Netherlands Shelf Number: 121697 Keywords: Forced LabourHuman Trafficking (Netherlands)Illegal ImmigrantsMigrants |
Author: Allamby, Les Title: Forced Labour in Northern Ireland: Exploiting Vulnerability Summary: In 2009 the British Government passed a law criminalising exploitation through forced labour, however this remains a poorly understood issue and has not been regarded as a significant problem in Northern Ireland. This report reviews migrants’ experiences in a range of employment sectors, in which serious forms of exploitation, including indications of forced labour, have come to light. The report: identifies problems of forced labour among migrants working in • the fishing, mushroom and catering industries and among Filipino and Romanian Roma migrants; highlights the links between vulnerability and a lack of English • language skills, limited access to social networks and a lack of local knowledge; shows that people will put up with very poor working conditions • and exploitation because the situation at home is worse; explains the importance of migrants’ legal status;• shows the importance of community-based support networks • and access to advice and information for exploited migrants; and finds a need to raise awareness of the issues of forced labour • among trade unions, employers’ bodies and within key government departments. Details: York, UK: Joseph Rowntree Foundation, 2011. 70p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed June 27, 2011 at: http://www.jrf.org.uk/sites/files/jrf/forced-labour-Northern-Ireland-full.pdf Year: 2011 Country: United Kingdom URL: http://www.jrf.org.uk/sites/files/jrf/forced-labour-Northern-Ireland-full.pdf Shelf Number: 121867 Keywords: Forced Labor (Northern Ireland)ImmigrantsMigrantsWorker Exploitation |
Author: Migrant Information Centre, Eastern Melbourne Title: Family violence Within the Southern Sudanese Community: Project Evaluation Report Summary: Settling in Australia can be a long and difficult process for refugee families. Many people from refugee backgrounds have experienced repeated exposure to traumatic events prior to their arrival in Australia, including torture, time spent in dangerous refugee camps and loss or separation from close family members. In addition to this, the process of settlement and adjustment to a complex and unfamiliar society is often a baffling and stressful experience for families. This places huge demands on families who are also struggling with coming to terms with a different set of societal and cultural rules. Such pressures can contribute to family conflict and relationship breakdown. The Migrant Information Centre (Eastern Melbourne) (MIC) received funding from the Australian Government, Office for Women to develop and implement a project to draw on the knowledge and strengths of the Southern Sudanese community around issues of family violence. As a newly arrived refugee community, the Southern Sudanese have identified family breakdown as a significant issue that is impacting on family relationships within the community. Coupled with this is the apparent lack of understanding amongst some members of the Southern Sudanese community around Australian laws and practices and community services available to assist with family conflict and family violence. Through the development and implementation of the project, both prevention and intervention approaches to working with the Southern Sudanese community were piloted between August 2007 and November 2008. This paper evaluates the processes taken to develop the various aspects of the project and the effectiveness of the approaches taken through their implementation. The MIC acknowledges that these approaches are a contribution to the learning within the field in Australia, building on the knowledge to overcome family violence within the Southern Sudanese community. Details: Melbourne: Migrant Information Centre, 2008. 62p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed July 27, 2011 at: http://www.miceastmelb.com.au/documents/PROJECTEVALUATION(pdf).pdf Year: 2008 Country: Australia URL: http://www.miceastmelb.com.au/documents/PROJECTEVALUATION(pdf).pdf Shelf Number: 122179 Keywords: Family Violence (Australia)MigrantsMinority Communities |
Author: Larsen, Jacqueline Joudo Title: Crimes Against International Students in Australia: 2005-09 Summary: With the growth in global student mobility, almost three million students travel to English-speaking countries, including the United States, the United Kingdom and Australia, in pursuit of tertiary education. The number of international students in Australia has grown substantially since 2005 — this is attributed to the establishment of private sector Vocational Education and Training (VET) courses. It is now the case that more than 300,000 international student visas are currently granted each year to enable foreign nationals to study within Australia. As a result, the international education sector has become the third largest export industry in Australia, generating approximately $18.3b per annum in recent years. The sector also plays a critical role in fostering stronger international links and developing diverse skills in Australia and overseas. In 2009 and 2010, a series of media reports of crimes against Indian international students led to growing concern over the safety of international students in Australia. In response to these concerns, and the lack of existing police data to quantify the size of the problem, the Australian Institute of Criminology (AIC) in consultation with the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT) and Department of Immigration and Citizenship (DIAC), sought ways to quantify the nature and extent to which Indian students were the victims of crime compared with other international student groups and the Australian population. This report represents the culmination of the AIC’s research into crimes against international students. Using administrative and pre-existing survey data sources, detailed findings are provided from what is the most comprehensive student victimisation study conducted to date, based on an analysis of DIAC international student visa records for more than 400,000 students matched with police crime victimisation records. In addition, supplementary analysis of the AIC’s National Homicide Monitoring Program (NHMP) database, as well as the Australian component of the 2004 International Crime Victimisation Survey (ICVS), are used to provide additional context to the AIC’s investigation. Primarily, this research was designed to provide the best available estimation of the extent to which international students have been the victims of crime during their time in Australia and a determination of whether international students are more or less likely than an Australian comparison population to have experienced crime. While the study has also provided some evidence of some of the factors that may increase the risk for student victimisation, the nature of the available data does not enable specific analysis of racial motivation. This is because policing databases do not consistently collect motivation data for all offences reported or investigated. Determining the motivation for offending would best be achieved by the development and implementation of a large-scale crime victimisation survey of international students and other Australian migrant populations more broadly. Details: Canberra: Australian Institute of Criminology, 2011. 172p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed August 11, 2011 at: http://www.aic.gov.au/documents/5/C/2/%7B5C2C2F3E-584B-498E-A694-A25FC8FC7C86%7Dcaisa.pdf Year: 2011 Country: Australia URL: http://www.aic.gov.au/documents/5/C/2/%7B5C2C2F3E-584B-498E-A694-A25FC8FC7C86%7Dcaisa.pdf Shelf Number: 122364 Keywords: Bias CrimesCrime Victimization (Australia)MigrantsStudents, Crimes Against |
Author: Conley, Christopher J. Title: Interdicting Maritime Migrant Smuggling: Applying Some Concepts of Operational Art to Coast Guard Operations Summary: The issue of illegal human trafficking, smuggling, and migration in the maritime domain presents a challenge to the organizations charged with protecting the borders of the United States. As an agency responsible for enforcing laws on the high seas, the U.S. Coast Guard is the primary instrument for interdicting illegal maritime migration. Except in extreme circumstances of mass migration, the Coast Guard has relied on the principle of effective presence to accomplish its mission and done so with measurable success. However, with the growing transnational criminal nature of human trafficking and increased pressure on U.S. maritime borders due to tougher border enforcement, the Coast Guard should seek to expand its concept of operations for interdiction of human smuggling in the maritime domain. The Coast Guard could do this by inviting relevant agencies to participate in a Joint Interagency Task Force to bring a unified effort to counter maritime smuggling. Furthermore, the Coast Guard should apply the appropriate concepts of operational art consistent with joint doctrine in planning and executing its mission to ensure the most effective and efficient application of national resources. Details: Newport, RI: Joint Military Operations Department, Naval War College, 2008. 25p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed October 7, 2011 at: http://dodreports.com/pdf/ada484333.pdf Year: 2008 Country: United States URL: http://dodreports.com/pdf/ada484333.pdf Shelf Number: 123003 Keywords: Border SecurityHuman SmugglingHuman TraffickingIllegal AliensMaritime CrimeMaritime SecurityMigrantsU.S. Coast Guard |
Author: Juntunen, Marko Title: Between Morocco and Spain: Men, migrant smuggling and a dispersed Moroccan community Summary: This study concerns the social construction of gender in a context characterised by movement across international borders. What follows can be classified as the ethnography of Moroccan sha´bi young men whose lives are deeply touched by "harraga" migrant smuggling from Morocco to Spain. The main stage of this study is in Morocco but constant side-tracks opened by the subjects' social connections lead us to Spain, especially to industrial regions around Barcelona. The cultural context within which these men operate refuses to be bounded by geographical borders. In short: we are dealing with processes of constructing male gender in a cultural setting which resists labelling in geographical terms. These men, if not actually crossing borders themselves, would very much like to see themselves do so. They identify themselves in complex ways so that notions of 'belonging', 'loyalty' and 'home' are ambiguous and often contradictory. In many ways these men are between Morocco and Spain. In respect to the men that form the subject of this study, the nature of their social connections and the centrality of migration in their lives as an actual practice or aspiration make it essential to think of Morocco and migrant concentrations in Spain as a single cultural space with its flows of influences which bear upon male identities. The main interest lies in the following questions: how do these men orient in a social reality characterised by tensions between international mobility made possible by harraga and the restrictions of mobility imposed by the European Union's (EU) migration policy? What does this, in many respects new political, economic and social space mean to these men and how do they conceptualise their place in it? What do their migration practices and discourses concerning migration tell about notions of male identity and masculinity? How should we understand the choices of thousands of Moroccans who pay fortunes to migrant smugglers, embark on small open boats (pateras) and risk their lives hoping to reach the northern shore of the Mediterranean? Details: Helsinki: University of Helsinki, 2002. Source: Internet Resource: Dissertation: Accessed on December 8, 2011 at: http://ethesis.helsinki.fi/julkaisut/hum/aasia/vk/juntunen/betweenm.pdf Year: 2002 Country: Finland URL: http://ethesis.helsinki.fi/julkaisut/hum/aasia/vk/juntunen/betweenm.pdf Shelf Number: 123508 Keywords: Human SmugglingMalesMigrantsMoroccoSpain |
Author: Perrin, Benjamin Title: Migrant Smuggling: Canada's Response to a Global Criminal Enterprise Summary: Migrant smuggling is a dangerous, sometimes deadly, criminal activity which cannot be rationalized, justified, or excused. From both a supply and demand side, failing to respond effectively to migrant smuggling and deter it will risk emboldening those who engage in this illicit enterprise, which generates proceeds for organized crime and criminal networks, funds terrorism and facilitates clandestine terrorist travel; endangers the lives and safety of smuggled migrants, undermines border security, with consequences for the Canada/U.S. border, and undermines the integrity and fairness of Canada’s mmigration system. Introduced in Parliament in June, 2011, the Preventing Human Smugglers from Abusing Canada’s Immigration System Act (Bill C-4) includes amendments to the Immigration and Refugee Protection Act (IRPA) that would: 1. Enhance the existing offence of migrant smuggling, in terms of the elements of the offence, the penalties available, and recognized aggravating factors; 2. Modify the general provisions of the IRPA to provide for detention of foreign nationals on arrival in Canada on grounds of serious criminality, criminality, or organized criminality; and 3. Create a separate legislative scheme for groups of smuggled migrants who arrive in Canada that relates to detention, release, and timing to apply for various forms of immigration status. This paper supports Bill C-4, but with two necessary amendments, namely: 1. Initial review of detention of designated foreign nationals should take place within 48 hours of detention, with further reviews every three or six months thereafter, in order to comply with binding Supreme Court of Canada jurisprudence; and 2. An exemption for designated foreign nationals who are minors (persons under 18 years of age) from the detention provisions of Bill C-4, which would instead subject them to the general rules related to detention of foreign nationals who are minors. These changes would provide Bill C-4 with a more balanced response to migrant smuggling. Bill C-4 is just part of the overall action being taken by the Government of Canada to address migrant smuggling. A comprehensive approach to addressing migrant smuggling ultimately requires three primary strategies pursued together at the national and international levels: 1. National jurisdictions must take greater action to discourage illegal migration and disrupt migrant smuggling operations through legislation like Bill C-4 and through international cooperation; 2. National jurisdictions must establish more efficient refugee-determination processes and expedient procedures to remove failed claimants; and, 3. As part of the solution, the international community should continue to develop a proactive response to the global refugee situation. Details: Ottawa: Macdonald-Laurier Institute, 2011. 30p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed June 19, 2012 at http://ssrn.com/abstract=1961284 Year: 2011 Country: Canada URL: http://ssrn.com/abstract=1961284 Shelf Number: 125358 Keywords: Human SmugglingHuman TraffickingMigrant Smuggling (Canada)Migrants |
Author: United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime. Regional Centre for East Asia and the Pacific Title: Migrant Smuggling in Asia: An Annotated Bibliography Summary: The United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) conducted the research in support of the Bali Process, which is a regional, multilateral process to improve cooperation against migrant smuggling, trafficking in persons and related forms of transnational crime. The research focused in particular on fourteen countries: Afghanistan, Cambodia, China, India, Indonesia, Lao PDR, Malaysia, the Maldives, Myanmar, Pakistan, Singapore, Sri Lanka, Thailand and Viet Nam (the project countries). The research had three key objectives: (1) identify existing knowledge about migrant smuggling with regard to the project countries; (2) summarize and synthesize existing knowledge about migrant smuggling, thereby making it easier for decision makers to access key data and information; and (3) identify knowledge gaps, thereby making it easier to clearly identify research prioities. The research involved a systematic search of multiple bibliographic databases, library catalogues and websites, to locate empirically-based information about migrant smuggling (and to a lesser extent about irregular migration and trafficking in persons) in the project countries. This was followed by a thematic review of all of the information that was located. The research identified 154 sources that met the research criteria, which are described in Tables I and II. The sources were then used as the basis of a thematic regional review and thematic country studies, which are published in UNODC (2012) Migrant Smuggling in Asia. A thematic Review of Literature. A summary of each of these sources is provided in this publication. The researchers allocated key words for each of these sources that reflect the research criteria. These key words are part of the 154 summaries. Details: Bangkok, Thailand: Regional Centre for East Asia and the Pacific, UNODC, 2012. 129p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed September 10, 2012 at: http://www.unodc.org/documents/human-trafficking/2012/Migrant_Smuggling_in_Asia_An_Annotated_Bibliography.pdf Year: 2012 Country: Asia URL: http://www.unodc.org/documents/human-trafficking/2012/Migrant_Smuggling_in_Asia_An_Annotated_Bibliography.pdf Shelf Number: 126286 Keywords: Human Smuggling (Asia)Illegal ImmigrantsMigrants |
Author: United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime. Regional Centre for East Asia and the Pacific Title: Migrant Smuggling in Asia: A Thematic Review of Literature Summary: The Migrant Smuggling in Asia: A Thematic Review of Literature and the accompanying annotated bibliography offer a consolidation of findings contained in research literature that analyses migrant smuggling in Asia either directly or indirectly. !e review of the available. The body of empirical knowledge aimed to create an information base and identify the gaps in what is known about the smuggling of migrants around and out of the region. By consolidating the information currently accessible on migrant smuggling, the Thematic Review of Literature looks to stimulate and guide further research that will contribute to informing evidence-based policies to prevent and combat the smuggling of migrants while upholding and protecting the rights of those who are smuggled. The United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) conducted the research in support of the Bali Process, which is a regional, multilateral process to improve cooperation against migrant smuggling, trafficking in persons and related forms of transnational crime. The systematic search for research literature in English, French and German covered an eight-year period (1 January 2004 to 31 March 2011) and 14 countries (Afghanistan, Cambodia, China, India, Indonesia, Lao PDR, Malaysia, Maldives, Myanmar, Pakistan, Singapore, Sri Lanka, Thailand and Viet Nam). Primary research, such as the collection of statistics from national authorities, was not part of the project. The project began with a search of 44 databases, one meta-library catalogue, three institution-specific library catalogues and 39 websites of institutions that work on migrant smuggling. This resulted in 845 documents that were then closely reviewed against a set of further elaborated criteria. Ultimately, 154 documents were critically reviewed and formed the basis of this report. Abstracts of those documents are provided in Migrant Smuggling in Asia: An Annotated Bibliography. Details: Bangkok, Thailand: United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime, Regional Centre for East Asia and the Pacific, 2012. 239p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed September 10, 2012 at: http://www.unodc.org/documents/human-trafficking/2012/Migrant_Smuggling_in_Asia_A_Thematic_Review_of_Literature.pdf Year: 2012 Country: Asia URL: http://www.unodc.org/documents/human-trafficking/2012/Migrant_Smuggling_in_Asia_A_Thematic_Review_of_Literature.pdf Shelf Number: 126287 Keywords: Human Trafficking (Asia)Illegal ImmigrationMigrants |
Author: Human Rights Watch Title: “The Law Was Against Me”: Migrant Women’s Access to Protection for Family Violence in Belgium Summary: In spite of recent immigration law reform, family migrants in Belgium face continuing obstacles to protection. Income and evidence requirements make it hard for women whose immigration status is dependent on abusive partners to retain their residence permits if they leave the family home. Women who fail to inform the immigration authorities in time risk loss of residence permits and expulsion. The law excludes women who have applied but not yet received a residence permit and those whose partner has left Belgium. In some parts of Belgium the capacity of shelters for victims of domestic violence fails to meet demand. Undocumented migrant women experience particular difficulties in seeking protection. Unlike legal family migrants, they are not covered by the protection clause recently added to the immigration legislation. While undocumented women can apply for regularization on humanitarian grounds, domestic violence in Belgium is not an established criterion. Fear of deportation makes them reluctant to report violence to the police or otherwise seek help. Shelters in some parts of Belgium refuse to accept women without papers, citing limited resources. “The Law Was Against Me” calls on the Belgian government to build on the system already in place to ensure that it offers protection from violence for all migrant women, regardless or circumstances or legal status. It makes concrete recommendations to the authorities on improving residence permits, encouraging migrant women to report violence to the police and improving access to services. Details: New York: Human Rights Watch, 2012. 63p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed November 9, 2012 at: http://www.hrw.org/sites/default/files/reports/belgium1112webwcover.pdf Year: 2012 Country: Belgium URL: http://www.hrw.org/sites/default/files/reports/belgium1112webwcover.pdf Shelf Number: 126906 Keywords: Abused WivesBattered WomenFamily ViolenceHuman Rights (Belgium)MigrantsViolence Against Women |
Author: Isacson, Adam Title: Border Security and Migration: A Report from South Texas Summary: Since 2011, WOLA staff have carried out research in six different zones of the U.S.-Mexican border, meeting with U.S. law enforcement officials, human rights and humanitarian groups, and journalists, as well as with Mexican officials and representatives of civil society and migrant shelters in Mexico. As part of this ongoing work, the authors spent the week of November 26-30, 2012 in south Texas, looking at security and migration trends along this section of the U.S.-Mexico border. Specifically, we visited Laredo, McAllen, and Brownsville, Texas, and Matamoros, Mexico. We found that unlike other sections of the border, the south Texas sections have seen an increase, not a decrease, in apprehensions, particularly of non-Mexican migrants; migrant deaths have dramatically increased; and there are fewer accusations of Border Patrol abuse of migrants. We also found that the Zetas criminal organization's control over the area may be slipping and drug trafficking appears to have increased, yet these U.S. border towns are safer than they have been in decades. Lastly, in spite of the ongoing violence on the Mexican side of the border and the failure of the Mexican government to reform local and state police forces, U.S. authorities are increasing repatriating Mexicans through this region, often making migrants easy prey for the criminal groups that operate in these border cities. Details: Washignton, DC: Washington Office on Latin America, 2013. 6p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed January 31, 2013 at: http://www.wola.org/sites/default/files/downloadable/Mexico/2013/Border%20Security%20and%20Migration%20South%20Texas.pdf Year: 2013 Country: United States URL: http://www.wola.org/sites/default/files/downloadable/Mexico/2013/Border%20Security%20and%20Migration%20South%20Texas.pdf Shelf Number: 127462 Keywords: Border PatrolBorder Security (Mexico)Drug TraffickingIllegal ImmigrationMigrants |
Author: Carker, Cat Title: The People Smugglers' Business Model Summary: This paper examines first some of the more recent international research, and second, relevant Australian case law and the more limited body of Australian research on people smuggling, to determine whether this business model can be identified. It does not seek to evaluate the appropriateness or efficacy of specific anti-people smuggling policies that have been or are currently being pursued by Australian Governments. Key points: •Since the late 1990s, people smuggling has been a key focus of political debate on irregular migration to Australia. Most recently, attention has turned to how to ‘break the people smugglers’ business model’ . While there is continuing debate about how best to achieve this objective, the business model being referred to remains largely unarticulated, at least publicly . •Examination of recent open source research and Australian case law reveals there is no single ‘people smugglers’ business model’ that explains how people smugglers operate, either internationally or to Australia . However, certain themes are evident, including the predominance of fluid networks over more hierarchical organisations and the flexibility, adaptability and resilience of those involved. It appears that a variety of business models are employed (either explicitly or implicitly) and that they are constantly evolving. •Some basic characteristics of maritime people smuggling from Indonesia to Australia can be discerned from open source information that can be used to outline some of the basic components of a common business model that seems to operate. However, there appear to be many variations on different components of the model. Further, the Indonesia to Australia leg is only part of a much longer journey, and Indonesia is not the only departure point for boats to Australia organised by people smugglers. Finally, while political and popular attention has focused largely on irregular maritime arrivals, people smuggling to Australia also occurs by air. •The use of the singular terms ‘the people smugglers’ business model’ or ‘the people smuggling business model’ gives the impression of a homogeneous market for which a single measure or ‘one size fits all’ solution might exist. The reality of a variety of business models operating at different stages of the supply chain between source countries and destination countries, including Australia, points to the need for a more tailored and considered approach. The points at which to intervene in order to ‘break’ a certain business model, and the most appropriate modes of intervention, will depend on the particular characteristics of that model. Details: Canberra: Parliament of Australia, Parliamentary Library, 2013. 48p. Source: Internet Resource: Research Paper No. 2, 2012-13: Accessed March 7, 2013 at: http://apo.org.au/sites/default/files/docs/ParliamentaryLibrary_SmugglersBusinessModel_Feb2013.pdf Year: 2013 Country: Australia URL: http://apo.org.au/sites/default/files/docs/ParliamentaryLibrary_SmugglersBusinessModel_Feb2013.pdf Shelf Number: 127862 Keywords: Border SecurityHuman Smuggling (Australia)Human TraffickingIllegal ImmigrationMaritime CrimeMigrantsRefugees |
Author: Doctors Without Borders Title: Violence, Vulnerability and Migration: Trapped at the Gates of Europe. A report on the situation of sub-Saharan migrants in an irregular situation in Morocco Summary: Over the last ten years, as the European Union (EU) has tightened its border controls and increasingly externalised its migration policies, Morocco has changed from being just a transit country for migrants en route to Europe to being both a transit and destination country by default. MSF’s experience demonstrates that the longer sub-Saharan migrants stay in Morocco the more vulnerable they become. This preexisting vulnerability, related to factors such as age and gender, as well as traumas experienced during the migration process, accumulates as they are trapped in Morocco and subjected to policies and practices that neglect, exclude and discriminate against them. MSF’s data demonstrates that the precarious living conditions that the majority of sub-Saharan migrants in Morocco are forced to live in and the wide-spread institutional and criminal violence that they are exposed to continue to be the main factors influencing medical and psychological needs. MSF teams have repeatedly highlighted and denounced this situation, yet violence remains a daily reality for the majority of sub-Saharan migrants in Morocco. In fact, as this report demonstrates, the period since December 2011 has seen a sharp increase in abuse, degrading treatment and violence against sub-Saharan migrants by Moroccan and Spanish security forces. This report also reveals the widespread violence carried out by criminal gangs, including bandits and human smuggling and human trafficking networks. It provides a glimpse into the shocking levels of sexual violence that migrants are exposed to throughout the migration process and demands better assistance and protection for those affected. These unacceptable levels of violence should not overshadow the achievements that have been made in recognition and respect for sub-Saharan migrants’ right to health over the last ten years. Progress has been made, however considerable challenges remain, particularly with regard to non-emergency, secondary care, care for people with mental health problems and protection and assistance for survivors of sexual violence. Further investment and reform of the healthcare system is needed, however the impact of the progress made to date and any future reforms will be limited unless concrete action is taken to address the discrepancy between European and Moroccan policies which view migration through a security prism and criminalise, marginalise and discriminate against sub-Saharan migrants in Morocco and those which protect and uphold their fundamental human rights. This report highlights the medical and psychological consequences of this approach and the cumulative vulnerability of the significant numbers of sub-Saharan migrants who are trapped in Morocco. In doing so it calls, once again, on the Moroccan authorities to respect their international and national commitments to human rights, develop and implement protection mechanisms and ensure that sub- Saharan migrants are treated in a humane and dignified manner, no matter what their legal status. Details: Geneva, SWIT: Doctors Without Borders, 2013. 39p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed April 2, 2013 at: http://www.doctorswithoutborders.org/publications/reports/2013/Trapped_at_the_Gates_of_Europe.pdf Year: 2013 Country: Morocco URL: http://www.doctorswithoutborders.org/publications/reports/2013/Trapped_at_the_Gates_of_Europe.pdf Shelf Number: 128194 Keywords: Border PatrolBorder SecurityImmigrationMigrantsMigration (Morocco)Victims of ViolenceViolence |
Author: United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime Title: Assessment Guide to the Criminal Justice Response to the Smuggling of Migrants Summary: The Assessment Guide to the Criminal Justice Response to the Smuggling of Migrants provides an inventory of measures for assessing the legislative, investigative, prosecutorial, judicial and administrative responses to the smuggling of migrants by land, sea and air, for deterring and combating such crime, and for integrating the information and experience gained from such assessment into successful national, regional and international strategies. The Assessment Guide is based on lessons learned from domestic and international efforts to curtail the smuggling of migrants, scholarly analysis and case examinations, and consultation with key stakeholders and relevant experts. The Assessment Guide is a standardized and cross-referenced set of measures designed to enable government officials in immigration, customs and law enforcement agencies and United Nations agencies, as well as other organizations, industry and individuals, to conduct comprehensive assessments of domestic systems, to identify areas of technical assistance, to assist in the design of interventions that incorporate international standards and norms on the prevention and suppression of the smuggling of migrants, and to assist in training on these issues. Details: New York: UNODC, 2013. 174p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed May 2, 2013 at: http://www.unodc.org/documents/human-trafficking/Migrant-Smuggling/UNODC_2012_Assessment_Guide_to_the_Criminal_Justice_Response_to_the_Smuggling_of_Migrants-EN.pdf Year: 2013 Country: International URL: http://www.unodc.org/documents/human-trafficking/Migrant-Smuggling/UNODC_2012_Assessment_Guide_to_the_Criminal_Justice_Response_to_the_Smuggling_of_Migrants-EN.pdf Shelf Number: 128607 Keywords: Human SmugglingHuman TraffickingIllegal ImmigrantsMigrants |
Author: Di Martino, Alberto Title: The Criminalization of Irregular Immigration: Law and Practice in Italy Summary: The report presents the main findings of a research project on criminalization of irregular immigration and on the law and practice on expulsion and return of irregular immigrants. The core purpose is not just to analyze existing legislation – an already difficult task, given its complexity and incoherence due to the frequent changes introduced by the legislator and by decisions of the Constitutional Court – but to focus on everyday practice of Italian enforcement authorities. Our aim was to evaluate whether both legislation and practice comply with constitutional, European, and international law requirements. Moreover, in spite of the difficulty in gathering accessible data on the management of the Centers for Identification and Expulsion, this report attempts to evaluate the costs of management of irregular immigration. The system appears, even from a strictly economical point of view, both ineffective and inefficient. Last but not least, we sketch possible advocacy actions on specific issues. Details: Pisa: Pisa University Press, 2013. 176p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed July 16, 2013 at: http://www.wiss-lab.dirpolis.sssup.it/files/2013/05/Libro-dirpolis-1.pdf Year: 2013 Country: Italy URL: http://www.wiss-lab.dirpolis.sssup.it/files/2013/05/Libro-dirpolis-1.pdf Shelf Number: 129418 Keywords: Illegal Migration (Italy)Immigrant DetentionMigrants |
Author: Latin America Working Group Education Fund Title: Perilous Journey: Kidnapping and Violence against Migrants in Transit through Mexico Summary: Every year, hundreds of thousands of undocumented Central American migrants, primarily from Guatemala, Honduras and El Salvador, travel through Mexico on their way to the U.S. border. These migrants are vulnerable during their journey through Mexico, due both to the clandestine nature in which they are obligated to travel and to the generalized context of violence and impunity that dominates Mexico. Many suffer grave human rights abuses and violence along their journey at the hands of organized crime and corrupt officials. Kidnapping and extortion of migrants are among the most lucrative - and brutal - practices by organized crime in Mexico and are pervasive along the migratory route. Roughly five years ago, advocates at migrant shelters along the south-north train route began to systematically document and gather first-hand accounts of migrants who had survived kidnapping. What may have initially appeared to be sporadic and anecdotal accounts were soon recognized as reflecting a true humanitarian crisis rooted in flawed migration policy and a culture of impunity. A series of 33 of these testimonies were published by the Centro de Derechos Humanos Miguel Agustin Pro Juarez (Miguel Agustin Pro Juarez Human Rights Center, or Center Prodh) and the Casa del Migrante de Saltillo (Migrant Shelter of Saltillo, Coahuila) in the Cuaderno sobre Secuestro de Migrantes (Report on Migrant Kidnappings) in December 2011. In the pages that follow, English translations of a sampling of those testimonies can be found. The migrants' testimonies vividly describe their experiences during kidnapping - rape and sexual assault; physical abuse and mutilation; torture; food and sleep deprivation. In some cases, victims were forced to serve as witnesses to sexual and physical assaults, and even murder. In others, migrants were forced to carry out physical abuse of fellow kidnapping victims. Although it is difficult to read the accounts of the barbaric treatment that many migrants endured, these testimonies help us to grasp the profound human impact of this crisis and confirm the experiences recounted by kidnapped migrants elsewhere. From these stories, we get a more complete picture of the depth of this humanitarian crisis that has destroyed the dignity and safety of thousands of victims and traumatized families and communities across the region. Details: Washington, DC: Latin America Working Group Education Fund, 2013. 28p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed March 15, 2014 at: http://www.lawg.org/storage/LAWG2-13_Migrant_Report-v5.pdf Year: 2013 Country: Mexico URL: http://www.lawg.org/storage/LAWG2-13_Migrant_Report-v5.pdf Shelf Number: 131930 Keywords: Illegal ImmigrationKidnappingMigrantsOrganized CrimeViolence |
Author: New Zealand. Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment (MBIE) Title: Temporary Migrants as Vulnerable Workers: A Literature Review Summary: The vulnerability of temporary migrants in the labour market is a policy issue that has received attention from a mix of international agencies (eg, the International Labour Organization (ILO), United Nations (UN) and European Union) and those responsible for migrant welfare locally (governments and non-governmental organisations). This report reviews the available international and New Zealand research on temporary migrants' vulnerability and exploitation in the workplace. In particular, the review highlights research gaps and whether there are effective interventions that mitigate the vulnerability of temporary migrant workers. There is considerable and growing literature on immigration to New Zealand on the nature of labour market flow composition through to the process of settlement and labour market outcomes for a variety of migrant groups. In the wake of the 1986/87 changes to immigration policy and another round of changes just after 2000, immigration has become a significant contributor to labour supply. However, much of the focus has been on permanent migration and its outcomes. As this review makes clear, temporary migration - which has become a much more substantial characteristic of the New Zealand migration system, including labour supply - has received much less attention. This report discusses the issue of vulnerability in terms of labour market engagement and whether some migrant workers are especially vulnerable in terms of their work situation or experiences. Vulnerability is especially connected to the precariousness of employment, although not all temporary migrant workers are vulnerable and not all suffer from disadvantages in the workplace. That said, literature shows that low skill and education levels contribute to vulnerability in the workplace and that being a migrant exacerbates this vulnerability. Details: Wellington, NZ: Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment, 2014. 142p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed April 10, 2014 at: http://www.dol.govt.nz/research/migration/pdfs/temporary-migrant-workers-literature-review-march2014.pdf Year: 2014 Country: New Zealand URL: http://www.dol.govt.nz/research/migration/pdfs/temporary-migrant-workers-literature-review-march2014.pdf Shelf Number: 132061 Keywords: Migrant LaborMigrants Undocumented Immigrants |
Author: Shelley Louise I. Title: Human Smuggling and Trafficking into Europe: A Comparative Perspective Summary: Human smuggling and trafficking are rapidly growing transnational criminal activities that involve the recruitment, movement, and delivery of migrants from a sending region to a destination. This report examines trafficking and smuggling trends and routes to Europe, and profiles the facilitators and clients/victims of such activities. Trafficked or smuggled migrants to Europe come from all regions of the world, and the primary transit routes are across the Mediterranean, and through the Balkans, Eastern Europe, and Turkey. Many of these are the same routes that are used for traded goods. The report also details how the barriers to entry into these activities have created an enormous variety of facilitators who assist those seeking illegal entry into the European Union, ranging from small groups to complex international organizations. Other facilitators are not part of criminal networks, but instead either knowingly or unknowingly aid the process. Corruption is also deeply connected to the problem, as travel agencies, border guards, customs officials, consular officers, and other diplomatic personnel must be bribed or extorted for trafficking to be successful. The report concludes with a menu of policy solutions that are likely to reduce trafficking and smuggling flows, noting that such policies must be multifaceted to address a variety of contributing factors simultaneously. Primarily, policymakers must address the demand for such migrants through education, prevention efforts, and prosecution; harmonize policy efforts within and across countries so that smugglers and traffickers do not just move to take advantage of the most permissive regulatory environment; decrease the profits of smugglers and traffickers; and improve labor laws so that legal immigrants may fill the demand for the work that currently employs smuggled migrants. Details: Washington, DC: Migration Policy Institute, 2014. 28p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed April 19, 2014 at: http://www.migrationpolicy.org/research/human-smuggling-and-trafficking-europe-comparative-perspective Year: 2014 Country: Europe URL: http://www.migrationpolicy.org/research/human-smuggling-and-trafficking-europe-comparative-perspective Shelf Number: 132070 Keywords: Human Smuggling Human Trafficking Migrants |
Author: Human Rights Watch Title: Yemen's Torture Camps: Abuse of Migrants by Human Traffickers in a Climate of Impunity Summary: Tens of thousands of African migrants pass through Yemen each year to seek work in Saudi Arabia. A multi-million-dollar human trafficking industry has developed in Yemen based on their passage. Its locus is the hot and dry northern border town of Haradh. Here Yemeni traffickers have found a particularly horrific way to make money: by taking migrants captive and transporting them to isolated camps, where they inflict severe pain and suffering and extort ransom from the migrants' relatives and friends. Yemen's Torture Camps describes how Yemeni officials have conducted only sporadic raids on the camps, and have frequently warned traffickers of raids, and freed them from jail when they are arrested. In some cases, officials actively helped the traffickers capture and detain migrants. It also documents abuses of migrants by Saudi border officials, who apprehend border crossers and turn them over to Haradh-based traffickers. The report is based on interviews with 67 people, including 18 Ethiopian migrants who survived torture in the camps, and 10 traffickers and smugglers, as well as health professionals, government officials, activists, diplomats, and journalists. Human Rights Watch calls on the Yemeni government to launch a concerted effort to investigate and prosecute traffickers, as well as members of the security forces, regardless of rank, suspected of collusion with traffickers. It also calls on police, military, and intelligence agencies to assist in the investigations and take appropriate disciplinary action against personnel implicated in trafficking. Details: New York: Human Rights Watch, 2014. 81p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed June 14, 2014 at: http://www.hrw.org/sites/default/files/reports/yemen0514_ForUpload.pdf Year: 2014 Country: Yemen URL: http://www.hrw.org/sites/default/files/reports/yemen0514_ForUpload.pdf Shelf Number: 132454 Keywords: Human Rights Abuses (Yemen)Human SmugglingHuman TraffickingImmigrantsMigrantsRansomTorture |
Author: European Union Agency for Fundamental Rights (FRA) Title: Criminalisation of Migrants in an Irregular Situation and of Persons Engaging with Them Summary: This paper examines the sanctions applied to counteract irregular migration, building on previous work by the European Union Agency for Fundamental Rights (FRA) on the rights of migrants in an irregular situation. It looks first at the punishments used for irregular entry or stay, when persons enter or stay in a territory although they are not authorised to do so. It examines, in particular, the custodial penalties for irregular entry or stay for persons to whom the safeguards of the EU Return Directive should apply. It then examines the risk that those who help such migrants or rent out accommodation to them are punished for smuggling human beings, or facilitating their entry or stay. The paper compares EU Member States' legislation and case law in this field, analysing the findings in light of relevant EU law. Based on this analysis, the paper proposes changes to policies against the smuggling of human beings, to render them more sensitive to fundamental rights. Details: Vienna: FRA (European Union Agency for Fundamental Rights), 2014. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed July 19, 2014 at: http://fra.europa.eu/en/publication/2014/criminalisation-migrants-irregular-situation-and-persons-engaging-them Year: 2014 Country: Europe URL: http://fra.europa.eu/en/publication/2014/criminalisation-migrants-irregular-situation-and-persons-engaging-them Shelf Number: 132718 Keywords: Human RightsHuman SmugglingIllegal MigrantsImmigrationImmigration EnforcementMigrants |
Author: Migreurop Title: Europe's Murderous Borders Summary: Born in 2002, the Migreurop network brings together activists and over forty associations from thirteen countries both north and south of the Mediterranean. Its goal is to collect information to reveal and denounce the effects of the European Union's migration policies insofar as human rights violations are concerned, particularly in places of detention. The map of camps for foreigners in Europe and in Mediterranean countries drawn up by Migreurop, which is regularly updated, has become a reference in this field. Since 2008, the Migreurop network's work has taken on the form, in particular, of a Borders Observatory that rests upon a number of tools: apart from the divulging of information on human rights violations at borders through its e-mail list and website, Migreurop has launched a campaign for a 'Right of access in the places of detention for migrants', and has set up a working group on the consequences of readmission agreements reached between the European Union and its neighbours. In September 2009, Migreurop published an 'Atlas of migrants in Europe', which aims to be a work of critical geography of border controls. Migreurop releases this report on the violation of human rights at borders, 'Murderous Borders', within the framework of the Borders Observatory. For this first edition, Migreurop has chosen to focus on four symbolic poles of the misdeeds of the policies enacted by the European Union: the Greek-Turkish border, the Calais region in northwestern France, that of Oujda, in eastern Morocco, and the island of Lampedusa in the far south of Italy. They represent as many stops, of varying length and too often tragic, in the odyssey of thousands of people who, every year, seek to flee persecutions through chosen or obligatory exile, or simply to escape the fate that is reserved to them, by attempting to reach Europe. Details: Paris: Migreurop, 2009. 51p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed August 6, 2014 at: http://www.migreurop.org/IMG/pdf/Rapport-Migreurop-nov2009-en-final.pdf Year: 2009 Country: Europe URL: http://www.migreurop.org/IMG/pdf/Rapport-Migreurop-nov2009-en-final.pdf Shelf Number: 132903 Keywords: Border ControlBorder SecurityHuman Rights (Europe)Immigrant DetentionImmigrationMigrant DetentionMigrants |
Author: Migreurop Title: European Borders: Controls, detention and deportations Summary: Abbiamo fermato l'invasione: "We have stopped the invasion", a Northern League poster boasted in March 2010 before the regional elections in Italy. The press could rejoice about seeing "Lampedusa returned to the fishermen", since the identification and expulsion centre on the island, which had seen over 30,000 "illegals" disembark in 2008, and still 1,220 in February 2009, was henceforth empty since October. In turn, the Italian government was trumpeting the fact that, against "illegal" immigration, firmness had ended up paying off. From the other islands in the Sicily Channel to Malta, to the Canary islands, and to the coasts of Andalusia in Spain, the same fact could be noted: unwanted arrivals on the coasts had ended, at least on that side of Europe. Moreover, at a time when Migreurop is completing its second annual report, it has even been stated that Libya has closed its detention centres - those camps that were hastily created following great inputs of "aid" from north of the Mediterranean. Readers should read this report with caution, because, in the field of migration, the gateways and routes open up and close down very quickly, in accordance with the deals between European Union member states and those between the latter and so-called "third" countries, in spite of the strong trends that we denounce here. Details: Paris: Migreurop, 2010. 132p. Source: Internet Resource: http://www.migreurop.org/IMG/pdf/rapport-migreurop-2010-en_-_2-121110.pdf Year: 2010 Country: Europe URL: http://www.migreurop.org/IMG/pdf/rapport-migreurop-2010-en_-_2-121110.pdf Shelf Number: 132972 Keywords: Border Control Border Security Human Rights (Europe) Immigrant Detention Immigration Migrant Detention Migrants |
Author: Pew Research Center Title: More Prioritize Border Security in Immigration Debate. How to Accommodate Undocumented Central American Children in the U.S.? Summary: How to Accommodate Undocumented Central American Children in the U.S.? The national survey by the Pew Research Center, conducted August 20-24 among 1,501 adults, finds that 33% say the priority should be on better border security and tougher enforcement of immigration laws, while 23% prioritize creating a way for people in the U.S. illegally to become citizens if they meet certain conditions. About four-in-ten (41%) say both should be given equal priority. Details: Washington, DC: Pew Research Center, 2014. 12p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed October 6, 2014 at: http://www.people-press.org/files/2014/09/9-3-14-Immigration-Release.pdf Year: 2014 Country: United States URL: http://www.people-press.org/files/2014/09/9-3-14-Immigration-Release.pdf Shelf Number: 133567 Keywords: Border SecurityIllegal Immigrants (U.S.)Immigration PolicyImmigration ReformMigrantsUndocumented Children |
Author: International Organization for Migration (IOM) Title: Fatal Journeys: Tracking Lives Lost during Migration Summary: "Fatal Journeys: Tracking Lives Lost During Migration," the world's most comprehensive tally to date of migrant fatalities across land and sea. With a count surpassing 40,000 victims since 2000, IOM calls on all the world's governments to address what it describes as "an epidemic of crime and victimization." "Our message is blunt: migrants are dying who need not," said IOM Director General William Lacy Swing, "It is time to do more than count the number of victims. It is time to engage the world to stop this violence against desperate migrants." The research behind "Fatal Journeys," which runs to over 200 pages, began with the October 2013 tragedy when over 400 migrants died in two shipwrecks near the Italian island of Lampedusa. The report, compiled under IOM's Missing Migrants Project, indicates Europe is the world's most dangerous destination for "irregular" migration, costing the lives of over 3,000 migrants this year. Calculations based on incidents compiled by The Migrants Files, a joint project conducted under the aegis of Journalism++ , suggests over 22,000 migrants have died trying to reach Europe since 2000, mainly on treacherous routes across the Mediterranean Sea. Besides counting fatalities, the Missing Migrants Project is part of a broader effort to use social media to engage communities around the world. With this month's Malta shipwreck tragedy, IOM offices worldwide received calls and emails from family members across Europe and the Middle East seeking news about their missing relatives, many of whom are now feared dead. Going forward, the Missing Migrants Project will lend a powerful voice of deterrence to keep future victims from embarking on these dangerous journeys. Details: Geneva, SWIT: International Organization for Migration, 2014. 216p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed October 11, 2014 at: http://www.iom.int/files/live/sites/iom/files/pbn/docs/Fatal-Journeys-Tracking-Lives-Lost-during-Migration-2014.pdf Year: 2014 Country: International URL: http://www.iom.int/files/live/sites/iom/files/pbn/docs/Fatal-Journeys-Tracking-Lives-Lost-during-Migration-2014.pdf Shelf Number: 133929 Keywords: ImmigrationMigrant DeathsMigrants |
Author: International Commission of Jurists Title: "Undocumented": Justice for Migrants in Italy: A mission report Summary: The objective of protecting human rights and upholding the rule of law in the context of migration has grown ever more challenging and in the face of burgeoning migration to the European Union (EU). In this regard, there is no doubt that Italy is now one of the most important gateways to the EU. In recent years, the central Mediterranean route has reclaimed its central role for migration travels to mainland EU countries, as appears clear from graph no. 1 comparing the number of transits through the different entry routes to the EU. The situation has been exacerbated in 2014, when, according to UNHCR, by 14 August 2014 the number of arrivals of migrants and asylum seekers had reached around 100,000 persons, more than double the total numbers of 2013 (see, graph no. 1). At least since 2008, the response of Italy to the increased numbers of migrant arrivals to its shores had been one of rejection, an approach best exemplified by the policy of push-backs on the high seas designed and implemented through the infamous 2008 Treaty on Friendship, Partnership and Cooperation with Libya during the reign of Muammar Gadaffi. Pursuant to that treaty, the Italian authorities began a practice of push-backs to Libya that was ultimately condemned by the European Court of Human Rights (ECtHR) in the case Hirsi Jamaa and others v. Italy as a violation of the prohibition of collective expulsion, of the principle of non-refoulement and of the right to an effective remedy. Recently, fortunately, the situation on the high seas seemed to have improved. On 18 October 2013, Italy unilaterally activated the operation Mare Nostrum, through which the Italian military navy and aviation, the Carabinieri, the Guardia di Finanza, the Police, coastguard and the military personnel of the Italian Red Cross have been patrolling the high seas, but this time in order to rescue migrants in distress and to bring them ashore on Italian territory. Although the conduct of this ongoing operation is outside the scope of this report, the ICJ welcomes the efforts of Italy to save lives in the Mediterranean Sea under operation Mare Nostrum. Nonetheless, this laudable effort has naturally strained Italy's resources more than in the past. At its meeting with representatives of the Directorates of Civil Liberties and Immigration and of Public Security of the Italian Ministry of Interior, the mission heard that, at the time of the visit, there were some 47,000 persons held in reception centres and that the overall reception capacity of the country was overstretched. Details: Geneva, SWIT: International Commission of Jurists, 2014. 70p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed January 29, 2015 at: http://www.refworld.org/pdfid/5452554a4.pdf Year: 2014 Country: Italy URL: http://www.refworld.org/pdfid/5452554a4.pdf Shelf Number: 134493 Keywords: Illegal ImmigrantsImmigrant DetentionMigrantsMigration (Italy)Undocumented Immigrants |
Author: Regional Mixed Migration Secretariat Title: Migrant Smuggling in the Horn of Africa & Yemen: The political economy and protection risks Summary: This publication, the first in a new series of studies by the RMMS on specific mixed migration issues, focuses on migrant smuggling in the Horn of Africa and Yemen. Globally, migration and mobility are important survival and poverty reduction strategies for a large and growing number of people. This is no different in the Horn of Africa and Yemen, a poor, environmentally fragile and conflict-prone region that has generated a heavy flow of mixed migration in recent years. In 'mixed migration', different groups of migrants may travel with or alongside each other, using the same routes and means of transport but with different motivations and objectives. The term is relatively new and encompasses groups of refugees, asylum seekers, economic migrants, Internally Displaced People, stateless persons on the move and trafficked persons. The 'status' (regular, irregular) of people on the move often changes and adapts over the course of a journey, leading to increased difficulties in classification. In this report the term migrant is often used to include all those in the mixed migration flows, even if they include refugees and asylum seekers. According to the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), such movements often involve irregular or clandestine travel, "exposing people to exploitation and abuse by smugglers and traffickers or placing their lives at risk. Most migrants, when they travel irregularly, are in vulnerable situations". The majority in the Horn of Africa and Yemen move with the assistance or under the control of migrant smugglers. Although the results of migration may contribute to social and economic development, such forms of irregular migration represent huge challenges for governments and international organisations with regard to promoting the rights of migrants, addressing the issue of irregular migration and border management, ensuring national security and correct immigration procedures, and countering the activities of criminal networks. Migrant smuggling is a disturbing phenomenon due to the power dynamics and attendant protection risks between migrant and smuggler as well as between migrant and officials in the states through which migrants travel. Unlike human trafficking, the migrant starts his or her journey on a consensual basis, but this often soon changes. According to the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC), migrant smuggling can be a 'deadly' business. Between 2006 and 2012, when regular monitoring of new arrivals first began, a conservative estimate indicates that almost half a million migrants (447,000) have set off to Yemen in boats from Djibouti or the Somali port city of Bossaso, almost all of them Somalis and Ethiopians. According to Human Rights Watch, and as this study will illustrate, asylum seekers, refugees and other migrants travelling to Yemen from the Horn of Africa suffer severe human rights abuses, violence or loss of life. They also claim that "despite the numbers and despite the human rights abuses, this has been largely ignored by the outside world". Many Eritrean migrants and asylum seekers take the western route through Sudan into Libya, while a large cohort of other Ethiopians and Somalis stream south through Kenya and towards South Africa. Almost all of this movement is facilitated by human smugglers. Details: Nairobi: RMMS, 2013. 80p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed February 9, 2015 at: http://regionalmms.org/fileadmin/content/monthly%20summaries/series_booklet_Leo.pdf Year: 2013 Country: Africa URL: http://regionalmms.org/fileadmin/content/monthly%20summaries/series_booklet_Leo.pdf Shelf Number: 134573 Keywords: Asylum SeekersCriminal NetworksHuman Smuggling (Africa)Human TraffickingMigrantsMigrationOrganized CrimeRefugees |
Author: Meyer, Maureen Title: On the Front Lines: Border Security, Migration, and Humanitarian Concerns in South Texas Summary: In December 2014, WOLA paid its third visit in two years to the Rio Grande Valley, the part of the U.S.-Mexico border closest to the Gulf of Mexico, in south Texas. This region made headlines in summer 2014 as tens of thousands of unaccompanied Central American children crossed the border here. This crisis has declined somewhat, but 2015 is still on track to be the second-largest year on record for Central American child and family migration to the United States, most of it in the Rio Grande Valley. But this is just one crisis that this region is suffering. The Rio Grande Valley now records the highest number of migrants dying of dehydration and exposure as they walk through its arid ranch lands. It sits across from what is today the most violent segment of Mexico's border zone. This segment receives the largest portion of Mexican citizens deported by the United States, who face acute safety concerns upon their return. The situation on both sides of the border is extremely difficult: for migrants, for residents on the Mexican side, and for U.S. and Mexican law enforcement personnel who have to contend with it. It requires Washington and Mexico City to take bold and humane actions. This report recommends several. Details: Washington, DC: Washington Office on Latin America, 2015. 33p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed March 9, 2015 at: http://www.wola.org/sites/default/files/MX/WOLA%20Report_South%20Texas%20Border%202015.pdf Year: 2015 Country: United States URL: http://www.wola.org/sites/default/files/MX/WOLA%20Report_South%20Texas%20Border%202015.pdf Shelf Number: 134763 Keywords: Border Security (U.S.)DeportationIllegal MigrationImmigration PolicyMigrants |
Author: Athwal, Harmit, Bourne, Jenny Title: Dying for Justice Summary: Dying for Justice which gives the background on 509 people (an average of twenty-two per year) from BAME, refugee and migrant communities who have died between 1991-2014 in suspicious circumstances in which the police, prison authorities or immigration detention officers have been implicated. It concludes that: - a large proportion of these deaths have involved undue force and many more a culpable lack of care; - despite critical narrative verdicts warning of dangerous procedures and the proliferation of guidelines, lessons are not being learnt; people die in similar ways year on year; - although inquest juries have delivered verdicts of unlawful killing in at least twelve cases, no one has been convicted for their part in these deaths over the two and a half decades of the research; - privatisation and sub-contracting of custodial, health and other services compounds concerns and makes it harder to call agencies to account; - Family and community campaigns have been crucial in bringing about any change in institutions and procedures Details: London: Institute for Race Relations, 2015. 90p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed March 26, 2015 at: http://www.irr.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2015/03/Dying_for_Justice_web.pdf Year: 2015 Country: United Kingdom URL: http://www.irr.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2015/03/Dying_for_Justice_web.pdf Shelf Number: 135063 Keywords: Deaths in CustodyImmigrant DetentionMigrantsPolice Use of ForcePrisoners, Foreign (U.K.)Refugees |
Author: Orozco-Aleman, Sandra Title: Does violence affect migration flows? Evidence from the Mexican drug war Summary: We study the effect of drug-violence on the infl‡ows and outfl‡ows of migrants between Mexico and the United States. The results show that violence increases the infl‡ows of workers from Western Mexico but decreases the infl‡ows from Southern Mexico. Additionally, violence is associated with increases in return migration. One factor that could explain the different behavior of workers from Western and Southern Mexico is having different costs of violence. We use Mexico’'s National Surveys on Victimization and Perceptions of Public Safety to test for differences in the cost of crime and the perception of public safety. The results show that individuals from Western Mexico feel more unsafe in their own municipality and have higher losses due to crime. Therefore, high costs associated with the increase in violence could explain the increase in the infl‡ow of workers from that region of Mexico. Details: Conference Paper: 18th Annual Meeting of the Latin American and Caribbean Economic Association and the 28th Latin American Meeting of the Econometric Society , Mexico City, 2013. 31p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed April 9, 2015 at: http://vox.lacea.org/pdf/lacea2013_does_violence.pdf Year: 2013 Country: Mexico URL: http://vox.lacea.org/pdf/lacea2013_does_violence.pdf Shelf Number: 135207 Keywords: Drug Violence Drug-Related Violence MigrantsMigration |
Author: United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) Title: Transnational Organized Crime in Eastern Africa: A Threat Assessment Summary: Key Findings: - Transnational organized crime in Eastern Africa is a product of both illicit markets that span continents and an underlying weakness in the rule of law. - Due to conflict and poverty, Eastern Africa produces a large and vulnerable stream of smuggled migrants, who are abused and exploited at multiple stages of their journey. - More than 100,000 people paid smugglers to transport them across the Gulf of Aden or Red Sea to Yemen in 2012, generating an income for the boatmen of over US$15 million. - Around 80,000 of these migrants attempted to cross Yemen to Saudi Arabia, but many of these were waylaid by smugglers and subjected to a range of abuses, including confinement, beatings, extortion and rape. - Despite the large numbers, the flow of migrants is concentrated, with most embarking from two port areas (Obock, Djibouti and Boosaaso, Somalia) where interventions could be addressed. - Heroin has been trafficked to and through Eastern Africa since at least the 1980s, but a series of recent large seizures suggests that this flow has increased. - Some air couriering has been noted, but it appears the great bulk of the heroin is being transported by dhow from the Makran Coast, an area that spans Iran and Pakistan. - The local market is estimated to consume at least 2.5 tons of pure heroin per year, worth some US$160 million in local markets. The volumes trafficked to the region appear to be much larger, as much as 22 tons, suggesting substantial tran-shipment. Eastern Africa is a known transit area for heroin destined for South Africa and West Africa. - Given the prevalence of blood borne disease and known injection drug use, the spread of heroin throughout the region must be carefully monitored and addressed. - Recent research indicates that the rate of poaching in Eastern Africa has increased, rising to levels that could threaten the local elephant population. - The bulk of the large ivory shipments from Africa to Asia appears to pass through the container ports of Kenya and the United Republic of Tanzania, where interventions could be addressed. - It is estimated that between 5,600 and 15,400 elephants are poached in Eastern Africa annually, producing between 56 and 154 metric tons of illicit ivory, of which two-thirds (37 tons) is destined for Asia, worth around US$30 million in 2011. - Somali pirates brought in an estimated US$150 million in 2011, which is equivalent to almost 15% of Somalia's GDP. - Effective intervention has forced pirates to range ever further from the coast to attain their targets: in 2005, the average successful pirate attack was 109 km from the Somali coast; in 2012, it was 746 km. Ships have also become more effective at defending themselves. - The increase in risk associated with protracted expeditions and international countermeasures have contributed to a decline in piracy: in April of 2009 alone, pirates hijacked 16 ships, but after April 2011, they averaged less than one per month. There were no successful hijackings for ransom in the Somali area of operations in the first half of 2013. Details: Vienna: UNODC, 2013. 54p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed May 28, 2015 at: http://www.unodc.org/documents/data-and-analysis/Studies/TOC_East_Africa_2013.pdf Year: 2013 Country: Africa URL: http://www.unodc.org/documents/data-and-analysis/Studies/TOC_East_Africa_2013.pdf Shelf Number: 129829 Keywords: Animal PoachingDrug TraffickingElephantsHeroinHuman SmugglingIvoryMigrantsOrganized CrimePirates/PiracyWildlife Crime |
Author: Kesete, Nisan Zerai Title: Destitution Domestic Violence Concession - Monitoring Research Report Summary: In the UK, many migrant women who are victims of domestic violence have insecure immigration status and some have the restriction of 'no recourse to public funds' even when they have a valid leave to stay in the county. The No Recourse to Public Funds (NRPF) rule is a condition attached to a residence permit in the UK, showing that a person who is subject to immigration control or without secure immigration status has no entitlement to most welfare benefits, tax credits or housing assistance measures that are paid by the state. This rule applies to many migrants including those on spousal or partner visas, people on student visas and their dependants, people on work visa and their dependants, refused asylum seekers and over-stayers. The NRPF restriction, therefore, has made it very difficult for many women who are victims of domestic violence to leave abusive situations. In most cases these women are forced to either remain in the abusive relationship or face destitution. Since 1992, Southall Black Sisters (SBS), a women's organisation working for and with ethnic minority women, have led an extensive national campaign calling for reforms to the immigration rules and the NRPF requirement so that women experiencing violence are not facing the stark choice between abuse, deportation and destitution. Following this campaign, in 1999, the Government announced a concession, the Domestic Violence rule, to allow those on spousal or partner visa and whose relationship has broken down as a result of domestic violence, to obtain Indefinite Leave to Remain (ILR) if they can prove that the relationship actually broke down due to domestic violence. Although this concession was a positive step forward, in terms of solving the immigration side of the problem, it still did not address the problem of destitution as the women concerned continue to have to find ways of supporting themselves financially as they remain under the NRPF rule whilst applying and waiting for an ILR decision to be made. To address this problem the Government set up the Sojourner pilot project in November 2009, a project run by Eaves, to provide financial support to those fleeing domestic violence while applying for ILR under the DV rule. In April 2012, a new scheme, the Destitution Domestic Violence (DDV) Concession scheme replaced Sojourner, mainstreaming the financial support provided to those applying for ILR under the DV rule. Following the introduction of the DDV Concession scheme, Eaves obtained funding from Unbound Philanthropy to monitor the implementation of the scheme and to provide training to professionals who work with women using the Concession across the UK. The DDV Concession scheme monitoring research project focused on four key areas: - Regularising immigration status through the scheme - Accessing financial support and benefits through the scheme - The support needs of women and the organisations supporting them through the DDV Concession scheme - Providing recommendations for future policy and practice. Details: London: Eaves For Women, 2013. 93p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed June 4, 2015 at: http://i2.cmsfiles.com/eaves/2013/12/DDV-Concession-Scheme-Monitoring-Report-Final-f14013.pdf Year: 2013 Country: United Kingdom URL: http://i2.cmsfiles.com/eaves/2013/12/DDV-Concession-Scheme-Monitoring-Report-Final-f14013.pdf Shelf Number: 135891 Keywords: Domestic ViolenceFamily ViolenceImmigration PolicyIntimate Partner ViolenceMigrantsViolence Against Women |
Author: Anti-Slavery International Title: Into the Unknown: Exploitation of Nepalese migrant domestic workers in Lebanon Summary: Hundreds of thousands of migrants are currently working in the Middle East in situations that can amount to forced labour and slavery. This is a direct consequence of the systems currently in place in these countries, as well as policies and practices in their home countries, including in South Asia and further afield. Research by Anti-Slavery International, KAFA - (Enough) Violence & Exploitation in Lebanon- and GEFONT - the General Federation of Nepalese Trade Unions - has identified that domestic workers from Nepal seeking legal and decent work in Lebanon are one such group who are suffering from this type of exploitation. Domestic work includes a range of tasks carried out in private homes including cooking, cleaning, washing clothes, taking care of children or the elderly, running errands and sometimes looking after an employer's small business. Domestic workers can live in their employer's home or independently from them, but working within the home is the single most important determinant in defining a domestic worker. Migrant domestic workers are workers who have migrated to other cities or villages, either internationally or within their own countries' borders to find employment. Thousands of women and girls migrate every day to find work as domestic workers and provide for their families. In Lebanon alone, there is currently an estimated 200,000 migrant domestic workers. The abuse and exploitation they suffer is well documented. Until 2012, Lebanon was the top country of destination for female migrant workers. The plight of Nepalese migrant domestic workers is rooted in a continuum of vulnerabilities starting from their recruitment in their rural villages and lasting until they start work in a home in the Lebanese capital city and beyond. At every stage of the migration process and employment, they risk being abused and exploited. Many are trafficked for forced labour, with some employers forbidding them from leaving the house, confiscating their passports and using violence or threats of violence to control and force them to work, often without pay. Others fall into bonded labour as a result of the transportation and recruitment costs, as well as the commission fees charged by the agent and/or broker and incurred in taking up a job abroad. They are put in this situation as a result of inadequate policies, discrimination, lack of preparedness, isolation, and an absence of coordinated efforts to protect them. Each one of these factors can lead to serious labour and human rights violations; when combined, as they are for migrant domestic workers including for Nepalese in Lebanon, they create the conditions within which abuse and exploitation can flourish. In 2012, Anti-Slavery International launched a project looking at the situation of migrant domestic workers from Nepal, prior to and after they migrate to Lebanon. The work is implemented in partnership with KAFA in Lebanon and GEFONT in Nepal. The activities build on research undertaken in these two countries as well as India examining the legislation, policy and practice of the migration cycle in origin and destination countries, with particular reference to its impact on female migrant domestic workers. The research concluded that the combination of gender discrimination in policies, lack of relevant and accessible training pre-departure, lack of protection or little or no regulation of recruitment agencies, as well as discriminatory policies in the countries of destination, mostly through the kafala - or sponsorship system - all result in a failure to protect female migrant domestic workers. The research also showed that the vulnerabilities to abuse and exploitation suffered by migrant domestic workers are inter-related and interdependent; for example, even if women received appropriate pre-departure training, they would remain vulnerable to exploitation if the ban currently preventing women under 30 from migrating to Lebanon remained. Therefore, it will be only be possible to improve their situation by addressing, concurrently, the continuum of vulnerabilities to which they are subjected prior to, during and after migrating and by making them agents of change for themselves and others in Hundreds of thousands of migrants are currently working in the Middle East in situations that can amount to forced labour and slavery. This is a direct consequence of the systems currently in place in these countries, as well as policies and practices in their home countries, including in South Asia and further afield. Research by Anti-Slavery International, KAFA - (Enough) Violence & Exploitation in Lebanon - and GEFONT - the General Federation of Nepalese Trade Unions - has identified that domestic workers from Nepal seeking legal and decent work in Lebanon are one such group who are suffering from this type of exploitation. Domestic work includes a range of tasks carried out in private homes including cooking, cleaning, washing clothes, taking care of children or the elderly, running errands and sometimes looking after an employer's small business. Domestic workers can live in their employers home or independently from them, but working within the home is the single most important determinant in defining a domestic worker. Migrant domestic workers are workers who have migrated to other cities or villages, either internationally or within their own countries' borders to find employment. Thousands of women and girls migrate every day to find work as domestic workers and provide for their families. In Lebanon alone, there is currently an estimated 200,000 migrant domestic workers. The abuse and exploitation they suffer is well documented. Until 2012, Lebanon was the top country of destination for female migrant workers. The plight of Nepalese migrant domestic workers is rooted in a continuum of vulnerabilities starting from their recruitment in their rural villages and lasting until they start work in a home in the Lebanese capital city and beyond. At every stage of the migration process and employment, they risk being abused and exploited. Many are trafficked for forced labour, with some employers forbidding them from leaving the house, confiscating their passports and using violence or threats of violence to control and force them to work, often without pay. Others fall into bonded labour as a result of the transportation and recruitment costs, as well as the commission fees charged by the agent and/or broker and incurred in taking up a job abroad. They are put in this situation as a result of inadequate policies, discrimination, lack of preparedness, isolation, and an absence of coordinated efforts to protect them. Each one of these factors can lead to serious labour and human rights violations; when combined, as they are for migrant domestic workers including for Nepalese in Lebanon, they create the conditions within which abuse and exploitation can flourish. In 2012, Anti-Slavery International launched a project looking at the situation of migrant domestic workers from Nepal, prior to and after they migrate to Lebanon. The work is implemented in partnership with KAFA in Lebanon and GEFONT in Nepal. The activities build on research undertaken in these two countries as well as India examining the legislation, policy and practice of the migration cycle in origin and destination countries, with particular reference to its impact on female migrant domestic workers. The research concluded that the combination of gender discrimination in policies, lack of relevant and accessible training pre-departure, lack of protection or little or no regulation of recruitment agencies, as well as discriminatory policies in the countries of destination, mostly through the kafala - or sponsorship system - all result in a failure to protect female migrant domestic workers. The research also showed that the vulnerabilities to abuse and exploitation suffered by migrant domestic workers are inter-related and interdependent; for example, even if women received appropriate pre-departure training, they would remain vulnerable to exploitation if the ban currently preventing women under 30 from migrating to Lebanon remained. Therefore, it will be only be possible to improve their situation by addressing, concurrently, the continuum of vulnerabilities to which they are subjected prior to, during and after migrating and by making them agents of change for themselves and others in In Nepal, a model has been developed to bring relevant and adequate pre-departure information to potential female migrants in the two districts of Jhapa and Morang in a format they can easily rely on. The information is relayed by members of the community called Female Community Health Volunteers (FCHV) who have been trained on issues of safe migration, especially for women migrating for domestic work. As members of the community, these FCHV will have a better knowledge of the situation of women in these areas and will be more likely to gain their trust. Providing adequate pre-departure information to prospective migrant domestic workers is a crucial step in making migration safer for women. If they are informed of the legal steps to migration, of the realities and potential dangers linked to working abroad as a domestic workers, women are more likely to make informed decisions about their migratory plans. In Lebanon, the project also supports the development of the Nepali community of migrant domestic workers, who came together under the NARI group. The objective is to scale up and replicate this model across communities, based on lessons learnt from the Nepalese experience. As illustrated in the report, in addition to building stronger and better prepared communities of domestic workers, these interventions are also crucial to informing and strengthening the partnership's campaign for policy and practice reforms. Details: London: Anti-Slavery International, 2014. 44p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed July 15, 2015 at: http://www.antislavery.org/includes/documents/cm_docs/2014/i/into_the_unknown_report.pdf Year: 2014 Country: Lebanon URL: http://www.antislavery.org/includes/documents/cm_docs/2014/i/into_the_unknown_report.pdf Shelf Number: 136070 Keywords: Domestic WorkersForced LaborMigrants |
Author: Anderson, Bridget Title: Forced Labour and Migration to the UK Summary: The disaster in which 21 Chinese migrants died picking cockles in the treacherous tides off Morecambe Bay in February 2004 has led to increased public awareness of the abusive employment relations and poor living conditions of many migrants working in the United Kingdom. Press coverage of these issues can adopt a very mixed tone. On the one hand the migrants involved are depicted as 'victims' working in Dickensian conditions; the employers and ubiquitous gangmasters as morally reprehensible and, more often than not, foreign. On the other hand migrants are also frequently portrayed as persons benefiting from undeserved opportunities. However, this short exploratory report offers a new framework with which we might begin to discuss the problem of super-exploitation in the workplace, particularly that which affects migrant workers. The report begins by answering questions such as What are the indicators of forced labour? and Why do people become vulnerable to forced labour? Focussing on four sectors - agriculture, construction, care workers and contract cleaning - the report highlights issues such as health and safety, accommodation and subcontracting. A key finding is that future discussion must begin to separate the control of immigration and the protection of workers rights. Details: Oxford, UK: Center on Immigration Policy and Society, and London: Trades Union Congress, 2004. 68p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed July 29, 2015 at: http://www.ituc-csi.org/IMG/pdf/Forced_labour_in_UK_12-2009.pdf Year: 2004 Country: United Kingdom URL: http://www.ituc-csi.org/IMG/pdf/Forced_labour_in_UK_12-2009.pdf Shelf Number: 136229 Keywords: Forced LaborHuman RightsHuman TraffickingImmigrationMigrantsOrganized Crime |
Author: Global Detention Project Title: The Detention of Asylum Seekers in the Mediterranean Region Summary: With the recent tragic surge in the number of deaths at sea of asylum seekers and other migrants attempting to reach Europe, enormous public attention is being focused on the treatment of these people across the Mediterranean. An important migration policy employed throughout the region is detention, including widespread deprivation of liberty of asylum seekers and other vulnerable groups. This Global Detention Project background paper is intended to highlight some of the vulnerabilities that people seeking international protection face when they are taken into custody in Mediterranean countries and to underscore the way that European Union-driven policies have impacted the migratory phenomenon in the region. The report focuses on eight key countries in Europe and North Africa. While there are clear differences in treatment from one side of the Mediterranean to the next, looked at collectively, the protection environment across all the countries in the region is bleak. Not surprisingly, the conditions of detention asylum seekers face in North African countries are often horrific and inhumane. However, in Europe, there are also serious shortcomings. In fact, as this backgrounder reports, reception and detention conditions in three of Europe's main asylum receiving countries (Greece, Italy, and Malta) are so inadequate that many of their EU counterparts have been forced to halt returns to these countries under the Dublin III Regulation Details: Geneva, SWIT: Global Detention Project, 2015. 22p. Source: Internet Resource: Global Detention Project Backgrounder : Accessed August 8, 2015 at: http://www.globaldetentionproject.org/fileadmin/DIVERSE/GDP_Med_report_final.pdf Year: 2015 Country: Europe URL: http://www.globaldetentionproject.org/fileadmin/DIVERSE/GDP_Med_report_final.pdf Shelf Number: 136361 Keywords: Asylum SeekersImmigrant DetentionImmigrantsMigrants |
Author: Hipsman, Faye Title: In-Country Refugee Processing in Central America: A Piece of the Puzzle Summary: In December 2014, the Obama administration established the Central American Minors (CAM) Refugee/Parole Program, an in-country refugee processing program for minors in El Salvador, Guatemala, and Honduras deemed deserving of humanitarian protection in the United States. An element of the government's response to the 2014 surge in arrivals at the U.S.-Mexico border of unaccompanied minors from Central America, the CAM program seeks to provide certain minors with a legal, safe alternative to undertaking dangerous, unauthorized journeys to the United States. In fiscal year (FY) 2014, almost 69,000 unaccompanied minors were apprehended by the U.S. Border Patrol, up from 39,000 in FY 2013 and 24,000 the prior year. Unlike in prior years, when Mexico was the top sending country, the majority of unaccompanied children in 2014 came from Central America's Northern Triangle countries of El Salvador, Guatemala, and Honduras. The growing power of gangs and organized-crime groups, as well as rising rates of homicide, drug trafficking, human trafficking, and gender-based violence in the region are well documented, and the new CAM in-country processing program was created with the aim of providing minors affected by violence in Central America the ability to legally reunite with parents living lawfully in the United States. This report provides an overview of the CAM program and its operations, and reviews the history of U.S. in-country processing programs, which date to the 1970s and have operated in countries including Vietnam, Haiti, Cuba, and Iraq. It also examines the issues such programs have raised about goals, participation rates, and the process and criteria for in-country applications. Details: Washington, DC: Migration Policy Institute, 2015. 27p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed August 14, 2015 at: http://reliefweb.int/sites/reliefweb.int/files/resources/In-Country-Processing-FINAL.pdf Year: 2015 Country: Central America URL: http://reliefweb.int/sites/reliefweb.int/files/resources/In-Country-Processing-FINAL.pdf Shelf Number: 136400 Keywords: MigrantsMigrationRefugeesUnaccompanied ChildrenUndocumented Migrants |
Author: Newland, Kathleen Title: Irregular Maritime Migration in the Bay of Bengal: The Challenges of Protection, Management, and Cooperation Summary: In recent decades, maritime migration in Asia has become increasingly contentious, as refugees and irregular migrants traversing the region by sea complicate the attempts of governments in the Asia-Pacific region to control their borders, regulate immigration, and fulfill their obligations under international law. In the spring of 2015, irregular maritime migration across the Bay of Bengal to Southeast Asia entered a period of crisis as a wave of migrants and refugees crossed or attempted to cross the Bay of Bengal to reach Southeast Asia. The discovery in April and May 2015 of smuggler camps on both sides of the Thailand-Malaysia border showed the critical dangers that attend the journey. At the center of the migration crisis is the exodus of stateless Muslims from western Myanmar (and in some cases, Bangladesh), mingled with Bangladeshi migrants seeking work opportunities in the wealthier countries of the region. Members of the Muslim minority, known as the Rohingya, have suffered extreme poverty and discrimination since the end of British colonial rule and establishment of the modern state of Myanmar. Communal violence between the Rohingya and Buddhists in Myanmar's Rakhine state flared in 2012, resulting in the flight of Rohingya to neighboring Bangladesh, where at least 200,000 remain. Tens of thousands of others embarked on irregular maritime journeys from Bay of Bengal ports in Myanmar and Bangladesh. This MPI-International Organization for Migration (IOM) Issue in Brief attempts to put the crisis of 2015 into context, providing an overview of the routes and patterns of migration, the development of migration out of Myanmar's Rakhine state over the past few years and how policy responses to it have assigned priority to the protection of migrants and refugees, to the management of the maritime flows and to cooperation on migration with countries in the region and beyond. The brief concludes with several recommendations, and a consideration of what recent history has to teach us about responses to maritime migration crises. Details: Bangkok and Washington, DC: International Organization for Migration and Migration Policy Institute, 2015. 16p. Source: Internet Resource: Issue in Brief, Issue No. 13: Accessed August 14, 2015 at: http://www.migrationpolicy.org/research/irregular-maritime-migration-bay-bengal-challenges-protection-management-and-cooperation Year: 2015 Country: Asia URL: http://www.migrationpolicy.org/research/irregular-maritime-migration-bay-bengal-challenges-protection-management-and-cooperation Shelf Number: 136406 Keywords: Border SecurityHuman SmugglingImmigrantsImmigrationMigrantsMigration EnforcementRefugees |
Author: Parkin, Joanna Title: The Criminalisation of Migration in Europe: A State-of-the-Art of the Academic Literature and Research Summary: In the last 30 years, a clear trend has come to define modern immigration law and policy. A set of seemingly disparate developments concerning the constant reinforcement of border controls, tightening of conditions of entry, expanding capacities for detention and deportation and the proliferation of criminal sanctions for migration offences, accompanied by an anxiety on the part of the press, public and political establishment regarding migrant criminality can now be seen to form a definitive shift in the European Union towards the so-called 'criminalisation of migration'. This paper aims to provide an overview of the 'state-of-the-art' in the academic literature and EU research on criminalisation of migration in Europe. It analyses three key manifestations of the socalled 'crimmigration' trend: discursive criminalisation; the use of criminal law for migration management; and immigrant detention, focusing both on developments in domestic legislation of EU member states but also the increasing conflation of mobility, crime and security which has accompanied EU integration. By identifying the trends, synergies and gaps in the scholarly approaches dealing with the criminalisation of migration, the paper seeks to provide a framework for on-going research under Work Package 8 of the FIDUCIA project. Details: Brussels: Center for European Policy Studies, 2013. 30p. Source: Internet Resource: CEPS Papers in Liberty and Security in Europe, no. 61: Accessed August 19, 2015 at: http://www.ceps.eu/system/files/Criminalisation%20of%20Migration%20in%20Europe%20J%20Parkin%20FIDUCIA%20final.pdf Year: 2013 Country: Europe URL: http://www.ceps.eu/system/files/Criminalisation%20of%20Migration%20in%20Europe%20J%20Parkin%20FIDUCIA%20final.pdf Shelf Number: 131704 Keywords: Illegal ImmigrationImmigrant DetentionImmigrantsMigrants |
Author: Rubio Grundell, Lucrecia Title: EU Anti-Trafficking Policies: from Migration and Crime Control to Prevention and Protection Summary: Trafficking in Human Beings (THB) emerged on the EU's agenda in the mid-1990s. Since then, it has been the subject of increased media attention, intense political cooperation and much legal regulation. Despite three decades of commitment to maximizing co-operation in the fight against THB however, facts regarding prevention, prosecution and especially protection remain extremely discouraging. The upcoming adoption of the European Agenda on Migration therefore, which points to the "fight against criminal human trafficking networks" as one of its four priorities, is promising. It may mark the stepping up the EU's efforts to implement the existing tools and cooperation in dealing with THB. Even more so, when the transitional period for the entry into force of the Lisbon Treaty's provisions regarding Justice and Home Affairs expired in December 2014. This policy brief argues however, that even though the absence of internal borders renders a European approach indispensable, the management of migration flows from third countries is not an adequate framework within which to tackle THB. In fact, the incorporation of THB into the category of migration, especially irregular migration, is arguably one of the main reasons for the lack of success of EU anti-trafficking policies to date. A revision of EU anti-trafficking policies should ensure a more inclusive decision-making process, a focus on exploitation and not on the irregular crossing of borders, a harmonization of penalties and the guarantee that measures regarding protection are made compulsory, non-discriminatory, unconditional and adequate. Moreover, the root causes of THB must be addressed and this must include a review of the impact of EU migration laws themselves. Details: Florence, Italy: Migration Policy Centre Robert Schuman Centre for Advanced Studies - European University Institute, 2015. 12p. Source: Internet Resource: Policy Brief: Accessed August 20, 2015 at: http://cadmus.eui.eu/bitstream/handle/1814/35745/MPC_PB_2015_09.pdf?sequence=1 Year: 2015 Country: Europe URL: http://cadmus.eui.eu/bitstream/handle/1814/35745/MPC_PB_2015_09.pdf?sequence=1 Shelf Number: 136497 Keywords: Human TraffickingIllegal ImmigrationMigrantsOrganized Crime |
Author: United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) Title: Support to strengthening of immigration control capacity at the international border gates and international cooperation to prevent and control migrant smuggling and human trafficking Summary: This report is the independent final evaluation (FE) of the project "Support to Strengthening of Immigration Control Capacity at the International Border Gates and International Cooperation to Prevent and Control Migrant Smuggling and Human Trafficking", implemented by the UNODC Office in Ha Noi, Viet Nam (refer nr VNMS79). Implementation commenced in February 2010 with a duration of 3 years and 6 months, with a budget of USD 1,078,540 (both after project revision). In supporting the Government of Viet Nam to combat the smuggling of migrants and trafficking of people, VNMS79 was designed with a focus on building capacities at land-, air- and seaports through the strengthening of law enforcement and immigration methods (e.g. detection of document and passport fraud, information and trend analysis) in order to better identify and investigate cases of trafficking and smuggling. The objective of VNMS79 is defined as 'To strengthen the capacity of immigration control at the border gates and improved skills of investigation, detection and information processing on migrant smuggling and human trafficking in line with the requirements of the United Nations Convention Against Transnational Organized Crime (UNTOC) and its Protocols Against Trafficking of Persons and Smuggling of Migrants'. It is supported by two outcomes: (1) 'Improved capacities at selected border gates to prevent, detect and investigate human trafficking and migrant smuggling', further aided through six outputs, and (2) 'Enhance international cooperation to prevent and control migrant smuggling and trafficking', supported by two outputs. The outputs include delivery of training, supporting equipment and the provision of legal assistance in setting up legal frameworks and cooperation mechanisms. Details: New York: UNODC, 2013. 61p. Source: Internet Resource: VNMS79: Accessed August 28, 2015 at: https://www.unodc.org/documents/evaluation/Independent_Project_Evaluations/2014/VNMS79_Final_Evaluation_Report_2014.pdf Year: 2013 Country: Vietnam URL: https://www.unodc.org/documents/evaluation/Independent_Project_Evaluations/2014/VNMS79_Final_Evaluation_Report_2014.pdf Shelf Number: 136613 Keywords: Border SecurityHuman SmugglingHuman TraffickingImmigration EnforcementMigrantsOrganized Crime |
Author: International Detention Coalition Title: Does Detention Deter? Summary: This briefing paper reviews the international research literature on the effectiveness of border control policies - particularly immigration detention - in reducing irregular migration. The brief argues that detention is not only ineffective at reducing irregular migration to desired levels, but also weakens other migration management outcomes such as case resolution, departure for refused cases and integration for approved cases. Given these weaknesses, governments would be better placed prioritizing alternatives to detention. The brief further shows policy development and targeted resource allocation could improve the prospects of migrants by increasing avenues for legal migration and improving life chances in countries of origin and transit. The brief shows destination countries must consider big picture, multi-layered responses to address root causes of irregular movement and reduce the pressures on migrants to undertake risky journeys in an irregular manner. Details: Melbourne: International Detention Coalitions, 2015. 10p. Source: Internet Resource: Briefing Paper: Accessed August 28, 2015 at: http://idcoalition.org/detentiondatabase/does-detention-deter/ Year: 2015 Country: International URL: http://idcoalition.org/detentiondatabase/does-detention-deter/ Shelf Number: 136615 Keywords: Border SecurityIllegal ImmigrantsImmigrant DetentionImmigrantsImmigration EnforcementMigrants |
Author: Bin Han, Chelsea Title: Smuggled migrant or migrant smuggler: erosion of sea-borne asylum seekers' access to refugee protection in Canada Summary: This paper argues that the criminalisation of smuggling has undermined refugee protection for sea-borne asylum seekers. It is pivotal to consider the categorical differentiation of sea-borne asylum seekers in the Canadian refugee system because, although there have been only seven notable cases of boat arrivals in Canada from 1986 to the present, they have triggered significant reforms in Canadian refugee law. At the intersection of international criminal law, Canadian criminal law and Canadian refugee law, the criminalisation of smuggling has resulted in an inability of sea-borne asylum seekers to access refugee status because they have assisted other presumptive refugees during a voyage. This paper argues that the broad grounds of 'ineligibility' for refugee status in Canadian refugee law and the broad concept of smuggling in Canadian criminal law erode access to refugee protection for sea-borne asylum seekers allegedly implicated in the smuggling of refugees. Moreover, interpretive contestation of sea-borne asylum seekers' complicity in smuggling in Canadian refugee law and the flawed assumption of the static identity of smugglers in international criminal law further undermine sea-borne asylum seekers' access to refugee protection in Canada. Sea-borne asylum seekers who do not align with the assumption of passivity of smuggled migrants are discursively framed as smugglers. International refugee law may fail to provide protection for bona fide refugees because of the artificial distinction between the smuggler and the migrant in international and national criminal frameworks on smuggling. Details: Oxford, UK: Refugee Studies Centre, Oxford Department of International Development, University of Oxford, 2015. 38p. Source: Internet Resource: RSC Working Paper Series, 106: Accessed October 2, 2015 at: http://www.rsc.ox.ac.uk/files/publications/working-paper-series/wp106-smuggled-migrant-or-migrant-smuggler.pdf/ Year: 2015 Country: Canada URL: http://www.rsc.ox.ac.uk/files/publications/working-paper-series/wp106-smuggled-migrant-or-migrant-smuggler.pdf/ Shelf Number: 136940 Keywords: Asylum SeekersHuman SmugglingMigrantsRefugees |
Author: Gros, Hanna Title: Summary: Every year thousands of non-citizens ("migrants") are detained in Canada; in 2013, for example, over 7300 migrants were detained. Nearly one third of all detention occurs in a facility intended for a criminal population. Migrants detained in provincial jails are not currently serving a criminal sentence, but are effectively serving hard time. Our research indicates that detention is sometimes prolonged, and can drag on for years. Imprisonment exacerbates existing mental health issues and often creates new ones, including suicidal ideation. Nearly one third of all detention occurs in a facility intended for a criminal population, while the remaining occurs in dedicated immigration holding centres (IHCs) in Toronto (195 beds), Montreal (150 beds), and Vancouver (24 beds, for short stays of less than 72 hours). Nearly 60% of all detention occurs in Ontario. A Canadian Red Cross Society report notes that, Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA) held 2247 migrants in detention in Ontario provincial jails in 2012. Unfortunately, more up-to-date statistics are not publicly available. Immigration detention is costly. In 2011-2012, the last year for which there is publicly - available information, CBSA spent nearly $50,000,000 on detention - related activities. In 2013, CBSA paid the provinces over $26,000,000 to detain migrants in provincial jails - over $20,000,000 of that was paid to the province of Ontario. CBSA states that detention in a provincial jail costs $259 per day, per detainee. This report finds that Canada's detention of migrants with mental health issues in provincial jails is a violation of binding international human rights law and constitutes arbitrary detention; cruel, inhuman and degrading treatment; discrimination on the basis of disability; violates the right to health; and violates the right to an effective remedy. We find that migrants with mental health issues are routinely detained despite their vulnerable status. Some detainees have no past criminal record, but are detained on the basis that they are a flight risk, or because their identity cannot be confirmed. Due to the overrepresentation of people with mental health issues in Canada's criminal justice system, some migrants with mental health issues are detained on the basis of past criminality - this is after serving their criminal sentence, however minor the underlying offence. Some spend more time in jail on account of their immigration status than the underlying criminal conviction. Despite Canada's strong commitment to the rights of persons with disabilities, migrants with serious mental health issues are routinely imprisoned in maximum-security provincial jails (as opposed to dedicated, medium-security IHCs). Indeed, the Canadian government publicly states that one of the factors it considers in deciding to transfer a detainee from an IHC to a provincial jail is the existence of a mental health issue. Counsel and jail staff we spoke to noted that migrants are often held in provincial jails on the basis of pre-existing mental health issues (including suicidal ideation), medical issues, or because they are deemed 'problematic' or uncooperative by CBSA. The government claims that detainees can better access health care services in jail, even though all our research indicates that mental health care in provincial jails is woefully inadequate and has been the subject of recent reports and human rights complaints. Alarmingly, we could find no established criteria in law to determine when a detainee can or should be transferred from an IHC to a provincial jail - the decision is at the whim of CBSA. Detainees' counsel are not notified of the transfer in advance and do not have the right to make submissions to challenge it. Of course, outside of Toronto, Vancouver and Montreal, all detainees are held in jails since there are no dedicated facilities to house migrants. Once a detainee finds him or herself in provincial jail, they fall into a legal black hole where neither CBSA nor the provincial jail has clear authority over their conditions of confinement. This is especially problematic since, in Ontario at least, there is no regular, independent monitoring of provincial jails that house immigration detainees. Unfortunately, while the laws and policies on their face pay lip service to the importance of exploring alternatives to detention, the numerous counsel and experts we interviewed all identified the lack of meaningful or viable alternatives to detention for those with mental health issues due to ingrained biases of government officials and quasi-judicial decision-makers who review continued detention. In practice, the detention review process, which is meant to mitigate the risk of indefinite detention, actually facilitates it. Ontario counsel we spoke to uniformly expressed frustration with the futility of the reviews, where a string of lay decision-makers preside over hearings that last a matter of minutes, lack due process, and presume continued detention absent "clear and compelling reasons" to depart from past decisions. It is an exercise in smoke and mirrors. The immigration detainees we profile spent between two months and eight years imprisoned in maximum-security provincial jails, and each had a diagnosed mental health issue and/or expressed serious anxiety or suicidal ideation. Without exception, detention in a provincial jail, even for a short period, exacerbated their mental health issues, or created new ones. This is, of course, unsurprising given the overwhelming evidence that immigration detention is devastating for those with mental health issues. Without exception, the immigration detainees we spoke to communicated incredible despair and anxiety - over their immigration status, their seemingly indefinite detention, their lack of legal rights, their conditions of confinement, and the lack of adequate mental health resources to allow them to get better. They are treated like "garbage," "animals," or something less than human. The detention of migrants with mental health issues in provincial jails violates the human rights of some of the most vulnerable people in Canadian society. It violates numerous human rights treaties to which Canada is a party, including the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights and the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities, as well as jus cogens norms of customary international law. Details: Toronto: International Human Rights Program (IHRP) University of Toronto Faculty of Law, 2015. 129p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed October 27, 2015 at: http://ihrp.law.utoronto.ca/utfl_file/count/PUBLICATIONS/IHRP%20We%20Have%20No%20Rights%20Report%20web%20170615.pdf Year: 2015 Country: Canada URL: http://ihrp.law.utoronto.ca/utfl_file/count/PUBLICATIONS/IHRP%20We%20Have%20No%20Rights%20Report%20web%20170615.pdf Shelf Number: 137152 Keywords: Human Rights AbusesIllegal ImmigrantsImmigrant DetentionMental Health ServicesMigrantsUndocumented Immigrants |
Author: De Vito, Elisabetta Title: Public health aspects of migrant health: a review of the evidence on health status for undocumented migrants in the European Region Summary: Undocumented migrants are people within a country without the necessary documents and permits. They are considered at higher risk for health problems because of their irregular status and the consequences of economic and social marginalization. A systematic review found 122 documents that suggested policies and interventions to improve health care access and delivery for undocumented migrants. Undocumented migrants mostly have only access to emergency care across Europe, and even in the countries where they are fully entitled to health care, formal and informal barriers hinder their access. This raises concerns for both public health and migrant care. On the basis of findings, policy options are suggested regarding data collection, research, entitlement to health care, information and communication, training and intersectoral approaches. Details: Copenhagen: World Health Organization, 2015. 49p., app. Source: Internet Resource: Health Evidence Network synthesis report 42: Accessed November 9, 2015 at: http://www.euro.who.int/__data/assets/pdf_file/0004/289255/WHO-HEN-Report-A5-3-Undocumented_FINAL-rev1.pdf?ua=1 Year: 2015 Country: Europe URL: http://www.euro.who.int/__data/assets/pdf_file/0004/289255/WHO-HEN-Report-A5-3-Undocumented_FINAL-rev1.pdf?ua=1 Shelf Number: 137227 Keywords: Health CareIllegal ImmigrationMigrantsUndocumented Migrants |
Author: Isacson, Adam Title: Increased Enforcement at Mexico's Southern Border: An Update on Security, Migration, and U.S. Assistance Summary: Key Findings - Far from deterring migrants from making the journey north, the most notable effect of Mexico's migration crackdown has been changes in how migrants are traveling. With decreased possibilities of boarding the train in Chiapas, migrants and smugglers are now relying on different and dangerous routes and modes of transportation, including by foot, vehicle, and boat. These routes expose migrants to new vulnerabilities while simultaneously isolating them from the network of shelters established along traditional routes. - Raids and operations to prevent migrants from riding atop cargo trains, known collectively as La Bestia, have been the most visible and aggressive enforcement efforts under the Southern Border Program. Migration authorities have blocked migrants from boarding trains, pulled migrants off of trains, and raided establishments that migrants are known to frequent, detaining thousands. The train operations have prompted concerns about excessive use-of-force and other abuses by the authorities involved. - U.S. assistance to help Mexico secure its southern border region has increased, though there is limited transparency regarding dollar values, recipient units, equipment, and training. Additionally, some of the U.S.- donated equipment at Mexico's southern border has seen little use and was reported to be ill-suited for the terrain in this region. For example, U.S.-donated observation towers serve little purpose at the densely forested Mexico-Guatemala border. U.S.-donated biometric data equipment was also observed to be in disuse or only used sporadically. - The Southern Border Program brought an increase in mobile checkpoints, and new customs facilities have opened since its launch. Beyond these, there has been little change in the number of roadside checkpoints present on main highways in Chiapas. We observed no new checkpoints on the Pacific coast between Tapachula and Arriaga. The most notable difference is the INM's use of volantas, or mobile checkpoints, which frequently change geographic position, ensnaring unaware migrants and smugglers. The large multi-agency customs checkpoints (Centros de Atencion Integral de Transito Fronterizo, CAITFs) are not a product of the Southern Border Program but have become a key component of the region's border security strategy. Three of these facilities in Huixtla, La Trinitaria, and Playas de Catazaja, Chiapas are already in operation; construction is underway on an additional center in Chiapas and one in Tabasco. - Between July 2014 and June 2015, the Mexican government's apprehensions of Central American migrants increased by 71 percent over the same period in the previous year, before the July 2014 launch of its Southern Border Program. The Southern Border Program modestly increased the presence of immigration agents and security forces, including from Mexico's National Migration Institute (Instituto Nacional de Migracion, INM), Federal Police, and Gendarmeria, a new division of the Federal Police. On the train lines, companies have begun to employ more private security personnel to monitor the cars and tracks. - Increased apprehension and rapid deportation of migrants has not coincided with increased capacity to screen migrants for protection concerns. Rather than viewing this heavy movement of people as a refugee and protection crisis, the Mexican government sees this as an issue of managing large flows of people. Mexican law recognizes a broad definition of "refugee" under which a significant number of Central Americans fleeing violence could qualify; however, few request protection and few receive it. Mexico only granted refugee status in approximately 21 percent of requests in 2014 and during the first seven months of 2015. The lack of awareness or understanding of the right to solicit asylum, the prolonged stay in grim detention center conditions while asylum requests are processed, lack of legal representation, and the shortage of protection officers authorized to make determinations are among the reasons why so few refugees are recognized in Mexico. - Mexico's stepped-up migrant apprehensions reduced the sense of urgency in the United States to support addressing the "root causes" of Central American migration, namely the high levels of violence and poverty, and the lack of opportunity. With fewer migrants arriving at the U.S. border, legislators have delayed or scaled back badly needed reforms or assistance. Whereas Mexico apprehended 67 percent more unaccompanied children from El Salvador, Guatemala, and Honduras from October 2014 to September 2015 compared to the same period in the previous year, U.S. authorities apprehended 45 percent fewer over this period. Details: Washington, DC: Washington Office on Latin America (WOLA), 2015. 36p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed November 11, 2015 at: http://www.wola.org/sites/default/files/WOLA%20Report_Increased%20Enforcement%20at%20Mexico%E2%80%99s%20Southern%20Border_Nov%202015.pdf Year: 2015 Country: Mexico URL: http://www.wola.org/sites/default/files/WOLA%20Report_Increased%20Enforcement%20at%20Mexico%E2%80%99s%20Southern%20Border_Nov%202015.pdf Shelf Number: 137237 Keywords: Border EnforcementBorder SecurityIllegal ImmigrationImmigration EnforcementMigrants |
Author: Renshaw, Lauren Title: Migrant sex workers in Australia Summary: There has been little research conducted on the experiences of migrant sex workers both internationally and within Australia. This is despite widespread media and other reports highlighting the perception of migrant sex workers as particularly vulnerable to exploitation and human trafficking. This report focuses on consolidating current knowledge of migrants in the Australian sex industry, based on a review of the existing literature and an analysis of responses to a survey conducted among migrant and non-migrant sex workers in a range of states and territories in Australia in 2010. This analysis explores the demographic profile, work conditions and access to services of migrant sex workers and how they differ from Australian-born sex workers. It also seeks to gather information on the migration experiences of migrant sex workers and their motivations for migrating to Australia. Overview of the Australian sex industry A review was undertaken of the literature on the predominant features of the sex industry in Australia - including its legality in each state and territory - and of the findings of previous research on the Australian sex worker population, particularly migrant sex workers. There are three general legal frameworks applied to sex work in Australia - criminalising certain components of the sex industry; legalising certain components of the sex industry, usually under a licensing or registration scheme; and decriminalising certain aspects of the sex industry. The industry can be categorised into brothel work, massage work, private work, escort work (solo or with an agency) and street-based work, although it is acknowledged that these are simplified distinctions that may not reflect all sex workers' situations. Sex work is largely illegal in Western Australia and South Australia, and in Tasmania only private work is legal (with private work referring to a person working independently or with another person). Sex work, other than street-based sex work, is legal and regulated under licensing schemes in Victoria, Queensland (except escort agencies) and, partially, in the Northern Territory (escort agencies only). In the Australian Capital Territory, both brothel-based and private sex work have been legalised under a registration scheme. Sex work has been decriminalised in New South Wales since 1995, though restrictions on street-based sex work still apply. The size of the sex industry in Australia is largely unknown, although it has been estimated that there are approximately 20,000 individuals working as sex workers in Australia in any one year (Quadara 2008). Research suggests that in the sex industry in New South Wales, approximately 40 percent of sex workers work privately, with the other 60 percent working predominantly in sex industry businesses, or as escorts or on the street (Donovan et al. 2012). However, there may be variations in this proportion in other jurisdictions due to the different legal frameworks affecting the legality of private and brothel work. Research on Australia's sex worker population suggests that demographic profiles such as age, education and cultural background may vary by state/territory and sex work sector. Current research, mainly in the Sydney City area, suggests that migrants (largely from Asia) make up a substantial proportion of workers in the sex industry, particularly migrants from Thailand and China, and increasingly from South Korea (Donovan et al. 2012). Although there have been several surveys on the sex worker population generally, research specifically on migrant sex workers is limited. A number of projects with migrant sex workers have generated valuable demographic data on the lives, backgrounds, experiences and needs of migrant sex workers in Australia (Pell et al. 2006; Prostitutes' Collective of Victoria 1994). The few studies that exist suggest that migrant sex workers may be older than their Australian-born counterparts and less likely to work in a street-based setting (Pell et al. 2006; Woodward et al. 2004). Reports based on immigration data suggest that many have initially entered Australia on tourist (eg Working Holiday and Work and Holiday Visas) and student visas (Bowen 2011; DIMIA, cited in ANAO 2006; Pell et al. 2006). The literature also suggests that several factors (eg language barriers and isolation, gender and race discrimination, stigma attached to sex work and criminalisation of sex work) may intersect for migrant sex workers to increase their vulnerability to experiencing, and barriers to reporting, incidents of violence and exploitation (Allimant & Ostapiej-Piatkowski 2011; Quadara 2008). With regard to what is known from research into sex workers' work conditions, sex industry businesses employ workers largely as independent contractors, although there is evidence to suggest that many of the employment relationships reflect that of an employer/employee (Drugs and Crime Prevention Committee 2010; Murray 2003; Northern Territory AIDS and Hepatitis Council 2005; Simmons & David 2012). Further, incidents of debt contracts among migrants working in the industry have been reported anecdotally, and debt bondage has been observed in a few prosecuted cases involving slavery and sexual servitude (Brockett & Murray 1994; IDC 2014). Details: Canberra: Australian Institute of Criminology, 2015. 96p. Source: Internet Resource: Research and Public Policy Series no. 131: Accessed November 12, 2015 at: http://aic.gov.au/media_library/publications/rpp/131/rpp131.pdf Year: 2015 Country: Australia URL: http://aic.gov.au/media_library/publications/rpp/131/rpp131.pdf Shelf Number: 137274 Keywords: MigrantsProstitutesProstitutionSex Workers |
Author: United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime, Country Office Pakistan Title: The Socio-Economic Impact of Human Trafficking and Migrant Smuggling in Pakistan Summary: Pakistan's population as of July 2011 is estimated at 187.3 million, with an annual estimated growth rate of 1.5 per cent, comprising 52 per cent male and 48 per cent female with more than 50 per cent being youth between 15 and 29 years of age. Pakistan is bordered by Afghanistan and Iran in the west, India in the east and China in the far northeast, with sea borders to the south. It is a federation of four provinces (Punjab, Sindh, Balochistan and Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa), a capital territory (Islamabad), and two semi-autonomous regions (FATA and Gilgit-Baltistan), and the Pakistan administered portion of Kashmir. Pakistan has faced numerous economic, social and security challenges since 2007, commencement point of this research. These combined factors are matter of an acute concern for the law enforcement agencies provide the ideal environment for transnational organised crime networks to flourish and exploit weaknesses in the system. The impact is not limited solely to the human costs relating to the extreme suffering and dehumanization of the individuals who are trafficked but also poses serious governance risk within the wider region. This has a direct detrimental effect on the state structures arrayed against corruption and organized crime. It also poses a threat to the economic development of the country. Pakistan is a source, transit and a destination country for human trafficking and migrant smuggling. The problem manifests itself within the country and across borders. In Pakistan, Sindh and Punjab remain a source of concern with high instances of bonded labour in agriculture, brick making and other industries. In response to migrant smuggling and human trafficking issues, the Government of Pakistan has taken important steps in developing strategies to combat these crimes and protect the rights of victims. In 2002, the Prevention and Control of Human Trafficking Ordinance (PACHTO) was enacted. This was followed by the development of a National Action Plan for Combating Human Trafficking, as well as establishment of Anti-Human Trafficking Units (AHTUs) and Circles under the jurisdiction of the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA). Details: Islamabad: UNODC - Pakistan, 2014. 50p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed November 17, 2015 at: https://www.unodc.org/documents/pakistan/The_Socio-economic_impact_of_human_trafficking_and_migrant_smuggling_in_Pakistan_19_Feb_2015.pdf Year: 2014 Country: Pakistan URL: https://www.unodc.org/documents/pakistan/The_Socio-economic_impact_of_human_trafficking_and_migrant_smuggling_in_Pakistan_19_Feb_2015.pdf Shelf Number: 137312 Keywords: Border SecurityHuman SmugglingHuman TraffickingIllegal MigrantsMigrantsSocioeconomic Conditions and Crime |
Author: Knippen, Jose Title: An Uncertain Path: Justice for Crimes and Human Rights Violations against Migrants and Refugees in Mexico Summary: In the report An Uncertain Path: Justice for Crimes and Human Rights Violations against Migrants and Refugees in Mexico released today, participating organizations explain how the Southern Border Program has significantly increased migration enforcement operations, apprehensions, and deportations of migrants. This stepped-up enforcement has led to an increase in human rights violations against migrants. These migration operations are increasingly conducted in conjunction with Mexican security forces, and migrant shelters have documented kidnappings, extortions, robberies, and abuses throughout the country. Given that Mexico's National Migration Institute (Instituto Nacional de Migracion, INM) has been the primary agency responsible for carrying out the Southern Border Program, it is clear that, far from a development program, the strategy is focused on migration enforcement actions. The report finds that in 2014, the year the Southern Border Program was announced, the INM spent the largest budget in its history, and that this increase goes hand in hand with the increase in migrant apprehensions. For its part, the United States government has provided political and financial support to the Mexican government for migration enforcement, especially following the 2014 "surge" of migrants, mostly unaccompanied children and families from Central America that arrived at the U.S. southwest border. In July 2014, it was revealed that the State Department was working with the Mexican government on enforcement at its southern border, providing some US$86 million in funds already included in the Merida Initiative, a multi-year U.S. security aid package to Mexico. Furthermore, Congress allocated up to US$79 million in additional funds in fiscal year 2015 for this same purpose. The report demonstrates how the Mexican government's efforts to strengthen protections for migrants have fallen far short of their actual needs. There is no evidence that migrants who are victims of crimes and human rights violations have effective access to justice, despite the creation of new specialized prosecutors for attention to migrants. There is a lack of conclusive data regarding justice for migrants in Mexico. The most detailed data are from the specialized prosecutor's office in Oaxaca, which reports that of the 383 complaints received over four years, only 96 resulted in a preliminary investigation being opened and only four resulted in sentences for the perpetrators. Although the National Human Rights Commission (Comisioin Nacional de los Derechos Humanos, CNDH) and state-level human rights commissions are more approachable for demanding justice, the report finds that their "procedures and investigative capacities are not particularly expeditious or effective." The report reveals that of the 1,617 complaints of human rights violations against migrants that the CNDH received from December 1, 2012 to June 15, 2015, only four resulted in a formal recommendation issued to the institution implicated in the complaint. The report also discusses why there are so many potential refugees in Mexico and so few recognized refugees. It stresses that the Mexican Commission for Refugee Assistance (Comision Mexicana de Ayuda a Refugiados, COMAR), only has 15 protection officers in the entire country to ensure access to international protection for the more than 100,000 migrants that are detained over the period of a year. Moreover, COMAR's budget did not increase in real terms from 2014 to 2015. Given this context, An Uncertain Path: Justice for Crimes and Human Rights Violations against Migrants and Refugees in Mexico, provides concrete recommendations to the relevant governmental agencies within the Mexican government, including the INM, the Ministry of the Interior, and the federal Attorney General's office, as well as to the United States government. The report is the result of a close collaboration between the Washington Office on Latin America (WOLA), Fundar, Centro de Analisis e Investigacion, and seven shelters and organizations that work to defend migrant rights in five areas of Mexico: Casa del Migrante "Frontera con Justicia," AC in Saltillo, Coahuila; the "Red Sonora" (a network composed of three organizations in Sonora: Kino Border Initiative in Nogales, Centro de Recursos para Migrantes in Agua Prieta y Centro Comunitario de Atencion al Migrante y Necesitado, or CCAMYN, in Altar); Albergue de Migrantes "Hermanos en el Camino" in Ixtepec, Oaxaca; La 72, Hogar - Refugio para Personas Migrantes in Tenosique, Tabasco; and Un Mundo, Una Nacion in Apizaco, Tlaxcala Details: Washington, DC: Washington Office on Latin America (WOLA), 2015. 60p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed November 24, 2015 at: http://www.wola.org/sites/default/files/An%20Uncertain%20Path_Nov2015.pdf Year: 2015 Country: Mexico URL: http://www.wola.org/sites/default/files/An%20Uncertain%20Path_Nov2015.pdf Shelf Number: 137321 Keywords: Border SecurityHuman Rights AbusesImmigrantsImmigrationImmigration EnforcementMigrantsRefugees |
Author: United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime, Country Office Pakistan Title: Smuggling of Migrants by Land, Air and Sea in Pakistan: A Review of National Laws and Treaty Compliance Summary: Irregular migration, especially in the form of migrant smuggling and trafficking in persons, and associated criminal activities such as money laundering, document fraud, and corruption, are of imminent concern to Pakistan. Recent reports confirm that Pakistan is simultaneously a sending, transit, and destination point for smuggled migrants. Smuggling of migrants involves the procurement for financial or other material benefit of illegal entry of a person into a State of which that person is not a national or resident. Virtually every country in the world is affected by these crimes. The challenge for all countries, rich and poor, is to target the criminals who take advantage of desperate people and to protect and assist smuggled migrants, many of whom endure unimaginable hardships in their bid for a better life. In response to the emergence of migrant smuggling, the Government of Pakistan has taken some action to develop national strategies to prevent and suppress this crime. Pakistan's Federal Investigation Agency (FIA), as the country's chief national law enforcement agency, has the mandate to prevent and suppress migrant smuggling and is in a unique position to comprehensively combat this phenomenon, along with associated crime such as money laundering, document fraud, and corruption. UNODC, the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime, is the guardian of the United Nations (UN) Protocol against the Smuggling of Migrant by Land, Air, and Sea (the Migrant Smuggling Protocol)1 and the Convention against Transnational Organised Crime. UNODC leads international efforts to comprehensively prevent and suppress migrant smuggling and protect smuggled migrants. UNODC's Country Office in Islamabad stands ready to assist Pakistan's authorities in their efforts. To this end, in August 2010, UNODC requested the services of independent experts to assess the compliance of national laws and regulations in Pakistan against the requirements of international law and international best practice relating to the smuggling of migrants. The purpose of this report is to identify domestic laws, regulations, and policies in Pakistan relating to migrant smuggling and assess them against the requirements articulated in international law and the standards set by international best practice guidelines. Based on this assessment, recommendations for law reform, policy change, and for further analysis are made. Details: Islamabad : United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime, Country Office Pakistan, 2011. 78p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed November 25, 2015 at: https://www.unodc.org/documents/pakistan//2011.10.00_Laws_relating_to_Migrant_Smuggling_in_Pakistan_final.pdf Year: 2011 Country: Pakistan URL: https://www.unodc.org/documents/pakistan//2011.10.00_Laws_relating_to_Migrant_Smuggling_in_Pakistan_final.pdf Shelf Number: 137339 Keywords: Human SmugglingIllegal ImmigrationImmigrationMigrant SmugglingMigrantsOrganized Crime |
Author: United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime, Country Office Pakistan Title: Pakistan's law enforcement response to the smuggling of migrants and trafficking in persons. Summary: This report assesses the legal frameworks, law enforcement strategies, capacities, and methodologies pertaining to migrant smuggling and trafficking in persons in Pakistan, focusing specifically on the mandate, organisation, and operations of Pakistan's Federal Investigation Agency. The report identifies, maps, outlines, and explores existing law enforcement responses and assess these against international law requirements and against the standards set by international best practice guidelines. This report reveals strengths of existing arrangements and identifies areas where further development or reform may be needed. This report shows that Pakistan has solid policy, legislative, and organisational frameworks to combat trafficking in persons and, to a lesser degree, the smuggling of migrants. The Government of Pakistan has to be commended for setting up a National Action Plan for Combating Human Trafficking in 2004 and enacting the Prevention and Control of Human Trafficking Ordinance two years earlier. This report shows enforcement mandates pertaining to trafficking in persons, especially those of the FIA, are sufficiently clear and are supported by relevant enforcement powers. Legislative and law enforcement frameworks for migrant smuggling are not well developed or, as confirmed by other reports, non-existent and concerns remain over ongoing confusion between migrant smuggling and trafficking in persons in Pakistani law and by Pakistani authorities. Pakistan is also not a Signatory to the United Nations Protocol against the Smuggling of Migrants by Land, Air, and Sea and the Protocol to Prevent, Suppress and Punish Trafficking in Persons, especially Women and Children. Pakistan has, however, signed the Convention against Transnational Organised Crime. Pakistan's relatively sound policy, legal, and organisational frameworks are, however, not matched by consistent implementation and execution; words are often not followed by actions. This assessment has found major deficiencies in the training of FIA personnel and in the facilities and equipment used by and available to FIA investigators and front-line officers. Most FIA officers working in units charged with investigating migrant smuggling and trafficking in persons obtain no training at all and frequently lack the most basic equipment to carry out their duties. FIA facilities in local areas are often in poor condition and lack reliable electricity supplies. Practical mechanisms for the protection of smuggled and migrants and, in particular, victims of trafficking in persons are, for the most part, non-existent, under-developed, or are only addressed in very rudimentary and ad-hoc ways. Also of concern are deficiencies in inter-departmental cooperation, national coordination, human resources, case management and data storage, information and evidence gathering. Details: Islamabad : United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime, Country Office Pakistan, 2011. 147p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed November 25, 2015 at: https://www.unodc.org/documents/pakistan//2011.10.00_Pakistans_Law_Enforcement_Response_final.pdf Year: 2011 Country: Pakistan URL: https://www.unodc.org/documents/pakistan//2011.10.00_Pakistans_Law_Enforcement_Response_final.pdf Shelf Number: 137340 Keywords: Human SmugglingHuman TraffickingIllegal ImmigrantsIllegal ImmigrationImmigration EnforcementMigrant SmugglingMigrantsOrganized Crime |
Author: Pombo, Gabriela Title: Migrant Women and Gender Violence: Strategies and Perspectives for Interventions Summary: IOM Argentina has launched the English version of a manual originally produced in Spanish, Las Mujeres Migrantes y la Violencia de Genero - Aportes para la Reflexion y la Intervencion (Migrant Women and Gender Violence - Strategies and Perspectives for Interventions). The manual was developed under the framework of the project Promoting Human Rights of Migrants from a Gender Perspective, implemented by IOM Argentina in partnership with the Under-Secretariat of Social Advancement (Subsecretaria de Promocion Social, SPS) from the Ministry for Social Development of the Government of the City of Buenos Aires, with the support of the IOM Development Fund. The manual was produced as a training tool aimed at the teams of this agency regarding the social interventions with migrant women in the field of gender violence. Based on this experience, the distribution of the material at several governmental bodies and civil society organizations sought to further promote sensitization and awareness-raising among the community at large. Along these lines, the adaptation and translation of this product into English is intended to facilitate the dissemination of the matter globally, since it can be utilized by any public servant, civil society employee, or the staff of other organizations concerned with or providing assistance to migrant women undergoing situations of violence. It is the expectation of IOM Argentina that the material will be a valuable contribution in different contexts and geographical spaces. Details: Buenos Aires: International Organized for Migration; Buenos Aires Ciudad, 2015. 135p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed January 8, 2016 at: http://argentina.iom.int/co/sites/default/files/publicaciones/Manual_OIM-ENG-web-23-11.pdf Year: 2015 Country: Argentina URL: http://argentina.iom.int/co/sites/default/files/publicaciones/Manual_OIM-ENG-web-23-11.pdf Shelf Number: 137439 Keywords: Gender-Related ViolenceImmigrantsMigrantsViolence Against Women |
Author: Mediterranean Institute of Gender Studies Title: "I thought I was applying as a caregiver": Trafficking in Women for Labour Exploitation in Domestic Work Summary: In recent years the issues of gender and migration have received more attention from scholars, researchers and policymakers in different national contexts as well as at the EU level. Despite there being acknowledgment that gender matters, the experience of migrant domestic workers as possible victims of trafficking in human beings for labour exploitation has remained unexplored. Migrant domestic workers are left out of most policy framework relating to immigrant integration, violence against migrants, trafficking in human beings (THB), or exploitation, and therefore they tend to be invisible at all levels. However, female migrant domestic workers are visible agents within the destination countries since current economies in Europe are also built around them. EU Mediterranean countries such as Spain, Greece and Cyprus have become destination countries for many female migrant domestic workers, while Lithuana is a country from which domestic workers originate. It is evident from previous research that many are victims of exploitation. OSCE's Guide on Gender-Sensitive Labour Migration Policies notes that more women are migrating and the demand for workers in female dominated sectors, such as domestic work, is ever-increasing. Research shows that domestic workers play a crucial role in society but at the same time, due to the isolated and unregulated setting of their work, they are especially vulnerable to abuse, violence and exploitation. Migrant domestic workers mostly live in their employer's house and many, according to studies by the International Labour Organization, report physical, psychological, sexual abuse, and exploitative work conditions. They are often overworked, underpaid, have their personal documents confiscated, are restricted in their freedom of movement, and have their pay withheld in order to pay off debts related to their recruitment and transportation. Such exploitation is under-reported, and authorities do not necessarily recognize these situations to be cases of trafficking. However, trafficking in women may occur if the employee has been deceived, or if her dependent status and vulnerability has been abused in order to subject her to exploitation. Furthermore, the recent EU directive on THB (2011/36/EU) recognizes the gender dimension and it encourages Member States to be more aware of the less investigated forms of THB such as labour exploitation. The new strategy on THB (The EU Strategy towards the Eradication of Trafficking in Human Beings 2012-2016) is a critical tool in assisting the Member States to implement the Directive, and both documents pay special attention to THB for labour exploitation. Details: Nicosia, Cyprus: University of Nicosia Press, 2015. 175p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed January 13, 2016 at: http://www.medinstgenderstudies.org/wp-content/uploads/here5.pdf Year: 2015 Country: Europe URL: http://www.medinstgenderstudies.org/wp-content/uploads/here5.pdf Shelf Number: 137562 Keywords: Domestic Workers, Abuse ofForced LaborHuman TraffickingLabor ExploitationMigrants |
Author: Montague, Richard Title: Challenging Racism: Ending Hate Summary: Migrants are often on the receiving end of negative stereotyping and scaremongering. For example, in late 2013 sections of the British media presented stories that the UK was about to be 'flooded' by a mass influx of Romanians and Bulgarians. The Sun newspaper hysterically claimed: 'a tidal wave of Romanian and Bulgarian immigrants is threatening to swamp Britain - and flood our overstretched jobs market'. Such reporting came in the advent of work restrictions being removed and allowing citizens from the A2 countries (Bulgaria and Romania) access to the EU labour market by January 2014. The arrival of newcomers did not unravel as was suggested and there has been no noticeable negative impact on jobs or public services in the UK. In fact, recent European immigrants in the UK have paid $8.8 billion more in tax than they have consumed in public services. In Northern Ireland, migration also contributes to sustaining economic growth, filling labour shortages, bringing much needed skills and enriching our society through cultural diversity. Some perceptions echo slogans such as 'British jobs for British workers'. Demanding the ring-fencing of jobs specifically for UK citizens would not only be an unlawful discriminatory exercise, it would also be counter-productive in terms of trade and investment from international businesses. It is not only political parties, politicians and the media which have reflected negative images of migrants. A 2010 study on public attitudes towards migrant workers in Northern Ireland highlighted: - 70% of respondents felt that migrants put a strain on services (e.g. social housing, education, and healthcare); - Almost half (48%) of those surveyed felt that migrant workers take jobs away from people born in Northern Ireland. Moreover, a 2014 Queen's University study of community workers who were challenging myths that aided hate crime in Belfast felt that community concerns were generally articulated around jobs and housing. In this way, racist hate crimes are often a crude way of 'defending' resources coupled with notions of protecting community identity from the 'outsider'. These opinions have underpinned certain racist attacks in Northern Ireland. Between 2013 and 2014 there has been a 43% increase in racially-motivated offences, with 70% of these occurring in Belfast.8 During the present reporting period, the PSNI has noted that racially motivated crimes in Northern Ireland have risen by more than 50%. In the context of a perceived competition for scarce resources like jobs and housing, this may provide fertile ground for racism. Therefore, the media, political parties, politicians and even our neighbours or work colleagues can fuel negative and incorrect perceptions about migrants. When these ideas take root, they can create an atmosphere of ethnic intolerance, resentment and hostility, often resulting in hate crimes. We need to challenge prejudices and continue to debunk myths about migrants. It is no coincidence that racist hate crimes tend to occur in areas of multiple deprivation where foreign nationals are blamed for economic and social ills. These are communities in Northern Ireland which have not felt the economic benefits of the 'peace process.' But while socio-economic disadvantage is not a 'myth', perceptions about threats to resources like jobs and housing are forms of myth-making when we look at the facts. It must not be forgotten that such racist attitudes are not unique to communities of need. Details: Belfast?: Unite Against Hate, 28p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed February 10, 2016 at: https://www.qub.ac.uk/research-centres/isctsj/filestore/Filetoupload,472425,en.pdf Year: 2014 Country: United Kingdom URL: https://www.qub.ac.uk/research-centres/isctsj/filestore/Filetoupload,472425,en.pdf Shelf Number: 137836 Keywords: Hate CrimesImmigrantsMigrantsRacism |
Author: Hagen-Zanker, Jessica Title: Journeys to Europe: The role of policy in migrant decision-making Summary: With more than a million migrants reaching Europe, 2015 has become known as the year of Europe's migration crisis. The persistence and intensification of crises in other parts of the world fuelled the largest movement of migrants and refugees into Europe since World War II. With some exceptions, the European response has been guided by strategies of containment, restriction and deterrence. Rather than welcoming, settling and integrating the new arrivals, many EU member states have tried to drive them away from their borders through an escalation of restrictive migration policies designed to stop people coming in the first place. This report and policy briefing aims to increase understanding of the journeys made by migrants. Based on in-depth interviews with more than 50 migrants, refugees and asylum seekers who have recently arrived in four European cities (Berlin, London, Madrid and Manchester), it explores: the journeys migrants take; the factors that drive them; and the capacity of destination country migration policies to influence people's decisions, both before their journey begins and along the way. Based on these findings, the authors make policy recommendations that could lead to the better management of, and a more effective and positive response to, the current migration crisis in Europe. Details: London: Overseas Development Institute, 2016. 50p. Source: Internet Resource: ODI Insights: Accessed February 11, 2016 at: http://www.odi.org/sites/odi.org.uk/files/odi-assets/publications-opinion-files/10297.pdf Year: 2016 Country: Europe URL: http://www.odi.org/sites/odi.org.uk/files/odi-assets/publications-opinion-files/10297.pdf Shelf Number: 137845 Keywords: ImmigrantsImmigration EnforcementMigrantsRefugees |
Author: Argueta, Carla N. Title: Border Security Metrics Between Ports of Entry Summary: Understanding the risks present at the U.S. borders and developing methods to measure border security are key challenges for the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) and the U.S. Border Patrol, the agency within DHS charged with securing the border between ports of entry. Metrics for border security are used at both the strategic level, by DHS, and at the operational level by Customs and Border Protection (Border Patrol). This report reviews DHS's and the Border Patrol's use of metrics in evaluating their objective to secure the border between ports of entry. DHS and the Border Patrol can use metrics to measure their performance and estimate risks at the border. Additionally, metrics provide Congress with an understanding of DHS's and Border Patrol's progress in securing the border. At a strategic level, DHS uses performance metrics to understand its ability to meet border security objectives. However, DHS has struggled to create a comprehensive measure of border security. Most recently, DHS has labored to create a new generation of performance metrics, through the estimation of unauthorized entry of migrants into the United States. This measure represents the volume of migration entering the United States and can be influenced by factors outside of DHS's control, and therefore may not directly speak on border security. Congress may want to consider whether this is an adequate performance metric for border security and whether additional and/or more comprehensive and targeted metrics are required. DHS's Annual Performance Report for FY2014-FY2016 reported two other performance metrics used to measure its progress in securing the border. First, the percentage of people apprehended multiple times along the Southwest border, or the recidivism rate, is used to capture the ability of the Border Patrol to deter migrants from re-entering the United States. Second, the rate of interdiction effectiveness along the Southwest border between ports of entry, or the effectiveness rate, measures the Border Patrol's ability to apprehend unauthorized migrants. In the past, DHS has used several different performance metrics. For example, from 2001 to 2004, DHS, and the former Immigration and Naturalization Service (INS), used optimum deterrence as a measure for border security, defining it as the level where applying more border security would not significantly increase apprehensions or deterrence. In 2005, DHS began to use operational control as a new measure, describing it as the miles along the border where the Border Patrol had the ability to detect, identify, respond to, and interdict cross-border unauthorized activity. When operational control was retired as a metric, migrant apprehensions became the interim measure for border security from 2011 to 2013. At an operational level, the Border Patrol uses metrics within its risk assessments At an operational level, the Border Patrol uses metrics within its risk assessments. The estimation of risk at the sector level assists the Border Patrol in making day-to-day decisions with regard to how to best align its resources against different threats. The agency determines risk through its "State of the Border Risk Methodology." A secured border is characterized as low risk. The Border Patrol's methodology estimates the magnitude of risk by gathering and understanding intelligence information, developing a detailed awareness of threats at the border, and applying a standardized measurement of risk. These assessments are not used as metrics themselves. However, the Border Patrol's methodology monitors certain metrics at the sector level, such as the recidivist rate and effectiveness rate, which may be able to speak to the Border Patrol's performance. Metrics can provide an understanding of the state of the border. In reviewing border security metrics, Congress may be interested in issues surrounding the oversight of DHS's measurement practices, the determination of acceptable levels of risk for each metric, and the implementation of strategic and operational metrics and how they relate to one another. Moreover, Congress may consider how metrics can be used to inform decisions on expenditures and whether additional data and methodologies are needed to provide a more holistic view of border issues. Lastly, with migrant demographics shifting and some transit countries conducting their own enforcement of unauthorized migration, Congress may consider how these practices affect data and outcomes and what can be done to account for these changes. Details: Washington, DC: Congressional Research Service, 2016. 23p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed February 22, 2016 at: http://www.fas.org/sgp/crs/homesec/R44386.pdf Year: 2016 Country: United States URL: http://www.fas.org/sgp/crs/homesec/R44386.pdf Shelf Number: 137930 Keywords: Border SecurityHomeland SecurityIllegal ImmigrationImmigration PolicyMigrants |
Author: United Nations Refugee Agency Title: Initial Assessment Report: Protection Risks for Women and Girls in the European Refugee and Migrant Crisis Summary: For the first time since World War II, Europe is experiencing a massive movement of refugees and migrants, women, girls, men and boys of all ages, fleeing armed conflicts, mass killings, persecution and pervasive sexual and gender-based violence (SGBV). Many seek refuge in Europe from the ongoing armed conflicts that have torn apart their societies, and are entitled to protection under the 1951 Refugee Convention, its subsequent Protocol, and other international instruments. From January to November 2015, Europe witnessed 950,469 refugee and migrant arrivals through the Mediterranean, with Greece receiving the vast majority of arrivals (797,372). Those arriving by sea are fleeing the Syrian Arab Republic (49%), Afghanistan (20%), Iraq (8%), Eritrea (4%), Nigeria (2%), Pakistan (2%), Somalia (2%), Sudan (1%), Gambia (1%) and Mali (1%). The majority travel to Turkey, from where they undertake a treacherous journey by sea to Greece and then make their way through the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia, Serbia, Croatia, Slovenia and Austria in an attempt to reach their destination countries, including Germany and Sweden. Each day brings new arrivals, and accurate data remains a challenge. Refugees and migrants are travelling en masse, striving urgently to reach their destination from fear of border closures, potentially increased restrictions in asylum policies and the onset of winter. It is a dangerous journey, with refugees and migrants often facing high levels of violence, extortion and exploitation along the way, including multiple forms of SGBV. Single women travelling alone or with children, pregnant and lactating women, adolescent girls, unaccompanied children, early-married children - sometimes themselves with newborn babies - persons with disabilities, and elderly men and women are among those who are particularly at risk and require a coordinated and effective protection response. Concerned by the protection risks faced by women and girls, the United Nations Refugee Agency (UNHCR), the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) and the Women's Refugee Commission (WRC) undertook a joint seven-day assessment mission to Greece and the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia in November 2015. This report describes the assessment's findings and key recommendations for the European Union (EU), transit and destination country governments, humanitarian actors and civil society organizations (CSOs). The assessment found that women and girl refugees and migrants face grave protection risks and that the current response by governments, humanitarian actors, EU institutions and agencies and CSOs are inadequate. The findings emphasize the urgent need to scale up response efforts, implement innovative solutions and strengthen protection mechanisms and services across borders to adequately address the protection threats facing women and girls. In this particular crisis, Europe's response needs to match its international obligations, responsibilities and stated values. There is a need for the European Union, as well as relevant governments in Europe, with the support of protection and humanitarian actors, to strengthen resources dedicated to ensuring effective protection, especially for persons with specific needs and those who are at heightened risk in this crisis. Details: (S.L.): UNHCR, 2016. 25p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed March 4, 2016 at: https://www.unfpa.org/sites/default/files/resource-pdf/EuropeMission_Protection_Risks_19_Jan_Final_0.pdf Year: 2016 Country: Europe URL: https://www.unfpa.org/sites/default/files/resource-pdf/EuropeMission_Protection_Risks_19_Jan_Final_0.pdf Shelf Number: 138042 Keywords: Gender-Related ViolenceMigrantsRapeRefugeesSexual ViolenceViolence Against Women, Girls |
Author: Carper, Thomas R. Title: Stronger Neighbors - Stronger Borders: Addressing the Root Causes of Illegal Migration from Central America Summary: Given the increasingly dangerous world in which we live today, there is broad agreement among Americans that secure borders are more important than ever. In response to those concerns, our country has spent nearly $250 billion over the past decade to make our southern border with Mexico more secure. We've built over 600 miles of fencing. We've doubled the number of Border Patrol agents to more than 21,000. And we've deployed technology such as drones, helicopters, sophisticated surveillance systems, and ground sensors. But all of these security enhancements along our borders could not hold back the waves of tens of thousands of unaccompanied children and families who arrived at our southern border in 2014, mostly into Texas. Significant flows continue even today. The overwhelming majority of these migrants are coming -not from Mexico -but from El Salvador, Guatemala and Honduras, three Central American countries collectively known as the Northern Triangle. For the most part, the children and families aren't evading Border Patrol agents. They are surrendering and asking for help. Details: Washington, DC: U.S. Senate Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs, 2015. 54p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed March 5, 2016 at: http://www.carper.senate.gov/public/_cache/files/0d5438ad-7cfb-4afe-be3f-f94a01546f6a/stronger-neighbors---stronger-borders.pdf Year: 2015 Country: United States URL: http://www.carper.senate.gov/public/_cache/files/0d5438ad-7cfb-4afe-be3f-f94a01546f6a/stronger-neighbors---stronger-borders.pdf Shelf Number: 138111 Keywords: Border PatrolBorder SecurityIllegal ImmigrantsImmigration EnforcementMigrants |
Author: Financial Action Task Force Title: Money Laundering Risks Arising from Trafficking in Human beings and Smuggling of Migrants Summary: Criminals are increasingly turning to the trafficking of human beings and the smuggling of migrants given the high profitability of these illegal activities. The money generated by such activities finds its way into the financial system. The FATF has carried out a study which describes the money flows related to these two distinct problems and attempts to assess their scale. The key objectives of the report are the following: - To assess the scale of the problem; - To identify different trends in trafficking in human beings/ migrant smuggling; - To identify from case studies where money laundering is occurring and what form it is taking; - To inform law enforcement agencies on the laundering of funds coming from human trafficking/ migrant smuggling; - To identify red flag indicators to assist financial institutions in their identification of money laundering from human trafficking/ migrant smuggling, and in the reporting of suspicious transaction reports; - To increase the possibility of the proceeds of human trafficking/migrant smuggling being identified and confiscated, and thereby discouraging the activity of human trafficking or migrant smuggling. Details: Paris: FATF, 2011. 86p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed March 15, 2016 at: http://www.fatf-gafi.org/media/fatf/documents/reports/Trafficking%20in%20Human%20Beings%20and%20Smuggling%20of%20Migrants.pdf Year: 2011 Country: International URL: http://www.fatf-gafi.org/media/fatf/documents/reports/Trafficking%20in%20Human%20Beings%20and%20Smuggling%20of%20Migrants.pdf Shelf Number: 138243 Keywords: Financial CrimesHuman SmugglingHuman TraffickingMigrant SmugglingMigrantsMoney Laundering |
Author: Singleton, Ann Title: Migration and Asylum Data for Policy-making in the European Union: The problem with numbers Summary: The migration, humanitarian and policy crises in the European Union in 2015 and early 2016 have highlighted, among many other problems, a pressing need for reliable, timely and comparable statistical data on migration, asylum, and arrivals at national borders. In this fast-moving policy field, data production and the timeliness of dissemination have seen some improvements but the sources of data remain largely unchanged at national level. The policy demand for the most recently available data points to the need for a better understanding of their strengths and limitations. This paper examines the reasons for some of the main problems with the data for policy and for public discussion. It makes a set of recommendations, calling for a complete and updated inventory of data sources and for an evaluation of the quality of data used for policy-making. Details: Brussels: Centre for European Policy Studies, 2016. 9p. Source: Internet Resource: Centre for European Policy Studies Paper in Liberty and Security in Europe, No. 89: Accessed March 21, 2016 at: https://www.ceps.eu/system/files/LSE%2089%20AS%20Migration%20and%20Asylum%20Data.pdf Year: 2016 Country: Europe URL: https://www.ceps.eu/system/files/LSE%2089%20AS%20Migration%20and%20Asylum%20Data.pdf Shelf Number: 138344 Keywords: Asylum Seekers MigrantsMigration |
Author: de Noronha, Luke Title: Unpacking the Figure of the "Foreign Criminal": Race, Gender and the Victim-Villain Binary Summary: The UK's Foreign National Prisoner (FNP) crisis' of June 2006 provides a key moment to unpack the figure of the 'foreign criminal' through. Through an analysis of media articles, Commons debates and NGO documents, I discuss the racialised and gendered stereotypes that were invoked in the construction of 'foreign criminals', as they were positioned within the victim-villain binary that characterises migration debates. In explaining the specific kinds of migrantness and criminality made to represent the FNP 'crisis', I argue that race and gender matter, and that they work through one another. The FNP 'crisis' incensed the media and politicians who framed the issue in terms of dangerous foreign men whose hypermasculinist violence presented a severe and existential threat to the British people. These images relied upon race for their intelligibility. While NGOs and advocates sought to challenge the idea that all, or even most, 'foreign criminals' deserve to be deported, they still tended to frame their arguments in terms of victims and villains. In doing so, advocates failed to challenge the gendered and racialised stereotypes that distinguish good migrants from bad ones - victims from villains. In the end, advocates and academics should retain critical distance from state categories if they are to avoid reifying these deeply entrenched narratives surrounding race and gender. Details: Oxford, UK: COMPAS, University of Oxford, 2015. 29p. Source: Internet Resource: COMPAS Working Paper 121: Accessed March 26, 2016 at: http://www.compas.ox.ac.uk/media/WP-2015-121-deNoronha_Unpacking_Foreign_Criminal.pdf Year: 2015 Country: United Kingdom URL: http://www.compas.ox.ac.uk/media/WP-2015-121-deNoronha_Unpacking_Foreign_Criminal.pdf Shelf Number: 138421 Keywords: DeportationForeign CriminalsGenderImmigrants and CrimeMigrantsRace |
Author: Amnesty International Title: The Ugly Side of the Beautiful Game: Exploitation of Migrant Workers on a Qatar 2022 World Cup Site Summary: Migrant workers on Khalifa International Stadium and the surrounding Aspire Zone, one of the main venues for the 2022 World Cup, have been subjected to a range of exploitative practices. This includes high recruitment fees for which many took out loans; false promises about the pay and type of work on offer; passport confiscation; dirty and cramped accommodation; and threats for complaining about their conditions. Some were subjected to forced labour. The abuses documented in this report are the result of multiple failures: the businesses and organisations responsible for the venue failed to put in place adequate due diligence processes to identify human rights risks linked to their business activities. Several of the companies have improved the accommodation given to migrant workers but have done little to address other concerns such as exploitative recruitment and forced labour. The Supreme Committee, the body responsible for delivering the tournament, has shown a commitment to workers' rights but its Workers' Welfare Standards failed to protect migrant workers on the Khalifa Stadium site. Labour reforms promised by the Qatari authorities have not delivered meaningful improvements, leaving migrant workers vulnerable to abuse. FIFA did not consider human rights before awarding Qatar the World Cup. After selecting Qatar it has done nothing concrete to address the risk of labour and other human rights abuse on World Cup sites. Unless there is fundamental reform of Qatar's sponsorship system and respect for international human rights standards by all actors, the 2022 World Cup risks being built by an exploited workforce. Details: London: AI, 2016. 80p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed April 1, 2016 at: https://www.amnesty.org/en/documents/mde22/3548/2016/en/ Year: 2016 Country: Asia URL: https://www.amnesty.org/en/documents/mde22/3548/2016/en/ Shelf Number: 138521 Keywords: Forced Labor (Qatar)Human Rights AbusesMigrantsWorld Cup |
Author: Dustmann, Christian Title: Illegal Migration and Consumption Behavior of Immigrant Households Summary: We analyze the effect of immigrants' legal status on their consumption behavior using unique survey data that samples both documented and undocumented immigrants. To address the problem of sorting into legal status, we propose two alternative identification strategies as exogenous source of variation for current legal status: First, transitory income shocks in the home country, measured as rainfall shocks at the time of emigration. Second, amnesty quotas that grant legal residence status to undocumented immigrants. Both sources of variation create a strong first stage, and - although very different in nature - lead to similar estimates of the effects of illegal status on consumption, with undocumented immigrants consuming about 40% less than documented immigrants, conditional on background characteristics. Roughly one quarter of this decrease is explained by undocumented immigrants having lower incomes than documented immigrants. Our findings imply that legalization programs may have a potentially important effect on immigrants' consumption behavior, with consequences for both the source and host countries. Details: Munich: Center for Economic Studies (CESifo), 2016. 69p. Source: Internet Resource: CESifo Working Paper No. 5822: Accessed April 6, 2016 at: http://www.cesifo-group.de/ifoHome/publications/working-papers/CESifoWP/CESifoWPdetails?wp_num=5822&CESifoWP.search=+ Year: 2016 Country: Germany URL: http://www.cesifo-group.de/ifoHome/publications/working-papers/CESifoWP/CESifoWPdetails?wp_num=5822&CESifoWP.search=+ Shelf Number: 138570 Keywords: Illegal MigrationImmigration EnforcementMigrantsUndocumented Immigrants |
Author: Verite Title: An Exploratory Study on the Role of Corruption in International Labor Migration Summary: In the 2013 white paper, "Corruption and Labor Trafficking in Global Supply Chains," Verite detailed how fraud, corruption, bribery, and other illegal practices are common features of the international recruitment of migrant workers. The myriad official approvals, documents, and associated fees - foreign worker quotas, job order attestations, exit and guest worker visas, medical certifications, police clearances, work permits etc. - required to deploy a migrant worker from one country to another mean the opportunities and incentives for employers and their recruitment agents to bribe civil servants have become a structural feature of the international labor migration process. Since recruitment agents and employers ultimately transfer most, if not all, of the upfront costs of employment to foreign migrant workers, both of these forms of recruitment-related corruption directly contribute to the excessive and illegal fee burdens frequently faced by migrant workers. In this way corruption is a significant contributing element to migrant worker vulnerability to debt bondage, human trafficking, and forced labor. Further, Verite and others have pointed out that the corrupt activities all too common in migrant worker recruitment also create potential legal risk for companies under origin and destination country laws as well as extraterritorial anti-corruption statutes such as the US Foreign Corrupt Practices Act (FCPA) and the UK Bribery Act (UKBA). Because multinationals can be liable for the acts of their foreign subsidiaries, franchisees, joint venture entities, and even suppliers that use third party employment agencies under a number of legal theories including traditional agency principles, the risk arises where corrupt payments result in a direct or indirect benefit to an employer - an improper advantage - through cheap migrant labor or the avoidance of the upfront costs of employment. Ironically, these many procedures and requirements that are so vulnerable to corruption were often put in place to protect workers and ensure regular process in the highly complex governance of international migration. The governments' responsibilities to protect the labor and human rights for migrants and to regulate a growing, dynamic private recruitment sector are not in question. Nor is the fact that legitimate private labor recruiters can play an important role in connecting workers with much-needed jobs; indeed, good recruiters are seeking to reform and reinvent the system. There is a flurry of efforts underway by governments, unions, civil society organizations, recruiters, employers, and international institutions like the ILO and IOM to reform the systems in place. Yet, even as reform efforts proceed apace, as this report outlines, "pay-to-play" kickback commissions and other corruption payments are all too common in the migration process; understanding the nature and extent of those payments is vital to reforming the process. Indeed, the lack of deep knowledge of the role of corruption in the process is a very real threat to the success of reform efforts. With new policies and procedures being proposed or enacted every month in countries around the world, it is vital that deeper understanding is achieved of the nature and extent of corruption. Corruption occurs for many reasons and eliminating controls and processes because corruption is attached to them is by no means the proper approach. Reform efforts themselves will generate unintended consequences in terms of corruption risk and new costs and threats to migrants. Hence, much humility and patience are called for as a wide range of institutions globally promote new models to protect workers. Details: Amherst, MA: Verite, 2016. 32p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed April 8, 2016 at: https://www.verite.org/sites/default/files/images/Verite-Report-Intl-Labour-Recruitment_0.pdf Year: 2016 Country: International URL: https://www.verite.org/sites/default/files/images/Verite-Report-Intl-Labour-Recruitment_0.pdf Shelf Number: 138606 Keywords: BriberyCorruptionDebt BondageForced LaborHuman TraffickingMigrant WorkersMigrants |
Author: United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) Title: Recent trends of human trafficking and migrant smuggling to and from Pakistan Summary: Pakistan is a destination, transit, and source country for smuggling of migrants and trafficking in persons. It has taken some important steps in combating these transnational crimes, including the promulgation of domestic legislation such as the Prevention and Control of Human Trafficking Ordinance also known as (PAC HTO) in 2002 as well as establishing Anti-Human Trafficking Units and Circles under the jurisdiction of the Federal Investigation Agency. However, migrant smuggling and human trafficking remain issues of concern. 1.1 Smuggling of migrants to Pakistan The best estimate of irregular migrants to Pakistan puts the population at more than four million. Afghans are the largest group at approximately 2.7 million, followed by the combined population of Bengali, Bangladeshi, and Burmese nationals at more than one million. However, Pakistan as a destination country for irregular migration is not a new phenomenon. Irregular migration to Pakistan has two key features: historic and protracted. Approximately 74 per cent of all Afghan nationals in the country were born in Pakistan, and 80 per cent of Afghan households arrived in Pakistan before 1985. Similarly, a majority of the Bengali, Bangladeshi, and Burmese nationals arrived prior to 1997. The number of new arrivals of irregular migrants is very small when compared to the existing population in Pakistan. The attractiveness of Pakistan as a destination country has declined due to its political and economic circumstances. Border management and interdiction of new arrivals will only have limited impact on the regulation of the existing population of irregular migrants. As such, Pakistan must explore ways to regularise and regulate the status of the existing irregular migrant population. UNODC recommends to the Government, in cooperation with UNHCR to find long-term solutions for the Afghan population in Pakistan, particularly as the Proof of Registration Cards for 1.6 million Afghans expired on 30 June 2013. In addition, with UN assistance, the Government should also find solutions for the combined Bengali, Bangladeshi, and Burmese population, including stateless people. 1.2 Smuggling of migrants from Pakistan Pakistani nationals are among the ten most-detected nationalities that attempt irregular migration to the European Union (EU) and Australia. At the same time, Afghans are also one of the most detected nationalities for irregular migration. The number of Afghan nationals using smuggling networks to enter the EU and Australia far exceeds the number of Pakistanis. However, the migration patterns of the two populations are entangled, and both populations use the same routes and smuggling networks. Moreover, Pakistan is a key transit country for Afghans. To enter the EU, Pakistani and Afghan nationals predominantly use the Eastern Mediterranean Route, by both land and sea. Pakistani, Afghan, and Bangladeshi nationals have reported they rendezvous in Iran and travel in a mixed group to the EU through Turkey and then Greece. Pakistani and Afghan nationals both feature prominently on the Western Balkans Route for secondary movement within the EU and the Schengen Zone. Both have also been detected in significant numbers along the sea route from Greece to the southern Italian regions of Apulia and Calabria. The vast majority of Pakistani and Afghan nationals attempt to enter the EU through blue and green borders. The number that attempts clandestine entry at border check posts is low. Irregular migrants appear to use a combination of tactics; clandestine crossing of blue and green borders and legal entry or exits at border check posts using legitimate but fraudulently obtained documentation. The volume of migration appears to be sensitive to push factors in the countries of origin. For example, the 2010 floods in Pakistan appear to have led to an exceptional spike in the volume of EU migration in 2011 by Pakistani nationals. Moreover, the routes used for smuggling of migrants appear to be responsive to changing interdiction and border control tactics. For example, improved land interdiction led to an increase in the use of sea routes. Changing status of a country - such as accession to EU membership - also has an impact on the routes used. With the recent economic downturn in the EU, particularly in Greece, Spain, and Italy, it is anticipated that some secondary movement by Pakistani and Afghan nationals will be detected as they seek better economic opportunities. Although the number of Afghan irregular migrants far exceeds the number of Pakistanis, more Pakistanis are found to use fraudulent documentation. Further, more Pakistanis are detected as facilitators of smuggling. This suggests that the smuggling networks are more organised and sophisticated in Pakistan, and that both Pakistani and Afghan nationals use Pakistani networks. In addition, the European Union raised concerns about the increased use of legitimate but fraudulently obtained documentation. As an island country, almost all irregular migrants to Australia arrive by sea from Indonesia. The number of irregular maritime arrivals from Afghanistan also far exceeds the number from Pakistan, but both populations are of concern to Australia. Again, smugglers use a combination of tactics; irregular migrants often exit Pakistan on valid passports and visas, and then travel by air to Malaysia or Thailand. From there, they travel clandestinely over land and sea to Indonesia, from where they attempt the final segment of the journey to Australia by sea. The majority of Pakistani and Afghan nationals that attempt irregular migration to Australia by sea are religious or ethnic minorities. They lodge protection applications on arrival and their claims have had an extremely high rate of acceptance, demonstrating that they have legitimate and compelling flight reasons. Members of the community tend to view smugglers as providing a necessary service to help them escape the persecution they suffer in their countries of origin. Smugglers that operate on this route appear to be well established and known to the community. They do not appear to recruit, but find business through word of mouth recommendations from successful migrants. Intending migrants approach the smugglers proactively. Businesses that claim to be visa consultants are often involved in smuggling rings. Facilitators and agents generally have ties to the migrant community and have often attempted or succeeded on the same route. Visa consultants often operate as fronts for smuggling networks. Therefore, UNODC recommends that the Government of Pakistan considers implementing regulation of visa consultancies Details: Islamabad: United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC), July 2013. 88p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed April 11, 2016 at: https://www.unodc.org/documents/pakistan//2013.12.26_Research_Report_HTMS_COPAK_HTMSS_Designed_for_printing.pdf Year: 2013 Country: Pakistan URL: https://www.unodc.org/documents/pakistan//2013.12.26_Research_Report_HTMS_COPAK_HTMSS_Designed_for_printing.pdf Shelf Number: 137571 Keywords: Human SmugglingHuman TraffickingIllegal ImmigrantsMigrants |
Author: Europol Title: Migrant Smuggling in the EU Summary: Europe has seen an unprecedented increase in the number of irregular migrants arriving in the European Union since 2014. The scale of these migratory flows reached previously unseen heights in 2015. This trend of exponentially increasing numbers of migrants arriving in the EU is set to continue in 2016. In 2015, more than one million migrants reached the EU. This development has had a profound impact on Europe's criminal landscape. Criminal networks have quickly adapted to this development and substantially increased their involvement in migrant smuggling. More than 90% of the migrants travelling to the EU used facilitation services. In most cases, these services were offered and provided by criminal groups. A large number of criminal networks as well as individual criminal entrepreneurs now generate substantial profits from migrant smuggling. Criminal networks exploit the desperation and vulnerability of migrants. They offer a broad range of facilitation services such as the provision of transportation, accommodation and fraudulent documents at excessively high prices. In many cases, irregular migrants are forced to pay for these services by means of illegal labour. The scale of this exploitation is set to further increase in 2016. In 2015 alone, criminal networks involved in migrant smuggling are estimated to have had a turnover of between EUR 3 -6 billion. This turnover is set to double or triple if the scale of the current migration crisis persists in the upcoming year. Migrant smuggling to and within the EU is a highly attractive business for criminal networks and has grown significantly in 2015. As the fastest growing criminal market in Europe and other regions, this trend is set to continue in 2016. In tackling the sophisticated international and European migrant smuggling networks generating enormous profits, law enforcement authorities face a significant challenge over the coming years. Details: The Hague: EUROPOL, 2016. 15p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed April 11, 2016 at: https://www.europol.europa.eu/content/migrant-smuggling-eu Year: 2016 Country: Europe URL: https://www.europol.europa.eu/content/migrant-smuggling-eu Shelf Number: 138619 Keywords: Criminal NetworksForced LaborHuman SmugglingIllegal MigrantsMigrantsOrganized Crime |
Author: Global Detention Project Title: Immigration Detention in the United States Summary: The United States operates the world's largest immigration detention system. On any given day, the country has some 30,000 people in administrative immigration detention at an estimated cost of nearly $150 a day. In 2016, the combined budget of enforcement agencies was $19 billion. The country's sprawling detention estate counts on some 200 facilities, including privately operated detention facilities, local jails, juvenile detention centres, field offices, and euphemistically named "family residential centres." The country has also supported the detention of migrants and asylum seekers in neighbouring countries. Details: Geneva, SWIT: Global Detention Project, 2016. 25p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed May 4, 2016 at: http://www.globaldetentionproject.org/publications/immigration-detention-united-states Year: 2016 Country: United States URL: http://www.globaldetentionproject.org/publications/immigration-detention-united-states Shelf Number: 138908 Keywords: Immigrant DetentionImmigration EnforcementMigrantsUndocumented Migrants |
Author: Wilkinson, Mick Title: Forced labour in the UK and the Gangmasters Licensing Authority Summary: Migration and trafficking for forced labour has been fuelled over the past decade by global inequalities and by poverty, conflict and environmental degradation in developing countries. The process has been encouraged by the increase in demand by employers for low-cost, "flexible' labour in the increasingly free-market economies of developed countries, and by consumer demand for cheap goods and services. There is a demand in the UK for cheap, mobile, flexible labour across a range of sectors, including care, construction, cleaning, hospitality and catering, and food production. Surveys have consistently found that UK employers prefer to employ migrant workers, because they consider them to be hard-working and reliable, and willing to work unsociable hours. Many businesses now depend upon them, as do entire sectors of the economy - both private and public. Studies sponsored by the Home Office, the International Organisation for Migration, the Institute for Public Policy Research, and the Royal Society for Arts have all argued a net benefit to the UK economy of the order of $2bn-$3bn per annum. Such are the benefits to British industry, that the-then Director-General of the CBI, Sir Digby Jones, called in April 2005 for the government to resist any thoughts of a cap on immigration, arguing that every one per cent increase in immigration generated a 1.5 per cent increase in national wealth. He added: If it was not for immigrant labour, especially in leisure, in tourism, in agriculture, in construction, then frankly many of our businesses would not have the workers we need.- The so-called "demographic time bomb" both in the UK and other western European countries, with ageing populations, means that those active in the labour market represent a diminishing proportion of the workforce and those beyond retirement age constitute a growing proportion. The implications for the dependency ratio of economically inactive to economically active people are clear, and this is reflected in an increasing dependence on migrant workers. In short, the UK needs migrant workers. In order to meet that demand, over the past two decades UK governments have developed a programme of "managed migration". This actively encourages the flow of temporary migration in the interests of the UK economy, by expanding existing temporary worker schemes and adding new programmes. As a result, the number of work permits issued to foreign-born workers rose from 40,000 a year in the mid-1990s to over 200,000 a year in 2004. That process culminated with the Worker Registration Scheme in 2004, to facilitate the arrival of A8 Accession state nationals. Alongside this, since the early 1980s there has been a drive, across the major Western economies, to reduce business regulation to a minimum. UK governments have played a very significant role in this, both at home and in Europe. In 1973, the UK government introduced the Employment Agencies Act, under which all labour providers had to register and comply with legal standards. However, under the Conservative government of John Major, a more liberal labour policy introduced the Deregulation and Contracting Out Act 1994, through which the system of agency licensing was abolished and action against exploiters became primarily dependent upon the complaints of victims. In June 2008, a research team led by Dr Mick Wilkinson at the Contemporary Slavery Research Centre, the Wilberforce Institute, Hull University, was commissioned by Oxfam to conduct an independent evaluation of the GLA and the Act. Their remit was to: Review the operation of the GLA and Act; Assess the strengths and shortcomings of both in protecting the employment rights and wider rights (eg. to safe housing) of migrant and other vulnerable workers; and Make recommendations on how the Act could be strengthened and extended and the Authority improved to protect migrant and vulnerable workers more effectively. Details: Hull, UK: Contemporary Slavery Research Centre (CSRC), The Wilberforce Institute, University of Hull, 2010. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed May 5, 2016 at: http://www2.hull.ac.uk/fass/pdf/WPGLAreport.pdf Year: 2010 Country: United Kingdom URL: http://www2.hull.ac.uk/fass/pdf/WPGLAreport.pdf Shelf Number: 138949 Keywords: Forced LaborHuman TraffickingMigrant LaborMigrants |
Author: Great Britain. House of Lords. European Union Committee Title: Operation Sophia: the EU's naval mission in the Mediterranean: an impossible challenge Summary: Since 2014, Europe has been struggling to respond to an exceptional number of irregular but voluntary migrants 2 seeking to cross European borders. On 19 April 2015, off-the-coast of the Italian island of Lampedusa, a boat carrying nearly 700 migrants capsized and almost all its passengers drowned. The Lampedusa tragedy changed EU policy. Four days later, the European Council pledged to take steps to prevent further loss of life at sea, fight the people smugglers and prevent illegal migration flows. In May, a new naval mission-Operation Sophia-was deployed in the central Mediterranean. It currently patrols a vast area of the high seas off the coast of Libya to Italy, gathering information, rescuing migrants, and destroying boats used by smugglers. Critics suggested that search and rescue activity by Operation Sophia would act as a magnet to migrants and ease the task of smugglers, who would only need their vessels to reach the high seas; these propositions have some validity. On the other hand, search and rescue are, in our view, vital humanitarian obligations. We commend Operation Sophia for its success in this task. The mission does not, however, in any meaningful way deter the flow of migrants, disrupt the smugglers' networks, or impede the business of people smuggling on the central Mediterranean route. The arrests that Operation Sophia has made to date have been of low-level targets, while the destruction of vessels has simply caused the smugglers to shift from using wooden boats to rubber dinghies, which are even more unsafe. There are also significant limits to the intelligence that can be collected about onshore smuggling networks from the high seas. There is therefore little prospect of Operation Sophia overturning the business model of people smuggling. The weakness of the Libyan state has been a key factor underlying the exceptional rate of irregular migration on the central Mediterranean route in recent years. While plans for two further phases would see Operation Sophia acting in Libyan territorial waters and onshore, we are not confident that the new Libyan Government of National Accord will be in a position to work closely with the EU and its Member States any time soon. In other words, however valuable as a search and rescue mission, Operation Sophia does not, and we argue, cannot, deliver its mandate. It responds to symptoms, not causes. Details: London: House of Lords, 2016. 43p. Source: Internet Resource: HP Paper 144: Accessed July 13, 2016 at: http://www.publications.parliament.uk/pa/ld201516/ldselect/ldeucom/144/144.pdf Year: 2016 Country: United Kingdom URL: http://www.publications.parliament.uk/pa/ld201516/ldselect/ldeucom/144/144.pdf Shelf Number: 139636 Keywords: Human SmugglingHuman TraffickingIllegal ImmigrantsImmigrationMigrants |
Author: Bhui, Hindpal Singh Title: Can Inspection Produce Meaningful Change in Immigration Detention? Summary: Although prison inspection in the United Kingdom has a long history, inspection of immigration detention was properly established only in 2004. Her Majesty's Inspectorate of Prisons (HMIP), a government-appointed independent human rights-based monitoring institution, holds this responsibility. In this GDP Working Paper, a lead HMIP inspector discusses the nature and impact of the Inspectorate's work, examining both the theory and practice of inspection. The paper places the discussion in the broader context of prison reform and debates on migration and border controls. The author argues that in liberal-democratic societies there are two broad approaches to promoting human rights reforms and challenging abuses: working from the inside to achieve progress with the risk that principles may be compromised and good intentions confounded; or promoting change from the outside, which is more uncompromising but less influential, at least in the short-term. This is a dilemma that confronts human rights based inspection of immigration detention in the UK. The main focus of HMIP is on improving the treatment of detainees and conditions in detention, not challenging the system of detention, even if immigration detention policy arguably lacks legitimacy in a way that criminal imprisonment does not. The author explores the "effectiveness" of detention inspection and whether inspection can be said to have promoted meaningful change. Details: Geneva, SWIT: Global Detention Project, 2016. 19p. Source: Internet Resource: Working Paper No. 12: Accessed July 25, 2016 at: https://www.globaldetentionproject.org/wp-content/uploads/2016/05/bhui_gdp_working_paper_may_2016.pdf Year: 2016 Country: United Kingdom URL: https://www.globaldetentionproject.org/wp-content/uploads/2016/05/bhui_gdp_working_paper_may_2016.pdf Shelf Number: 139833 Keywords: Detention FacilitiesHuman Rights AbusesIllegal ImmigrantsImmigrant DetentionImmigrationMigrants |
Author: Schloenhardt, Andreas Title: Irregular migration and associated crime in Pakistan: a review of the Federal Investigation Agency's (FIA) training programmes Summary: This report reviews existing training programmes on irregular migration and associated crime offered by the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) of the Islamic Republic of Pakistan and develops recommendations to enhance the training of FIA officers and other law enforcement personnel in this field. Irregular migration, especially in the form of migrant smuggling and trafficking in persons, and associated criminal activities such as money laundering, document fraud, and corruption, are of imminent concern to Pakistan. Trafficking in persons is the acquisition of people by improper means such as force, fraud or deception, with the aim of exploiting them. Smuggling of migrants involves the procurement for financial or other material benefit of illegal entry of a person into a State of which that person is not a national or resident. Virtually every country in the world is affected by these crimes. Recent reports confirm that Pakistan is simultaneously a sending, transit, and destination point for smuggled migrants and trafficked persons. Domestic trafficking, especially of women and children, is also of ongoing concern. The challenge for all countries, rich and poor, is to target the criminals who exploit desperate people and to protect and assist victims of trafficking and smuggled migrants, many of whom endure unimaginable hardships in their bid for a better life. Pakistan's Federal Investigation Agency (FIA), as the country's chief national law enforcement agency, has a mandate to prevent and suppress trafficking in persons and migrant smuggling and is in a unique position to comprehensively combat these phenomena, along with associated crime such as money laundering, document fraud, and corruption. In response to the emergence of migrant smuggling and trafficking in persons, the Government of Pakistan has taken decisive action to develop national strategies to prevent and suppress these crime types and protect the rights of victims. In 2002, a Prevention and Control of Human Trafficking Ordinance was enacted. This was followed by the development of a National Action Plan for Combating Human Trafficking and the creation of an Anti-Trafficking Unit within the FIA. UNODC, the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime, is the guardian of the United Nations Convention against Transnational Organised Crime and the Protocol to Prevent, Suppress, and Punish Trafficking in Persons, especially Women and Children and the Protocol against the Smuggling of Migrants by Land, Air, and Sea. UNODC leads international efforts to comprehensively prevent and suppress migrant smuggling and trafficking in persons and protect the victims of these heinous crimes. UNODC's Country Office in Islamabad stands ready to assist Pakistan's authorities in their efforts. Details: Pakistan: United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime, 2011. 42p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed July 25, 2016 at: https://www.unodc.org/documents/pakistan/2011.10.00_Irregular_Migration_Associated_Crime_in_PakTNA_of_FIA_Academy_fin.pdf Year: 2011 Country: Pakistan URL: https://www.unodc.org/documents/pakistan/2011.10.00_Irregular_Migration_Associated_Crime_in_PakTNA_of_FIA_Academy_fin.pdf Shelf Number: 139856 Keywords: Human SmugglingHuman TraffickingIllegal MigrationMigrantsOrganized Crime |
Author: Norman, Kate Title: "Between Two Cultures": A Rapid PEER Study Exploring Migrant Communities' Views on Female Genital Mutilation in Essex and Norfolk, UK Summary: This report shares the findings from a rapid PEER study, carried out by migrant women and men living in Norfolk and Essex, UK. Eighteen Peer Researchers, (15 women and 3 men) were recruited through local community organisations and trained and supported by FORWARD and Barnardo's to design and carry out conversational interviews with their peers focusing on life in the UK, and Female Genital Mutilation. The study focused on low prevalence areas as identified in the UK Prevalence study on FGM. The aims of this research were to: - Shed light on the lived realities of migrants from these countries and gain insights into their communities' views on FGM in the UK as well as back in their country of origin. - For the first time, research attitudes and support for FGM in predominantly white British areas that are considered "low prevalence" for the practice. - Use the findings to inform and strengthen FGM prevention programmes. - Empower those involved in the research, strengthening their voice and ensuring that they are at the centre of research and programmes that concern them. Details: London: National FMG Center, Barnado's: 2016. 55p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed August 30, 2016 at: https://barnardosfgm.custhelp.com/ci/fattach/get/12/0/filename/Peer+Research+National+FGM+Centre.pdf Year: 2016 Country: United Kingdom URL: https://barnardosfgm.custhelp.com/ci/fattach/get/12/0/filename/Peer+Research+National+FGM+Centre.pdf Shelf Number: 140105 Keywords: Female CuttingFemale Genital MutilationMigrantsViolence Against Women, Girls |
Author: Achilli, Luigi Title: The Smuggler: Hero or Felon? Summary: The general public and the media have had fun fantasising about the motives and interests that push migrants to embark on dangerous journeys across the sea. Smuggling is often understood through a simplification of both the clandestine traveller and the smuggler: a process of abstraction that overlooks any ambiguities and nuances. While researchers have abundantly studied the profile of the migrant, they had been less interested in the other key actor of the clandestine migration: the smuggler. Who is the smuggler? How does s/he operate? Why do migrants place their lives in the smugglers hands? The goal of this paper is to attend to the complexity of the phenomenon by looking at human smuggling across the Adriatic Sea. In light of the need to elaborate an adequate policy response to this phenomenon, a better understanding of smuggling is pivotal in ensuring the security of the receiving state and that of the migrant. With this task in mind, this paper problematizes the figure of the smugglers beyond overly simplistic generalizations and representations. In so doing, this paper argues that a truly effective answer to human smuggling would require the EU and its state members to concentrate on reducing demand rather than curbing supply. Details: Florence, Italy: Migration Policy Centre, Robert Schuman Centre for Advanced Studies - European University Institute, 2015. 12p. Source: Internet Resource: Policy Brief: Accessed September 7, 2016 at: http://cadmus.eui.eu/bitstream/handle/1814/36296/MPC_2015_10_PB.pdf?sequence=1 Year: 2015 Country: International URL: http://cadmus.eui.eu/bitstream/handle/1814/36296/MPC_2015_10_PB.pdf?sequence=1 Shelf Number: 140222 Keywords: Human SmugglingIllegal MigrantsIllegal MigrationMigrants |
Author: United Nations Children's Fund - UNICEF Title: Uprooted: The Growing Crisis for Refugee and Migrant Children Summary: Around the world, nearly 50 million children have migrated across borders or been forcibly displaced. This report presents - for the first time - comprehensive, global data about these children - where they are born, where they move and some of the dangers they face along the way. The report sheds light on the truly global nature of childhood migration and displacement, highlighting challenges faced by child migrants and refugees in every region. Details: New York: UNICEF, 2016. 134p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed September 8, 2016 at: http://www.unicef.org/publications/files/Uprooted_growing_crisis_for_refugee_and_migrant_children.pdf Year: 2016 Country: International URL: Shelf Number: 140249 Keywords: Child MigrantsChild ProtectionChild RefugeesMigrant ChildrenMigrants |
Author: Baird, Theodore Title: Defining Human Smuggling in Migration Research: An Appraisal and Critique Summary: The terms migrant smuggling and human trafficking are often used synonymously in public discussions and the media, but are distinct categories in international law and academic research. This article provides a critical discussion of the representation of human smuggling in academic research, by demonstrating that the current definition of human smuggling has been un-critically applied from international law in the formulation and implementation of research designs. It traces the development of the concept of human smuggling in academic research through an evaluation of three periods: 1) Pre-Palermo and early Palermo days: 1990s-2003, 2) post-Palermo: 2001-present, and 3) conceptual re-visions: 2007-present. It demonstrates that although the definition of human smuggling has gone through shifting categorizations, much of the research on human smuggling has been conducted within the categories defined by law and policy, rather than critically attending to how these categories have arisen as forms of social control. Based on this evaluation, the article argues for a critique of the category of human smuggling through innovative research designs and improved criticism of the causes, effects, and use of the concept. The article concludes with notes towards a research agenda for critical human smuggling studies, for research beyond the legal categories in order to understand 'human smuggling' as a category of social control in diverse contexts. Details: San Domenico di Fiesole (FI) - Italy: European University Institute, 2016. 19p. Source: Internet Resource:Robert Schuman Centre for Advanced Studies, Migration Policy Centre, RSCAS 2016/30: Accessed September 8, 2016 at: http://cadmus.eui.eu/bitstream/handle/1814/41508/RSCAS_2016_30.pdf?sequence=1&isAllowed=y Year: 2016 Country: International URL: http://cadmus.eui.eu/bitstream/handle/1814/41508/RSCAS_2016_30.pdf?sequence=1&isAllowed=y Shelf Number: 149251 Keywords: Human Smuggling Human trafficking Migrants |
Author: Gutierrez, Carlos Title: Shared Border, Shared Future: A Blueprint to Regulate US-Mexico Labor Mobility Summary: Mexico and the United States have lacked a bilateral agreement to regulate cross-border labor mobility since 1965. Since that time, unlawful migration from Mexico to the US has exploded. Almost half of the 11.7 million Mexican-born individuals living in the U.S. do not have legal authorization. This vast black market in labor has harmed both countries. These two neighboring countries, with an indisputably shared destiny, can come together to work out a better way. The time has come for a lasting, innovative, and cooperative solution. To address this challenge, the Center for Global Development assembled a group of leaders from both countries and with diverse political affiliations - from backgrounds in national security, labor unions, law, economics, business, and diplomacy - to recommend how to move forward. The result is a new blueprint for a bilateral agreement that is designed to end unlawful migration, promote the interests of U.S. and Mexican workers, and uphold the rule of law. Details: Washington, DC: Center for Global Development, 2016. 65p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed September 20, 2016 at: http://www.cgdev.org/sites/default/files/CGD-shared-border-shared-future-report-eng1.pdf Year: 2016 Country: United States URL: Shelf Number: 140364 Keywords: Border SecurityIllegal ImmigrationMigrantsMigration |
Author: Suarez, Ximena Title: A Trail of Impunity:Thousands of Migrants in Transit Face Abuses amid Mexico's Crackdown Summary: On September 3, 2016, in a public event with the United States' Republican party presidential candidate Donald Trump, Mexican president Enrique Pena Nieto commented on how essential it is for his government and for Mexico's relationship with the United States to make Mexico's southern border with Central America "more secure." This discourse is not new. In July 2014 Mexico announced the controversial "Southern Border Program" and has since pursued policies that prioritize securing the country's Southern Border from migrants through control measures and a significant increase in detentions and deportations, ignoring concerns about the human rights of migrants and potential refugees traveling through Mexico, in particular from Honduras, El Salvador, and Guatemala. A new assessment of the situation reveals that migration enforcement operations keep increasing, at a time when Mexican authorities have not sufficiently improved their capacity to screen migrants to detect protection concerns and to seriously investigate crimes against migrants in transit in the country. Official data, information obtained through freedom-of-information requests, journalistic sources, and information from some of the shelters assisting migrants in Mexico reveals that 2016 may be the year with the highest number of detentions, deportations, and asylum petitions in Mexico. Details: WOLA; Fundar: Centro de Analisis e Investigacion, and the Casa del Migrante Frontera con Justicia, in Saltillo, Coahuila, 2016. 15p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed October 15, 2016 at: https://www.wola.org/analysis/a-trail-of-impunity/ Year: 2016 Country: Mexico URL: https://www.wola.org/analysis/a-trail-of-impunity/ Shelf Number: 144875 Keywords: DeportationHuman Rights AbusesIllegal MigrantsImmigration EnforcementMigrant DetentionMigrants |
Author: Global Initiative Against Transnational Organized Crime Title: Understanding and Responding to the Role of Human Smugglers in Migration Summary: A lack of nuance in examining and responding to what are generally termed "human smugglers", "facilitators", "traffickers", "organized crime", the distinctions between them, and their role in facilitating large scale migration is undercutting the response to illegal migration. It has resulted in policy choices that have proven counterproductive not only to the goals of safe and orderly migration, but also to promoting stability, good governance, adherence to human rights and ensuring long-term development. Of particular detriment, flawed policy has created stagnant and concentrated pools of people easily exploited by highly organized and exploitative smugglers and traffickers. This brief argues for a more structured understanding of the spectrum of the smuggling industry, and the importance of drawing a distinction between smuggling and trafficking. While the smuggling industry has become a significant vector in facilitating large scale migration, those working in it may range from altruistic actors who offer a critical lifeline and serve as a resilience or protection mechanism in situations of fragility, inequality and conflict where legitimate alternatives are absent or restricted. In other cases, however, those in the smuggling industry can form part of exploitative organized crime networks associated with violence, extortion, forced labor and other forms of abuse, including being used as a source of terror or a "means of war" by armed groups. The brief concludes that law enforcement action and criminal justice penalties should be targeted at the most damaging end of the spectrum, where routes are controlled by pre-existing transnational organized crime groups and/or where there are practices of abuse, violence and extortion. Law enforcement responses to community based "smugglers" will require significant resources, yield few successes, and cause political alienation. Designing the appropriate targeted responses against the full spectrum of smugglers, and where law enforcement is only one strategy, is critical to successfully prevent, mitigate or combat unsought impacts and prevent further destabilization in transit countries. Successful targeted responses by both governments, the UN Security Council and the wider migration management platform should include: Substantially strengthen the timely information, data and analysis available to the Security Council on the drivers (including root causes), changing smuggling routes, bottlenecks and on the nexus of migration, trafficking, organized crime and conflict, including the role of armed groups and/or state actors Strongly enhance the capacity of member states and the UN to more effectively monitor the entire smuggling chain from origin through transit countries to end-destinations. This is in contrast to current information that focuses on data collected by border control agencies and police in destination countries. Such a system should focus more clearly on places where there is a build-up of migrants and seek to ensure their wider dispersal. Through enhanced information capacity strengthen the full spectrum of proactive tools and policies available to countries and the Security Council to design appropriate measures to respond to smuggling and associated migration, including their link to conflict and insecurity. Such proactive interventions can only be designed on a better understanding of entire emigrant routes and the role of "smugglers" in different places, particular in those zones where there is a build-up of migrants. Details: Geneva, SWIT: The Global Initiative, 2016. 20p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed October 20, 2016 at: http://globalinitiative.net/wp-content/uploads/2016/09/global-initiative-rhipto-human-smugglers-in-migration-sept-2016-web.pdf Year: 2016 Country: International URL: http://globalinitiative.net/wp-content/uploads/2016/09/global-initiative-rhipto-human-smugglers-in-migration-sept-2016-web.pdf Shelf Number: 140808 Keywords: Human Smuggling Illegal Immigrants MigrantsMigration Organized Crime |
Author: European Programme for Integration and Migration Title: Forgotten: Administratively detained irregular migrants and asylum seekers Summary: i. FINDINGS 1. The number of administratively detained irregular immigrants and asylum seekers is significantly reduced compared to the prior to 2015 period. 2. The detention conditions diverge from the relevant legislation, regarding not only the international standards and the CPT recommendations, but also the governmental declarations of February 17, 2015. In particular, we observed: - Use of detention areas that the CPT has deemed inappropriate for more than a few days detention as well as use of the Special Juvenile Detention Center in Amygdaleza which has been declared inappropriate for the detention of minors - Inadequate maintenance of the facilities - Lack of yard time - Inadequate healthcare - Lack of support by social workers and psychologists - Inadequate and poor quality feeding - Inadequate heating/ cooling conditions - Lack of provision in clothes, shoes and personal hygiene items - Lack of recreational activities - Lack of interpretation services - Lack of information to the detainees regarding: - their legal status; - the Rules of operation of the detention centers - the impending forced return - Lack of free legal aid 3. The procedures followed by the competent authorities regarding administrative detention diverge from provisions laid down in the legislation and from the governmental declarations of February 17, 2015. In particular, we observed that: In the Hellenic Police Departments there are serious long-standing systemic problems: - Lack of an individualized approach based on the characteristics, the situation and the needs of foreign nationals who are under arrest - Lack of use of alternatives to detention - Systematic, unjustified detention of dubious legitimacy on the grounds of public order - Detention of individuals whose removal violates the principle of non-refoulement - Detention for a period longer than six months - Re-arrest for the purpose of return despite prolonged and ineffective previous detention - Detention of seriously ill people - Failure to take into account data that arise over the period of detention regarding the health status of detainees and extension of the detention of vulnerable persons - Lack of interpretation services, indispensable to the detainees in order to fully understand their legal status, the decisions that concern them and the documents they are asked to sign - Lack of free legal assistance - Lack of information regarding an imminent enforcement of forced return Details: s.l.: EPIM, 2016. 84p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed November 1, 2016 at: http://www.asylumineurope.org/sites/default/files/resources/forgotten.pdf Year: 2016 Country: Europe URL: http://www.asylumineurope.org/sites/default/files/resources/forgotten.pdf Shelf Number: 145008 Keywords: Asylum SeekersImmigrant DetentionMigrantsMigrationRefugeesUndocumented Migrants |
Author: Amnesty International Title: Stranded Hope: Hungary's Sustained Attack on the Rights of Refugees and Migrants Summary: Fences, teargas, and draconian legislation: over the last year the Hungarian authorities have baulked at little in their determination to keep refugees and migrants out of the country. The government's programme of militarization, criminalization and isolation has ushered in a set of measures which have resulted in violent push-backs at the border with Serbia, unlawful detentions inside the country and dire living conditions for those waiting at the border. This briefing documents the pernicious consequences of Hungary's current policies in flagrant breach of international human rights and refugee law and EU directives. Details: London: AI, 2016. 30p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed November 2, 2016 at: https://www.amnesty.org/en/documents/eur27/4864/2016/en/ Year: 2016 Country: Hungary URL: https://www.amnesty.org/en/documents/eur27/4864/2016/en/ Shelf Number: 145006 Keywords: Asylum SeekersHuman Rights AbusesIllegal MigrantsMigrant DetentionMigrantsRefugees |
Author: McAuliffe, M.L., ed. Title: Migrant Smuggling Data and Research: A Global Review of the Emerging Evidence Base Summary: Migrant Smuggling Data and Research: A global review of the emerging evidence base presents a unique review of what is being collected and what can be done to further build the evidence base on migrant smuggling globally. The report is the result of a collaboration between the International Organization for Migration and researchers from a range of backgrounds and academic disciplines, and supported by the Government of Turkey. The report shows that important research has been undertaken on the transnational crime aspects of migrant smuggling, including on routes, smuggling organization (such as criminal networking and facilitation), smuggler profiles and fees/payment. Likewise, there is an emerging academic literature on migrant smuggling, particularly the economic and social processes involved in smuggling, which has largely been based on small-scale qualitative research, mostly undertaken by early career researchers. Contributions from private research companies, as well as investigative journalists, have provided useful insights in some regions, helping to shed light on smuggling practices. There remains, however, sizeable gaps in migration policy research and data, particularly in relation to migration patterns and processes linked to migrant smuggling, including its impact on migrants (particularly vulnerability, abuse and exploitation), as well as its impact on irregular migration flows (such as increasing scale, diversity and changes in geography). Addressing these systemic and regional gaps in data and research would help deepen understanding of the smuggling phenomenon, and provide further insights into how responses can be formulated that better protect migrants while enhancing States’ abilities to manage orderly migration. Details: Geneva, SWIT: International Organization for Migration, 2016. 340p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed November 3, 2016 at: https://publications.iom.int/books/migrant-smuggling-data-and-research-global-review-emerging-evidence-base Year: 2016 Country: International URL: https://publications.iom.int/books/migrant-smuggling-data-and-research-global-review-emerging-evidence-base Shelf Number: 145000 Keywords: Human SmugglingIllegal ImmigrantsImmigrantsMigrant SmugglingMigrants |
Author: United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) Title: Smuggling of Migrants: A risk assessment of border communities: Cambodia, Lao PDR and Thailand Summary: Southeast Asia continues to experience rapid economic and social development. In the Greater Mekong Sub-Region (GMS), economic development in Cambodia, Lao PDR, Myanmar, and Thailand is progressing at different paces. The resulting economic disparity between these countries is a driving force for both regular and irregular labor migration to Thailand. Since regular labor migration channels and opportunities are not sufficient to match the demand for unskilled or low-skilled migrant workers in Thailand, irregular migration continues to flourish. In this context, migrant smuggling - the procurement of illegal entry of a person into a State of which the person is not a national for a financial or other material benefit - accounts for much of the irregular migration in the GMS. Driven by supply and demand, illegal flows of goods and people tend to be more prevalent in specific border areas, which become core hubs for organizing illegal border transportation and crossing. This makes the underdeveloped border communities of these GMS countries susceptible targets for organized criminal groups that seek to generate profits from transporting and facilitating illegal entry for migrants. The objectives of this study are to determine key motivators and facilitators of irregular migration, explore the concept of Border Community Committees and their potential effectiveness in reducing the smuggling of migrants, evaluate existing mechanisms for combating irregular migration, and assess the role of law enforcement officials in preventing and prosecuting migrant smuggling and irregular migration practices. Details: Bangkok: United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime, Regional Office for Southeast Asia and the Pacific, 2014. 28p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed November 12, 2016 at: https://www.unodc.org/documents/southeastasiaandpacific/2014/08/patrol/Final_Report_SOM_in_Border_Communities_11_25_Aug_2014.pdf Year: 2014 Country: Asia URL: https://www.unodc.org/documents/southeastasiaandpacific/2014/08/patrol/Final_Report_SOM_in_Border_Communities_11_25_Aug_2014.pdf Shelf Number: 146667 Keywords: Border SecurityHuman SmugglingIllegal ImmigrantsMigrant SmugglingMigrantsOrganized Crime |
Author: Chamblee, John F. Title: Mapping Migrant Deaths in Southern Arizona: The Human Borders GIS Summary: Thousands of migrants die annually crossing the desert into the Untied States. Through cooperation with the U.S. Border Patrol and local medical examiners we produce maps showing the locations where migrants died. Details: Unpublished paper, 2008? 32p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed November 14, 2016 at: http://www.aaas.org/sites/default/files/migrate/uploads/migrant-report.pdf Year: 2008 Country: United States URL: http://www.aaas.org/sites/default/files/migrate/uploads/migrant-report.pdf Shelf Number: 146649 Keywords: Border EnforcementGlobal Positioning Systems (GIS)Illegal MigrantsMigrant DeathsMigrants |
Author: McKenzie, David Title: Eliciting Illegal migration rates through list randomization Summary: Most migration surveys do not ask about the legal status of migrants due to concerns about the sensitivity of this question List randomization is a technique that has been used in a number of other social science applications to elicit sensitive information This paper trials this technique by adding it to surveys conducted in Ethiopia, Mexico, Morocco, and the Philippines It shows how, in principal, this can be used both to give an estimate of the over rate of illegal migration in the population being surveyed, as well as to determine illegal migration rates for subgroups such as more or less educated households The results suggest that there is some useful information in this method: higher rates of illegal migration in countries where illegal migration is thought to be more prevalent and households who say they have a migrant are more likely to report having an illegal migrant Nevertheless, some of the other findings also suggest some possible inconsistencies or noise in the conclusions obtained using this method The authors suggest directions for future attempts to implement this approach in migration surveys Details: London: Centre for Research and Analysis of Migration, Department of Economics, University College London, 2013. 17p. Source: Internet Resource: CReAM Discussion Paper Series, no. 10/13: Accessed November 17, 2016 at: http://www.cream-migration.org/publ_uploads/CDP_10_13.pdf Year: 2013 Country: International URL: http://www.cream-migration.org/publ_uploads/CDP_10_13.pdf Shelf Number: 144853 Keywords: Illegal ImmigrantsIllegal MigrationMigrants |
Author: Dudley, Steven Title: Violence Against Migrants Summary: Mexico and Central America have emerged as one of the most dangerous areas on the planet outside of active war zones. The region is currently confronting unprecedented security challenges from street gangs, the growing presence of sophisticated criminal organizations and endemic corruption at all levels of law enforcement and government. These challenges are not new, but they are growing in intensity and visibility. As the risks to human security increase, so does the vulnerability of migrants who cross the region moving northward toward the United States. The dangers have become particularly vivid in Mexico, where unknown numbers of Mexican, Central American, and South American migrants have been killed or gone missing, presumably at the hands of criminal actors or corrupt public officials. Many more are victims of extortion, rape, and other crimes. The homicide rate in Central America stands at just over 40 per 100,000 residents — more than twice the homicide rate in Mexico (18 per 100,000 residents), a country that receives considerably more international media attention for high levels of crime and violence. Most of the homicides in Central America are concentrated in the Northern Triangle countries — Guatemala, El Salvador, and Honduras — where murder rates average 58 per 100,000 residents (See Figure 1). By comparison, in the United States the homicide rate peaked at 10 per 100,000 residents in 1980 and currently stands around 5 per 100,000. The aggregate national statistics, however, hide substantial variation within nations. In the District of Columbia (Washington, DC), the homicide rate peaked at 81 per 100,000 residents in 1991 and in 2010 stood around 22 per 100,000 — higher than in Mexico City, where the murder rate was about 14 per 100,000 in 2010. High levels of violence in certain areas — in Mexico's case, in the border regions — skew national statistics upward. In both Mexico and Central America, criminal groups seem to have overwhelmed the undermanned public security forces. Controlling illicit activity in rural and border areas, where migrants often cross, is particularly challenging. For instance, Olancho, a Honduran department (similar to a state or province), has about 250 police officers to cover an area roughly the size of El Salvador and larger than the country of Belgium or the US state of Maryland.1 In 2011, the Guatemalan government recently ordered 800 soldiers, including 300 members of the country's elite Kaibil forces that specialize in jungle warfare and counterinsurgency, to reinforce local police in the remote Peten province that borders Mexico. Corruption of public security forces —in some instances at high levels — further complicates these challenges. Details: s.l.: InSight Crime, 2010. 26p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed November 21, 2016 at: http://www.insightcrime.org/images/PDFs/2016/Violence_Against_Migrants.pdf Year: 2012 Country: Central America URL: http://www.insightcrime.org/images/PDFs/2016/Violence_Against_Migrants.pdf Shelf Number: 147902 Keywords: Gang-Related ViolenceHomicidesMigrantsViolent Crime |
Author: Reitano, Tuesday Title: The Khartoum Process: A sustainable response to human smuggling and trafficking? Summary: In the 2012-16 'migration crisis', citizens from the Horn of Africa have been arriving irregularly in Europe in unprecedented numbers, whilst featuring disproportionately amongst the fatalities. This has prompted the launch of the Khartoum Process, a partnership between the 28 member states of the European Union (EU) and East and North African states, to respond to human smuggling and trafficking. This brief critically and unfavourably evaluates this framework. The Khartoum Process is not only unlikely to achieve the desired outcomes, but, more importantly, it is likely to pose a risk to the better governance and development of the Horn of Africa. Details: Pretoria: Institute for Security Studies, 2016. 12p. Source: Internet Resource: Policy Brief 93: Accessed December 5, 2016 at: http://globalinitiative.net/wp-content/uploads/2016/12/gi-iss-the-khartoum-process-nov-2016.pdf Year: 2016 Country: Africa URL: http://globalinitiative.net/wp-content/uploads/2016/12/gi-iss-the-khartoum-process-nov-2016.pdf Shelf Number: 147921 Keywords: Human SmugglingHuman TraffickingImmigrationImmigration EnforcementMigrants |
Author: Carrera, Sergio Title: Irregular Migration, Trafficking and Smuggling of Human Beings: Policy Dilemmas in the EU Summary: While the current migration and refugee crisis is the most severe that the world has known since the end of the Second World War (with over 60 million refugees worldwide, according to the UNHCR), it may turn into the norm, because the reasons to migrate keep on multiplying. These reasons range from long-lasting political crises, endemic civil wars, atrocities committed against ethnic or religious groups by extremist organisations to the lack of economic development prospects and climate change. The European Union has a duty to welcome some of these people – namely those who need international protection. With over a million irregular migrants crossing its external borders in 2015, the European Union has to engage in a deep reflection on the rationale underpinning its policies on irregular migration and migrant smuggling – and their effects. At such a strenuous time, the challenge before us is “to work closely together in a spirit of solidarity” while the “need to secure Europe’s borders” remains an imperative, to recall President Juncker’s words. Of particular relevance in this framework is the issue of migrant smuggling, or facilitation of irregular entry, stay or transit. Addressing migrant smuggling – located at the intersection of criminal law, which sanctions organised crime, the management of migration and the protection of the fundamental rights of irregular migrants – has become a pressing priority. But the prevention of and fight against migrant smuggling is a complex process, affected by contextual factors, including a high level of economic and social disparity between the EU and several third countries, difficult cooperation with source and transit countries and limited legal migration channels to the EU. In this framework, the European Commission tabled two agendas prioritising the fight against migrant smuggling. The European Agenda on Security, adopted in April 2015, and the European Agenda on Migration, presented in May 2015, both attach major importance to cooperation against the smuggling of migrants inside the EU and from third countries. Shortly afterwards, to operationalise these frameworks, the European Commission presented the EU Action Plan against Migrant Smuggling, in May 2015. It foresees a comprehensive, multidisciplinary response against migrant smuggling involving relevant stakeholders and institutions at all levels. The Action Plan covers all phases and types of migrant smuggling and all migratory routes, including the facilitation of secondary movement, unauthorised residence within the EU and the necessity to enforce return and readmission procedures. It endorses a comprehensive approach ranging from preventive action targeting potential migrants in countries of origin and transit to measures against smuggling rings operating along the migratory routes, while ensuring the full respect of the human rights of migrants. The implementation, involving different actors and organisations at local, regional, national and international levels, as well as EU agencies, is coordinated by the Commission. The Action Plan sets out both short-term and long-term objectives around four main priorities: reinforcing investigation and prosecution of smugglers; improved information gathering, sharing and analysis; better prevention of smuggling and assisting vulnerable migrants and enhancing cooperation with third countries. The Action Plan underlines the critical need to collect and share information on the modus operandi, routes and economic models of smuggling networks in order to understand the business model of criminal networks and design adequate responses. In this framework, full use should be made of the available risk analyses and monitoring of pre-frontier areas. The dissemination of information related to the external borders will be increased with the support of Eurosur, while further research on the phenomena and on the links with other crimes needs to be initiated. The relevant EU agencies must scale up their work on migrant smuggling. Their resources devoted to migrant smuggling have been increased substantially. Europol’s new European Migrant Smuggling Centre should become the EU information hub in the fight against migrant smuggling. The presence of both Europol and Frontex in the hotspots of frontline member states is crucial for gathering and processing information – and for launching investigations leading to prosecutions. Funded by the European Commission’s Seventh Framework Programme for Research, the FIDUCIA project has promoted research on the role of trust-based policies in legal compliance in the field of migration, through the work done by the Centre for European Policy Studies (CEPS) and a group of academics. The initiative aims to stimulate evidence-based policy-making and to bring fresh thinking to develop more effective policies. The European Commission welcomes the valuable contribution of this initiative to help close the wide gap in our knowledge about the smuggling of migrants, and especially the functioning of smuggling networks. Details: Brussels: Centre for European Policy Studies, 2016. 112p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed December 19, 2016 at: https://www.ceps.eu/system/files/Irregular%20Migration,%20Trafficking%20and%20SmugglingwithCovers.pdf Year: 2016 Country: Europe URL: https://www.ceps.eu/system/files/Irregular%20Migration,%20Trafficking%20and%20SmugglingwithCovers.pdf Shelf Number: 147762 Keywords: Border SecurityHuman SmugglingHuman TraffickingIllegal MigrationMigrantsMigrations |
Author: United Nations Office of Drugs and Crime Title: Global Report on Trafficking in Persons: 2016 Summary: The 2016 UNODC Global Report on Trafficking in Persons is the third of its kind mandated by the General Assembly through the 2010 United Nations Global Plan of Action to Combat Trafficking in Persons. It covers 136 countries and provides an overview of patterns and flows of trafficking in persons at global, regional and national levels, based primarily on trafficking cases detected between 2012 and 2014. As UNODC has been systematically collecting data on trafficking in persons for more than a decade, trend information is presented for a broad range of indicators. The thematic chapter of the 2016 edition of the Global Report looks at how migrants and refugees can be vulnerable to trafficking in persons, en route or at destination. It also analyses the particular condition of people escaping war, conflict and persecution. Most countries have passed legislation that criminalizes trafficking in persons as a specific offence; many have done so recently. The Global Report shows that there is a relation between how long a country has had proper trafficking legislation on its books, and how many convictions it reports. Countries with longer-standing legislation record, on average, more convictions. That said, the overall criminal justice response to trafficking in persons, which has historically been very weak, has not improved significantly. Details: New York: UNODC, 2016. 126p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed December 23, 2016 at: http://www.unodc.org/documents/data-and-analysis/glotip/2016_Global_Report_on_Trafficking_in_Persons.pdf Year: 2016 Country: International URL: http://www.unodc.org/documents/data-and-analysis/glotip/2016_Global_Report_on_Trafficking_in_Persons.pdf Shelf Number: 144837 Keywords: Human SmugglingHuman TraffickingIllegal ImmigrationMigrantsRefugees |
Author: Regional Mixed Migration Secretariat Title: Behind Bars: The detention of migrants in and from the East & Horn of Africa Summary: Regional Focus This study focuses on immigration detention in the East and Horn of Africa, as well as Yemen, Israel and Saudi Arabia which are countries where a significant number of migrants from this region migrate to. The report also includes a short section on the use of immigration detention in Italy and Malta, the first points of entry in Europe for Horn of Africa migrants (mainly Eritreans and Somalis) travelling the north-western route out of the region to Europe. The use of immigration detention The use of immigration detention is widespread in the main destination and transit countries affecting migrants in and from East Africa and Horn of Africa countries. Instead of being a measure of last resort, detention of migrants is a routine practice in some of these countries (Djibouti, Israel Kenya, Saudi Arabia, Tanzania and Yemen). In 2013 and 2014 for example, several countries, such as Kenya, Saudi Arabia and Tanzania carried out mass operations during which thousands of migrants were detained. In most countries, irregular migrants are generally detained, either by law or as a de facto policy. Immigration detention is used for a variety of reasons, which commonly includes: controlling migration flows, as a deterrence measure for future migrants, security reasons (such as identity and health checks) or protection of the labour market. The detention of migrants can also be the result of chaotic or dysfunctional processes. For example, when migrants are detained because there are no resources (financial, transport) available for deportation; when a detention centre is full but the local prison has space; or when the local police demand bribes from migrants and detain them until they pay for their release. In short, migrants are detained for a variety of reasons, including more ad hoc, informal reasons that are not captured in formal immigration policy. International legislation Although most countries have ratified a range of relevant international conventions that regulate the detention of all persons, including migrants, states in the region frequently act in violation of their international obligations: t 5IF International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR), for example, which is legally binding on all countries that are part of this research except Saudi Arabia, states among other things that “No one shall be subjected to arbitrary arrest or detention”, that “Anyone who is arrested shall be informed, at the time of arrest, of the reasons for his arrest and shall be promptly informed of any charges against him”. Nevertheless, arbitrary arrests are common in all countries and migrants are often not informed (or at least do not understand) the charges against them. t 5IFInternational Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Racial Discrimination (CERD) guarantees the “right of everyone, without distinction as to race, colour, or national or ethnic origin, to equality before the law, in the enjoyment of the right to freedom of movement and residence within the border of the State”. Yet, the country sections provide examples of operations during which large numbers of migrants and urban refugees were detained and certain nationalities were specifically targeted, such as Somalis during operation ‘Usalama Watch’ in Kenya or Sub-Saharan African migrants in Israel. t In most countries, children (under the age of eighteen years), both accompanied and unaccompanied, are detained, sometimes together with other adults, which violates the Convention on the Rights of the Child (CRC). t 5IFSFIBWFCFFOTFWFSBMFYBNQMFTPG refoulement of refugees and asylum seekers, for example of Eritreans and Sudanese by Israeli authorities and Somalis by Saudi authorities, which violates the Convention against Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment (CAT) and the 1951 Refugee Convention. Arbitrary detention The country sections of this report describe how arbitrary detention is common in every country in the region. Especially, but not exclusively, during mass operations as referred to above. On these occasions, authorities did not carry out individual determinations to assess whether detention is reasonable, necessary and proportional, but instead migrants were detained in large groups without individual consideration. Periodic reviews are often not carried out and detained migrants are not always – or only after many days – brought before a judge or into a court. Migrants in Israel can be detained indefinitely, which by definition classifies as arbitrary detention. Details: Nairobi, Kenya: RMMS, 2015. 114p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed December 23, 2016 at: http://www.regionalmms.org/images/ResearchInitiatives/Behind_Bars_the_detention_of_migrants_in_and_from_the_East___Horn_of_Africa_2.pdf Year: 2015 Country: Africa URL: http://www.regionalmms.org/images/ResearchInitiatives/Behind_Bars_the_detention_of_migrants_in_and_from_the_East___Horn_of_Africa_2.pdf Shelf Number: 147786 Keywords: Illegal ImmigrantsImmigrant DetentionMigrants |
Author: El Kamouni-Janssen, Floor Title: 'Only God Can Stop the Smugglers': Understanding smuggling networks in Libya Summary: This report examines human smuggling networks in Libya. The smuggling of human beings is an established fact of today’s political economy in Libya and it is firmly embedded in local subsistence economies. As such there is a dizzying array of actors involved in the business of which some claim to act on behalf of the state. The human smuggling business not only brings them money, it also offers the opportunity to acquire legitimacy and political and territorial power. An understanding of the incentives and objectives of these actors to enage in the human smuggling business not only shows why it is so difficult to root out human smuggling in Libya, but it is also essential in formulating realistic and humane policies to address human smuggling in and through Libya Details: The Hague: Netherlands Institute of International Relations 'Clingendael', 2017. 47p. Source: Internet Resource: CRU Report: Accessed March 3, 2017 at: https://www.clingendael.nl/sites/default/files/only_god_can_stop_the_smugglers.pdf Year: 2017 Country: Libya URL: https://www.clingendael.nl/sites/default/files/only_god_can_stop_the_smugglers.pdf Shelf Number: 141308 Keywords: Criminal NetworksEconomics of CrimeHuman SmugglingMigrants |
Author: Molenaar, Fransje Title: Turning the Tide: The politics of irregular migration in the Sahel and Libya Summary: This online report analyses the relationship between irregular migration and conflict and stability in Mali, Niger and Libya. Studying the human smuggling networks that operate within and across these three countries provides insights into the transnational dynamics of irregular migration as well as these networks' interaction with local, national and regional political and economic dynamics. The report's main finding is that current EU policies are misaligned with the reality of trans-Saharan migration as they do not take into account the diversity of intra-African migration. In addition, human smuggling networks form part of larger political economies and cannot be addressed effectively without taking into account the extent to which state authorities are involved in and/or capable of controlling irregular migration. Failure to take these local realities into account results in ineffcient and ineffective policies at best, and counter-productively strengthens one of the root causes of migration at worst, because it overlooks the intricate links that exist between migration and conflict and stability in the region. This report synthesises the findings of the following background studies: - Irregular migration and human smuggling networks in Mali - Irregular migration and human smuggling networks in Niger - Understanding human smuggling networks in Libya Details: The Hague: The Clingendael Institute, 2017. 80p. Source: Internet Resource: CRU Report: Accessed March 3, 2017 at: https://www.clingendael.nl/sites/default/files/turning_the_tide.pdf Year: 2017 Country: Africa URL: https://www.clingendael.nl/sites/default/files/turning_the_tide.pdf Shelf Number: 141311 Keywords: Criminal NetworksHuman SmugglingIllegal ImmigrationImmigrationMigrants |
Author: Caicedo, David A. Title: Alien, Illegal, Undocumented: Labeling, Context, and Worldview in the Immigration Debate and in the Lives of Undocumented Youth Summary: A key element of investigating attitudes towards unauthorized immigrants in the United States has been political orientation, yet few studies have examined the influence of such orientation on labels relevant to the immigration debate. The current dissertation project examined these attitudes among young adults using survey, focus group, and interview methodologies. Level of agreement on various statements regarding unauthorized immigrants was examined in Study I, definitions given for the labels 'illegal' and 'undocumented' were explored in Study II, and the lived experience of undocumented youth in two community colleges was investigated in Study III. It was hypothesized that: I) attitudes concerning unauthorized immigrants are a function of present social labels, regardless of political orientation; II) social label definitions reflect distinct cognitive processes; and III) the lived experiences of undocumented students reflect the respective social environments of an urban and suburban community college. Participants in Study I were 744 (463 urban/272 suburban) young adults, all who were recruited from "New York Community College" (NYCC, urban) and "New Jersey Community College" (NJCC, suburban); participants in Study II were 14 (8 NYCC, 6 NJCC) young adults; and participants in Study III were 7 (4 NYCC, 3 NJCC) young adults. Participants in Study I were asked to complete an attitude on unauthorized immigrants scale, followed by the General System Justification scale, and finally a self-reported social label exposure measure. Participants in Study II were asked to generate definitions for the labels 'illegal' and 'undocumented'. Participants in Study III were asked about their life experiences as undocumented young adults in either NY or NJ. Contrary to hypothesis I, statistical analysis demonstrated that the priming of social labels did not account for attitudes, but it was rather the participants’ college that reflected divergent attitudes. Moreover, urban college students reported seeing and hearing the term ‘undocumented’ more often from others, while suburban college students reported seeing and hearing the terms 'illegal' and 'alien' more. Values analysis in Study II demonstrated a pattern of dichotomous and legal-centered thinking with the 'illegal' definitions, while situational and circumstantial thinking was present with the 'undocumented' definitions. Values analysis in Study III reflected a pattern of shared and unshared beliefs and principles regarding themselves, others, and the future centered on "growing up undocumented" in NY and NJ. Specifically, regardless of location, students who reported being undocumented held values concerning perseverance and the need to hide their status but also to be understood by others; while depending on location, values either reflected the importance of improving one's family condition, or one’s own personal trajectory. Findings are discussed in the context of the U.S. immigration debate discourse. Implications for understanding how the presence of others and social labels influence sociopolitical attitudes, as well as how social environment directly impacts psychological development in undocumented youth, are considered. Details: New York: City University of New York, 2016. 170p. Source: Internet Resource: Dissertation: Accessed March 20, 2017 at: http://academicworks.cuny.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1794&context=gc_etds Year: 2016 Country: United States URL: http://academicworks.cuny.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1794&context=gc_etds Shelf Number: 144520 Keywords: Illegal AliensIllegal ImmigrantsImmigrationMigrantsUndocumented ImmigrantsUndocumented PersonsUndocumented Youth |
Author: Baldo, Suliman Title: Border Control from Hell: How EU's migration partnership legitimizes Sudan's "militia state" Summary: Large-scale migration to Europe has precipitated a paradigm shift in relations between the European Union (EU) and the government of Sudan, and closer ties between both entities. This new partnership has resulted in the EU disbursing millions of euros to the Sudanese government for technical equipment and training efforts geared toward stopping the flow to Europe of migrants from Sudan and those from Eritrea, Ethiopia, Somalia, and other countries in sub-Saharan Africa who come through Sudan. The EU's action plan will involve building the capacities of Sudan's security and law enforcement agencies, including a paramilitary group known as the Rapid Support Forces (RSF), which has been branded as Sudan's primary "border force." The EU will assist the RSF and other relevant agencies with the construction of two camps with detention facilities for migrants. The EU will also equip these Sudanese border forces with cameras, scanners, and electronic servers for registering refugees. There are legitimate concerns with these plans. Much of the EU-funded training and equipment is dual-use. The equipment that enables identification and registration of migrants will also reinforce the surveillance capabilities of a Sudanese government that has violently suppressed Sudanese citizens for the past 28 years. Sudan's strategy for stopping migrant flows on behalf of Europe involves a ruthless crackdown by the RSF on migrants within Sudan. Dogged by persistent armed uprisings led by opponents protesting chronic inequalities in the distribution of national wealth and political power in its periphery regions, the Sudanese government has always relied on a plethora of militia groups to counter insurgencies. The RSF is one of these militia groups. It evolved from the disparate Janjaweed militias that carried out the genocidal counterinsurgency policy of the Sudanese regime in Darfur that began in 2003. However, in its functions and evolution, the RSF differs significantly from other militia groups employed by the government. The RSF first evolved from a strike force deployed against insurgents in Darfur into a national counterinsurgency force under the operational command of Sudan's National Intelligence and Security Services (NISS) that was tasked with fighting the Sudan People's Liberation Movement/Army-North (SPLM/A-N) in South Kordofan and Blue Nile states. Then, in September 2013, the RSF was deployed against peaceful demonstrators who were protesting the Sudanese government's removal of subsidies on basic commodities. More than 170 people were killed in September 2013, in incidents that unmasked the Sudanese regime's dependence on the militia to quell political dissent and marked a new evolution in the role of the RSF. Starting in 2015 and 2016, and convinced of the RSF's effectiveness as a counterinsurgency force, the regime designated the RSF as Sudan's primary force tasked with patrolling Sudanese borders to interdict migrants' movement. The Sudanese government made this designation within the framework of its partnership with the EU for the control of migration. As such, the RSF is positioned to receive EU funds for reducing the flows of migrants from Sudan to Europe. The Sudanese government enacted a law in January 2017 that integrated the RSF into the Sudan Armed Forces (SAF, national army). The 2017 law (conflictingly) made the RSF autonomous, integrated into the army, and under the command of President Omar al-Bashir. The EU and the EU member states that are most engaged with Sudan in the actual programmatic partnership on migration flows should scrutinize the record and conduct of the RSF as the partnership unfolds. By "building the capacity" of Sudan's newly minted border force with funding and training, the EU would not only be strengthening the hand of the RSF but also could find itself underwriting a complex system of a "militia state" that Sudan has evolved into since the current regime came to power in 1989. In so doing, the EU contradicts and undermines the overriding objectives of its own founding treaty. EU members cannot advance peace, security, and human rights and they cannot stem irregular migration from Sudan and the Horn of Africa by directly funding a government that deploys a militia group that stokes violent conflict, commits atrocities, and creates massive displacement of populations within Sudan. The remainder of this paper synthesizes public information about the RSF's activities and argues how EU support for this group could ultimately worsen irregular migration to Europe, escalate violent conflict within Sudan and the Horn of Africa, and embolden a regime and militia force that acts with impunity and now faces even fewer checks on its criminal behavior. This paper aims to highlight the latest developments from Sudan and examine the record of earlier engagements of the RSF, lest one or all of Sudan's EU partners claim, at a later date, that they were unaware of the perverse incentives at play. Details: Washington, DC: Enough Project, 2016. 27p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed April 10, 2017 at: http://www.enoughproject.org/files/BorderControl_April2017_Enough_Finals.pdf Year: 2016 Country: Europe URL: http://www.enoughproject.org/files/BorderControl_April2017_Enough_Finals.pdf Shelf Number: 144768 Keywords: Border ControlBorder SecurityIllegal ImmigrationMigrantsMigration Enforcement |
Author: Anderson, Jill Title: Bilingual, Bicultural, Not Yet Binational: Undocumented Immigrant Youth in Mexico and the United States Summary: An entire generation of children, adolescents and young adults has been caught in the crucible of increasing criminalization of immigrants coupled with neoliberal globalization policies in Mexico and the United States. These are first- and second-generation immigrant youth who are bicultural, often bilingual, but rarely recognized as binational citizens in either of their countries. In the United States, Mexican immigrants account for an estimated 28 percent of the immigrant population (the largest origin group) and 56 percent among the undocumented immigrant population (Zong and Batalova 2016). Since 2005, an estimated two million Mexicans have returned to Mexico after having lived in the United States, including over 500,000 U.S.-born children (Gonzalez-Barrera 2015, Jacobo and Espinosa 2015). As of 2005, the population of Mexican-origin immigrant youth in the United States (first- and second-generation) reached an estimated 6.9 million. They have come of age in conditions of extreme vulnerability due to their undocumented status or the undocumented status of their parents. As of 2015, about 10 percent of the undocumented bicultural immigrant youth population has significant although precarious legal protections under Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) while a little over 15 percent of Mexican-American immigrant youth now live in conditions of exile from the United States under automatic bans assigned to them or their caretakers post-deportation and return. The majority of undocumented immigrant youth live in the United States within the legal limbo between the two possibilities of "protected status" and "exile," but under the constant threat of the latter. A crisis of terms and a scarcity of accurate, quantitative data about undocumented, mixed-status, and in particular, deported/returning immigrants continue to challenge efforts to articulate and advocate for adequate public policies. We do know that the returning population since 2005 is younger, returns as a part of a family unit, returns under duress, has spent more years in the United States, and is predominately male. The challenges that immigrant youth face in the aftermath of deportation and return are varied. Emotional distress, post-traumatic stress syndrome, depression and alienation are commonly described as key factors during the first months to years of return. These young people have experienced family separation, a sense of alienation, and human rights violations during detention and deportation. Systemic and inter-personal discrimination against deportees and migrants among the non-migrant population in Mexico can make an already challenging situation more difficult. For some, an accent, a lack of language proficiency in Spanish, and/or tattoos make it difficult to "blend in," find jobs, or continue their studies. In addition to emotional and socio-cultural stress, there are also facing systemic educational, employment and political barriers to local integration and stability. The Mexican federal government's response to its returning citizens has exclusively emphasized crisis-management during the initial days of return and has been characterized by an ad hoc response: re-naming old programs as opposed to re-imagining and adapting them to a decidedly new paradigm. This paper gestures towards an alternative. The Mexican government can build on the constructive and successful models of policy design, programming and implementation within the Ministry of Foreign Relations (SRE) and the Institute for Mexicans Abroad (IME) amongst Mexican immigrants in the United States over the last twenty years. By replicating initiatives first taken abroad, the 45 SRE delegation offices across Mexico that are primarily dedicated to passport services might begin to collaborate with returning immigrant families and local institutions to include services that also support integration via legal identity, education, employment, public health, and cultural activities. Just as consulates across the United States have evolved to include and respond to the needs of immigrants and local institutions in the United States, the SRE delegation offices in Mexico can evolve with a focus on return immigrant families in their local and global contexts. Furthermore, the U.S. and Mexican governments must collaborate on a multi-year binational commission of government actors, civil society leaders, academics, and members of transnational mixed-status immigrant families to produce a broad quantitative study of transnational families using differentiated indicators such as age, gender, sexual orientation, ethnicity/race, language(s), self-proscribed identity, immigration status, educational aspirations, and public health. This study must move beyond, although not away from the emphasis on pathways to citizenship for Mexican immigrants in the United States, to focus on family reunification, education, and legal mobility for transnational families in transnational contexts. Bicultural immigrant youth are an integral part of mixed-status transnational families who increasingly have members on both sides of the militarized U.S.-Mexico border. They need public policies that are crafted in terms of the recognition, unification (temporary or permanent) and integration of their families. Furthermore, their integration into the community of their choice must be predicated upon access to education (including higher education), employment, and international mobility as bi-national citizens. By re-framing the debate over immigration as a broader conversation about the constellation of public policy reforms needed to govern transnational movement and citizenship in the twenty-first century, we can better articulate just what is at stake in a major historical shift that has only begun. Details: Washington, DC: Wilson Center, Mexico Institute, 2016. 47p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed May 8, 2017 at: https://www.wilsoncenter.org/sites/default/files/bilingual_bicultural_not_yet_binational_undocumented_immigrant_youth_in_mexico_and_the_united_states.pdf Year: 2016 Country: Mexico URL: https://www.wilsoncenter.org/sites/default/files/bilingual_bicultural_not_yet_binational_undocumented_immigrant_youth_in_mexico_and_the_united_states.pdf Shelf Number: 145354 Keywords: Criminalization of ImmigrantsImmigrant YouthImmigrantsImmigrationMigrantsUndocumented Immigrants |
Author: Jesuit Refugee Service Europe Title: From Deprivation to Liberty: Alternatives to detention in Belgium, Germany and the United Kingdom Summary: The negative effects of detention upon various categories of migrants - asylum seekers, the undocumented, families, minors - has been observed and well documented by medical researchers, non-governmental organisations and even policymakers and politicians. Our 2010 study found that detention systematically deteriorates the physical and mental condition of nearly everyone who experiences it. Symptoms related to depression, anxiety and post-traumatic stress disorder are common. Prolonged detention deepens the severity of these symptoms, but they are already noticeable in the first weeks of detainment. The financial cost of detention, together with the severe damage it inflicts on migrants, begs a fundamental question: is detention truly worth implementing, considering all of its associated harms? Better yet is the question: are there not more cost-effective and humane ways for states to manage migration flows into their territories? The purpose of this study is to examine alternatives to detention in Belgium, Germany and the United Kingdom through the perspective of those who most closely experience it: migrants themselves. A good deal of research has been done on alternatives from an institutional perspective, namely that of NGOs and governments. The absence of migrant voices in these studies has had less to do with their purposeful exclusion than it has had with the difficult of finding target samples. Far too few European Union member states implement alternatives; for those who do, migrants may be understandably reluctant to speak to researchers given their vulnerable situation. And compared with interviewing migrants in closed detention facilities, it is harder to interview migrants participating in alternatives because they are usually dispersed in communities. Among the reasons we chose to conduct research in Belgium, Germany and the UK is because each has distinct and identifiable alternatives to detention. Belgium operates lieux d'hebergement for undocumented families who have been living in the country, for families who apply for asylum at the border and for families in Dublin Regulation procedures. Families are accommodated in government-designated private housing, and are attached to a case manager. Few restrictions are imposed on families, and they are provided with a range of social services, including food vouchers. We interviewed six families staying in three of the four towns where the houses are located Details: Brussels: Jesuit Refugee Service Europe, 2011. 56p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed August 22, 2017 at: http://lastradainternational.org/lsidocs/from%20deprivation%20to%20liberty.pdf Year: 2011 Country: Europe URL: http://lastradainternational.org/lsidocs/from%20deprivation%20to%20liberty.pdf Shelf Number: 131734 Keywords: Alternatives to IncarcerationsAsylum SeekersImmigrant DetentionMigrantsPrisons |
Author: Dorling, Kamena Title: Growing Up In a Hostile Environment: The rights of undocumented migrant children in the UK Summary: Public concern about immigration is currently at the highest level seen for a number of years. In May 2013, one poll found that 57% of those surveyed ranked 'immigration' among the top three most important issues currently facing Britain, a rise of 11% compared to when the question was asked 12 months previously. In another poll, conducted in December 2012, 80% showed support for the current policy to reduce net migration and 67% perceived immigration as 'having been a bad thing' for Britain. Even allowing for the uncertainties inherent in measuring public opinion, the evidence available clearly shows high levels of opposition to immigration in the UK, with the widely held belief that there are too many migrants in the UK, that fewer migrants should be let in, and that legal restrictions on immigration should be tighter. A number of concerns stem from the perception that migrants claim benefits or use public services without having contributed in return, and are adding pressure on schools and hospitals. Past and current government policy has reacted to this public concern in a number of ways, and a large amount of legislation has been passed in the area of immigration and asylum law over the past two decades. The current government is committed to reducing net migration to 'tens of thousands', having introduced stricter border controls and tighter criteria for permitting non-European Economic Area (EEA) migrants to enter and remain in the UK. In particular, current policy is focussed on 'illegal immigration', where individuals enter or are living in the UK unlawfully (this group are referred to in this report as 'undocumented migrants'). Details: Colchester, UK: Children's Legal Centre, 2013. 64p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed August 25, 2017 at: http://www.childrenslegalcentre.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/11/Hostile_Environment_Full_Report_Final.pdf Year: 2013 Country: United Kingdom URL: http://www.childrenslegalcentre.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/11/Hostile_Environment_Full_Report_Final.pdf Shelf Number: 131674 Keywords: Children of MigrantsIllegal ImmigrantsImmigrationMigrantsUndocumented Migrant ChildrenUndocumented Migrants |
Author: Isacson, Adam Title: Mexico's Southern Border: Security, Central American Migration, and U.S. Policy Summary: It has been nearly three years since the Mexican government announced its Southern Border Program, which dramatically increased security operations and apprehensions of northbound migrants. This report-based on field research in the area surrounding Tenosique, Tabasco along Mexico's border with Guatemala-examines migration flows, enforcement, and insecurity in southern Mexico. - THERE HAS BEEN A SHARP INCREASE IN THE NUMBER OF MIGRANTS AND ASYLUM SEEKERS WHO INTEND TO STAY IN MEXICO, RATHER THAN TRAVEL TO THE UNITED STATES. Many are seeking asylum or other forms of immigration status. Between 2014 and 2016, there was a 311 percent increase in asylum requests in Mexico. In the first three months of 2017, Mexico had received more asylum applications than all of 2015. The UN Refugee Agency estimates that Mexico will receive up to 20,000 asylum requests in 2017. - DECREASED MIGRATION FLOWS THROUGH MEXICO AND AT THE U.S. SOUTHWEST BORDER DURING THE MONTHS FOLLOWING PRESIDENT TRUMP'S INAUGURATION ARE NOT SUSTAINABLE. News of the Trump administration's hard line appears to have caused a wave of Central American migration before January 20, and a sharp drop afterward. However, until there are improvements in the violence and adverse conditions from which Central Americans are fleeing, people will continue to migrate en masse. By May 2017, apprehension levels at the U.S-Mexico border had begun to tiptoe back up, with a 31 percent increase in total apprehensions compared to April, and a 50 percent increase in apprehensions of unaccompanied minors. - ALTHOUGH MEXICO REGISTERED LOWER APPREHENSION LEVELS IN THE FIRST FOUR MONTHS OF 2017 COMPARED TO PREVIOUS YEARS, MIGRATION ENFORCEMENT UNDER MEXICO'S SOUTHERN BORDER PROGRAM REMAINS HIGH. Total migrant apprehensions increased by a staggering 85 percent during the Southern Border Program's first two years of operation (July 2014 to June 2016) compared to pre-Program levels. Limited government resources, migrants' and smugglers' ability to adjust to new security patterns, corruption among authorities, and an overall drop in migration from Central America since President Trump took office have all likely contributed to the leveling off of apprehensions seen in Mexico in recent months. - CRIMES AND ABUSES AGAINST MIGRANTS TRAVELING THROUGH MEXICO CONTINUE TO OCCUR AT ALARMING RATES, AND SHELTERS HAVE NOTED A MORE INTENSE DEGREE OF VIOLENCE IN THE CASES THEY DOCUMENT. While Mexico's major organized criminal groups do not operate heavily in the Tenosique corridor, smaller criminal bands and Central American gang affiliates routinely rob, kidnap, and sexually assault migrants along this portion of the migration route. Migrant rights organizations in southern Mexico documented an increase in cases of migration and police authorities' abuse of migrants as a result of the Southern Border Program, including recent accounts of migration agents, who are supposed to be unarmed, using pellet guns and electrical shock devices. - THERE HAVE BEEN FEWER U.S. ASSISTANCE DELIVERIES TO MEXICO FOR THE SOUTHERN BORDER PROGRAM THAN ORIGINALLY EXPECTED, BUT BIOMETRIC AND COMMUNICATIONS PROGRAMS CONTINUE APACE. The U.S. State and Defense Departments are currently implementing a US$88 million dollar program to increase Mexican immigration authorities' capacity to collect biometric data and share information about who is crossing through Mexico with the U.S. Department of Homeland Security. The U.S. State and Defense Departments are also funding a US$75 million project to improve secure communications between Mexican agencies in the country's southern border zone. This program has erected 12 communications towers so far, all of them on Mexican naval posts. - THE MIGRATION ROUTE INTO MEXICO THROUGH TENOSIQUE, TABASCO HAS SEEN A SHARP INCREASE IN CHILDREN AND FAMILIES FLEEING VIOLENCE IN THE NORTHERN TRIANGLE REGION. Between 2014 and 2016, the number of children (both accompanied and unaccompanied) apprehended in the state of Tabasco increased by 60 percent. The majority of migrants traveling through this area of the border are from Honduras. Details: Washington, DC: Washington Office on Latin America, 2017. 28p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed September 9, 2017 at: https://www.justice.gov/eoir/page/file/980081/download Year: 2017 Country: Central America URL: https://www.justice.gov/eoir/page/file/980081/download Shelf Number: 147169 Keywords: Asylum SeekersBorder SecurityHuman SmugglingIllegal ImmigrantsImmigration EnforcementMigrantsUnaccompanied Minors |
Author: Burgi-Palomino, Daniella Title: "Does My Story Matter?" Seeking Asylum at Mexico's Southern Border Summary: Mexico closed 2016 with a record total of 8,788 asylum applications, more than double compared to 2015. Over 90 percent of these were from Central America, which reflects the flow of families and children from the Northern Triangle countries of Guatemala, Honduras, and El Salvador seeking protection not only in the United States but also across the region. This year, asylum applications continue to grow. According to preliminary government figures, between January and March 2017 Mexico received 3,543 asylum applications, more than it did in all of 2015. In the United States, apprehensions of individuals and families at the U.S.-Mexico border have dropped in the first few months of 2017 compared to figures for the same period in 2016. However, the conditions in Central America driving this migration remain largely unchanged - the high levels of gang violence, corruption, and impunity remain some of the worst in the world. According to one study, in both 2015 and 2016 El Salvador was the world's most violent country, and its capital, San Salvador, was the most murderous city. The three Northern Triangle countries had a combined total of 14,870 homicides in 2016 and individually were still well above the minimum of 10 homicides per 100,000 inhabitants identified by the United Nations to constitute an epidemic of violence - with El Salvador at 81 murders, Honduras at 58, and Guatemala at 27 per every 100,000 inhabitants. NGO reports from early 2017 demonstrate sustained generalized violence perpetrated by gangs and security forces resulting in forced displacement, extortion, sexual and gender-based violence, severe limitations on access to education for children, and internal displacement due to the construction of megaprojects. Latin America Working Group Education Fund (LAWGEF) staff traveled to Tenosique and Tapachula in southern Mexico during the second half of 2016 in order to understand the dynamics of Central American asylum-seeking families and children crossing Mexico's southern border, the degree to which they had access to protections, and how they were impacted by migration enforcement operations. We concluded that, three years after the implementation of Mexico's Southern Border Plan, harsh migration enforcement tactics continue to violate the rights of not only migrants but also of Mexican border communities. We found that the routes inland from the border near Tenosique and Tapachula remain full of danger for migrants and asylum seekers. Violence is perpetuated by organized crime, smaller criminal groups, and often in collusion with Mexican migration enforcement agents and local police. Access to asylum in Mexico is still the exception rather than the rule. The process remains difficult and frustrating. Obtaining international protection in Mexico is largely dependent on access to legal counsel, case accompaniment, and proximity to Mexico's Commission for Refugee Assistance (Comision Mexicana de Ayuda a Refugiados, COMAR) offices to complete the process. Mexico's National Migration Institute (Instituto Nacional de Migracion, INM) often discourages migrants from applying for asylum as opposed to effectively screening individuals and channeling them to COMAR. Far too few children have a chance to access asylum in Mexico and are not channeled to COMAR from Mexico's National System for Integral Development of the Family (Sistema Nacional para el Desarrollo Integral de la Familia, DIF) or INM facilities. We confirmed that efforts to house asylum seekers outside of detention facilities, or alternatives to detention initiatives, are being implemented on an ad-hoc basis and are far from fully institutionalized across the country. At the same time, this report confirms a growing interest among asylum seekers in staying in Mexico, if they have access to services and jobs. We found that even after receiving asylum, refugees have limited opportunities to lead a normal life along Mexico's southern border because of a lack of opportunities and safety concerns. Despite all of these challenges, it is important to note that Mexico has taken some steps forward to strengthen its asylum system and address abuses against migrants since our trip. However, it is a mixed bag. While there has been progress, there have also been some steps backwards. These problems demonstrate that Mexico's asylum system must still be strengthened by increasing COMAR's resources to expand staffing and coverage across Mexico, expanding alternatives to detention programs for asylum seekers, and ensuring adequate screening and identification of all those in need of protection, including unaccompanied migrant children. U.S. support for improving Mexico's asylum system should be an integral part of its cooperation with Mexico. Details: Washington, DC: Latin America Working Group, 2017. 36p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed November 15, 2017 at: http://lawg.org/storage/documents/LAWGEF_MX_Asylum_Report_July_2017.pdf Year: 2017 Country: Mexico URL: http://lawg.org/storage/documents/LAWGEF_MX_Asylum_Report_July_2017.pdf Shelf Number: 148185 Keywords: Asylum SeekersMigrantsMigration Enforcement |
Author: Laczko, Frank Title: Fatal Journeys. Volume 3 PART 2: Improving Data on Missing Migrants Summary: This is the third in the International Organization for Migration's (IOM) series of global reports documenting the number of lives lost during migration. The publication of this report is particularly timely, as the 192 UN Member States prepare to discuss the adoption of a global compact for safe, orderly and regular migration. A key indicator of unsafe migration is the number of migrants who perish each year during their journeys. Sadly, there seem to be few signs that this number is decreasing. Since the beginning of 2014, IOM has recorded the deaths and disappearances of nearly 25,000 migrants. IOM has also calculated that at least 60,000 migrants have died since the year 2000. The Mediterranean crossing, which has claimed the lives of 15,000 migrants since it first made headlines in October 2013, is just one example of the many migration routes that see numerous fatalities each year. However, the true number of migrant fatalities is unknown, as not all deaths and disappearances are reported. In many remote regions of the world, bodies may never be found, and many migrants may never be identified. Each nameless death represents a family missing a loved one. In addition to providing a global analysis of trends, this year's report focuses on how to improve the data on missing migrants. Although data collection has improved over the last three years, there are many gaps in our knowledge about missing migrants. Basic information such as the sex or the age of the migrant who is reported dead or missing is often lacking. The number of bodies that are retrieved and identified still remains very low. There are many potential sources of data and approaches that could be taken to improve data on missing migrants. The challenge is not simply a lack of data, but the unwillingness of some authorities to collect them, as well as deficiencies in resources and know-how. Details: Geneva, SWIT: International Organization for Migration, 2017. 146p. Source: Internet Resource: accessed December 5, 2017 at: https://publications.iom.int/system/files/pdf/fatal_journeys_3_part2.pdf Year: 2017 Country: International URL: https://publications.iom.int/system/files/pdf/fatal_journeys_3_part2.pdf Shelf Number: 148699 Keywords: ImmigrationMigrant DeathsMigrants |
Author: Navarro, Karla Estrada Title: Protect the Children! Boys and girls migrating unaccompanied from El Salvador, Guatemala and Honduras, 2014-August 2017 Summary: The focus of the research is on unaccompanied children in the Americas moving within and from the "Northern Triangle" of El Salvador, Guatemala and Honduras, through Mexico to rejoin family members in the US. The report also describes the two programmes that ICMC has been supporting on the ground with its members and partners in Honduras and Mexico. The researcher-writer of the publication was ICMC former Research Associate Karla Estrada Navarro. According to UNICEF (link is external) in 2016, "around the world, nearly 50 million children have migrated across borders or been forcibly displaced" - and this is only a rough estimate. With this study, ICMC is responding to the call of Pope Francis "to work towards protection, integration and long-term solutions related to migrant children and adolescents"-to be an agent of change in the issue of unaccompanied child migration in the Central American region, with recommendations addressing drivers and effects of displacement of migrant children. Details: Geneva, SWIT: International Catholic Migration Commission, 2018. 50p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed February 6, 2018 at: https://www.icmc.net/sites/default/files/documents/protect-the-children-latin-america-research-publication.pdf Year: 2017 Country: Latin America URL: https://www.icmc.net/sites/default/files/documents/protect-the-children-latin-america-research-publication.pdf Shelf Number: 148993 Keywords: Child Immigrants Child Protection Immigration MigrantsUnaccompanied Children |
Author: Human Rights Watch Title: Hidden Chains: Rights Abuses and Forced Labor in Thailand's Fishing Industry Summary: Starting in 2014, widespread investigative reporting on the Thai fishing industry revealed systematic trafficking of migrant fishers, primarily from Burma and Cambodia, into conditions of shocking brutality. International condemnation followed, prompting the Thai government to enact reforms. Yet several years on, the government's highly publicized efforts have not curtailed forced labor or other abuses that migrant workers face at the hands of boat owners, skippers, and brokers. Hidden Chains documents the failed regulatory response and ongoing practices that leave migrant fishers highly vulnerable to abuse. Based on interviews with 248 current and former fishers-including at least 95 victims of trafficking-and industry and government officials, the report details the weak implementation of recent government initiatives that has perpetuated a culture of abuse and impunity. New inspection systems and registration processes have enabled the concealment of exploitation and rights violations behind a veneer of compliance. Fishers continue to be trapped in desperate situations without access to protection or remedy. Human RightsWatch calls on the Thai government to enact stand-alone legislation to prohibit all forms of forced labor, which should ensure protections forvictims and accountability for perpetrators of abuse. The government should amend laws and regulations to protect migrants' labor rights, including permitting migrant workers to establish unions. Governments, including European Union member states and the United States, should maintain pressure on Thailand to make substantive progress toward eliminating forced labor. Details: New York: HRW, 2018. 148p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed February 7, 2018 at: https://www.hrw.org/sites/default/files/report_pdf/thailand0118_report_web.pdf Year: 2018 Country: Thailand URL: https://www.hrw.org/sites/default/files/report_pdf/thailand0118_report_web.pdf Shelf Number: 149017 Keywords: Fishing Industry Forced Labor Human Rights Abuses Human Trafficking Migrants |
Author: Lott, John R., Jr. Title: Undocumented Immigrants, U.S. Citizens, and Convicted Criminals in Arizona Summary: Using newly released detailed data on all prisoners who entered the Arizona state prison from January 1985 through June 2017, we are able to separate non-U.S. citizens by whether they are illegal or legal residents. This data do not rely on self-reporting by criminals. Undocumented immigrants are at least 142% more likely to be convicted of a crime than other Arizonans. They also tend to commit more serious crimes and serve 10.5% longer sentences, more likely to be classified as dangerous, and 45% more likely to be gang members than U.S. citizens. Yet, there are several reasons that these numbers are likely to underestimate the share of crime committed by undocumented immigrants. There are dramatic differences between in the criminal histories of convicts who are U.S. citizens and undocumented immigrants. Young convicts are especially likely to be undocumented immigrants. While undocumented immigrants from 15 to 35 years of age make up slightly over 2 percent of the Arizona population, they make up almost 8% of the prison population. Even after adjusting for the fact that young people commit crime at higher rates, young undocumented immigrants commit crime at twice the rate of young U.S. citizens. These undocumented immigrants also tend to commit more serious crimes. If undocumented immigrants committed crime nationally as they do in Arizona, in 2016 they would have been responsible for over 1,000 more murders, 5,200 rapes, 8,900 robberies, 25,300 aggravated assaults, and 26,900 burglaries. Details: Crime Prevention Research Center, 2018. 52p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed February 8, 2018 at: https://papers.ssrn.com/sol3/papers.cfm?abstract_id=3099992 Year: 2018 Country: United States URL: https://papers.ssrn.com/sol3/papers.cfm?abstract_id=3099992 Shelf Number: 149028 Keywords: Illegal ImmigrantsImmigrants and CrimeImmigrationMigrantsUndocumented Immigrants |
Author: Tinti, Peter Title: Migrant smuggling: Paths from the Horn of Africa to Yemen and Saudi Arabia Summary: This report examines the smuggling networks facilitating irregular migration from the Horn of Africa to countries in the Arabian Peninsula, also referred to as the Gulf. In addition to analysing the structure and modus operandi of migrant smuggling networks, the author considers the extent to which these networks are involved in other forms of organised criminal activity, such as arms and narcotics trafficking. The report concludes with recommendations for policymakers and stakeholders operating in the Horn of Africa and Yemen. Details: Pretoria: Institute for Security Studies, 2017. 24p. Source: Internet Resource: Africa in the World Report 7: Accessed February 22, 2018 at: https://issafrica.s3.amazonaws.com/site/uploads/aitwr-7.pdf Year: 2017 Country: Africa URL: https://issafrica.s3.amazonaws.com/site/uploads/aitwr-7.pdf Shelf Number: 149218 Keywords: Human Smuggling Illegal Immigrants Migrant Smuggling Migrants |
Author: Provera, Mark Title: The Criminalisation of Irregular Migration in the European Union Summary: This paper offers an academic examination of the legal regimes surrounding the criminalisation of irregular migrants in the EU and of acts of solidarity with irregular migrants, such as assisting irregular migrants to enter or remain in the EU, and other behaviour that is motivated by humanitarian instincts. The research analyses EU law and its relationship with national provisions regarding the criminalisation of irregular migration and of acts of solidarity vis-a-vis irregular migrants. A comparative analysis was made of the laws of the UK, France and Italy, supplemented by an analysis of the laws of Germany, the Netherlands and Spain. By considering the role of public trust in fostering compliance with the law, the paper explores the impact of criminalisation measures on institutions' authority to compel individuals to comply with the law (institutional legitimacy). The study finds that certain indicators question institutional legitimacy and reveals the varied nature and extent of penalties imposed by different member states. The paper concludes that there is an important role for public trust in immigration law compliance, not just in measures directed towards irregular migrants but also towards those acting in solidarity with irregular migrants. Details: Brussels: Centre for European Policy Studies, 2015. 53p. Source: Internet Resource: CEPS Paper in Liberty and Security in Europe, no. 80: Accessed March 15, 2018 at: https://www.ceps.eu/system/files/Criminalisation%20of%20Irregular%20Migration.pdf Year: 2015 Country: Europe URL: https://www.ceps.eu/system/files/Criminalisation%20of%20Irregular%20Migration.pdf Shelf Number: 149478 Keywords: Illegal ImmigrantsImmigrant DetentionImmigrantsImmigration EnforcementImmigration PolicyMigrants |
Author: Human Rights Watch Title: In the Freezer: Abusive Conditions for Women and Children in US Immigration Holding Cells Summary: Migrant women and children detained along the US border with Mexico usually spend one to three nights, and sometimes longer, in frigid holding cells, sleeping on floors or concrete benches before immigration authorities transfer them to other detention facilities. These holding cells are so notorious for their uncomfortably low temperatures that migrants and border agents alike refer to them as hieleras ("freezers"). Women and children are usually not allowed to shower and often have no access to soap, meaning that they are not able to wash their hands with soap before and after eating or feeding infants, after using the toilet, and after changing diapers. Families are often separated while in immigration holding cells, a practice that harms women and children's mental well-being and may complicate their efforts to seek asylum. All immigration detainees have the right to be treated with dignity and humanity, and children, unaccompanied or with family members, are entitled to additional safeguards. Conditions in immigration holding cells do not meet these standards, and the shortcomings identified in this report in many respects match those that US courts have found to violate immigration authorities' obligations. To address these serious concerns, immigration holding cells should be used for very short periods of confinement only. Detention overnight in holding cells should be employed only when it is unavoidable, and never for children. Those who are held overnight should receive sleeping mats, blankets, hygiene materials, and access to showers. Temperatures in holding cells should be set at reasonable and comfortable levels. US immigration authorities should also avoid splitting up families. Instead, authorities should identify and implement alternatives to detention that keep families together. Details: New York; HRW, 2018. 50p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed March 16, 2018 at: https://www.hrw.org/sites/default/files/report_pdf/uscrd0218_web.pdf Year: 2018 Country: United States URL: https://www.hrw.org/sites/default/files/report_pdf/uscrd0218_web.pdf Shelf Number: 149484 Keywords: Human Rights AbusesIllegal ImmigrantsImmigrant DetentionImmigration PolicyMigrantsViolence Against Women, Children |
Author: GRETA (Group of Experts on Action Against Trafficking in Human Beings Title: 7th General Report on GRETA's Activities Covering the period from 1 January 20 31 December 2017 Summary: I am pleased to introduce the Seventh General Report on GRETA's activities and to highlight the on-going work of the Council of Europe in combating trafficking in human beings and vindicating the rights of victims of trafficking. The human rights-based approach to combating human trafficking is critical to all aspects of GRETA's work, recognising as it does that trafficking in human beings is a serious human rights violation, one that, as the European Court of Human Rights has repeatedly noted, treats human beings as commodities to be bought and sold. This General Report covers the activities of GRETA from 1 January to 31 December 2017. The year 2017 marked further progress in the application of the Convention across Europe, with the ratification by the Czech Republic on 29 March 2017. All member States of the Council of Europe, with the exception of the Russian Federation, have now ratified the Convention, and Belarus is also a State Party. While the expansion in ratifications of the Convention is significant to ensure greater reach in our work, more effective implementation by States Parties of the Convention standards remains critical. Against a backdrop of millions of people forcibly displaced worldwide, and hundreds of thousands of people on the move in Europe, the risks of exploitation are great. Of particular concern are the risks faced by victims of trafficking on arrival in Europe, with many barriers in place to accessing protection and heightened risks of re-trafficking within Europe. The gender dimension of human trafficking, and gender inequality as both a cause and a driver of exploitation, is central to many of GRETA's country reports. The risks faced by children and young people remain of particular concern, as weaknesses in child protection systems in many countries lead to failings in ensuring timely responses to the rights and needs of migrant and asylum-seeking children at risk. Strengthening the impact of GRETA's work in combating human trafficking is critical and the report highlights examples of where implementation of Convention standards is securing incremental change. Legislative changes continue, as well as policy and practical measures to improve early identification of child victims, steps to provide assistance to male victims of trafficking, and more proactive approaches to ensure access to compensation and legal redress. In this Seventh General Report, GRETA highlights the particular challenges of trafficking for the purpose of labour exploitation. Labour exploitation was chosen as one of the thematic focuses of the second evaluation round of the Convention because of GRETA's concern that Convention obligations were not being met, and that many victims of labour trafficking were not being identified as such nor granted access to assistance and protection. 2017 saw the adoption of the landmark judgment of the European Court of Human Rights in Chowdury and Others v Greece, in which the Convention and its Explanatory Report, together with GRETA's reports on Italy and Spain, were widely cited. The judgment is an important contribution to European human rights law in recognising the complex and subtle forms of coercion that underpin trafficking for the purpose of labour exploitation. The judgment is significant given GRETA's findings that many domestic courts fail to fully understand the gravity of labour exploitation or the nexus with human trafficking. As of the end of 2017, GRETA had adopted 42 country reports under the first evaluation round and 25 country reports under the second evaluation round. These reports highlight that in many States Parties, trafficking for the purpose of sexual exploitation is the predominant form of human trafficking identified. There is, however, an increase in the number of identified victims of trafficking for the purpose of labour exploitation, and in several countries, labour trafficking has emerged as the predominant form of trafficking. While there are considerable variations in the number and proportion of labour trafficking victims among countries, all countries indicate an upward trend of labour exploitation. hese trends are of great concern to GRETA and highlight the urgent need for closer co-operation between States, civil society, trade unions and the private sector. GRETA has repeatedly stressed the need for comprehensive legislation on trafficking for the purpose of labour exploitation, including recognition of the irrelevance of the victim's consent to the intended exploitation, and the need for heightened attention to the abuse of a position of vulnerability. Trafficking for the purpose of labour exploitation occurs in the formal and informal economies, with migrant workers particularly at risk. Men constitute most of the identified victims of labour trafficking, in sectors as diverse as agriculture, construction, hospitality and fisheries. Women are also victims of trafficking for labour exploitation, often in the more isolated setting of domestic and care work. The possibility of trafficking occurring in diplomatic households is now well recognised, and GRETA's country reports highlight examples of good practice in prevention of such exploitation and in overcoming the barriers presented by state and diplomatic immunity claims. Poverty and discrimination on grounds of 'race' or ethnicity, as well as migration status, continue to contribute to the risks faced by minority communities, including risks of labour exploitation. The increasing precariousness of work, and the risks encountered by seasonal and migrant workers in particular, are documented in several of GRETA's country reports. The fisheries industry is recognised as posing particular challenges to the resourcing and functioning of inspectorates and other oversight bodies. GRETA's reports highlight steps being taken to strengthen preventive measures, yet the limited oversight of agricultural and other sectors contributes to difficulties in outreach to those often most at risk of exploitation. Limited resources for labour inspectorates, restrictions on collective bargaining and restricted access to channels for legal migration all contribute to labour trafficking. Access to information and to legal assistance remains a challenge for many victims of trafficking for the purpose of labour exploitation, and GRETA highlights the importance of ensuring that victims are not criminalised, and can secure access to compensation and effective legal redress. The move towards greater transparency in supply chains, with significant legislative developments as well as policy initiatives, is highlighted as a potentially useful tool to combat human trafficking. In 2017, GRETA again invoked its urgent procedure mechanism, undertaking a short country visit to Hungary, in response to concerns raised in relation to the identification and access to assistance and protection of victims of trafficking. The use of the urgent procedure ensures a more timely response to potentially serious violations of human rights. Combined with the one-year follow-up reporting by States Parties now adopted, GRETA's monitoring work is developing to be more responsive, timely and effective. Complementing GRETA's monitoring work is the continued expansion of the Council GRETA's recommendations. GRETA is also working with other Council of Europe bodies to strengthen the impact of its work, including with MONEYVAL to highlight the importance of financial investigations in disrupting trafficking networks, as well as with other international organisations and civil society to assist in the identification of victims of trafficking among asylum seekers and migrants. 2017 came to an end with images of human trafficking in Libya and concerns at labour exploitation of many migrants travelling en route to Europe. This highlights the urgent need for strengthened co-operation between states and prevention measures to combat exploitation and abuse. Details: Strasbourg, France: Council of Europe, 2018. 81p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed April 9, 2018 at: https://rm.coe.int/greta-2018-1-7gr-en/16807af20e Year: 2018 Country: Europe URL: https://rm.coe.int/greta-2018-1-7gr-en/16807af20e Shelf Number: 149745 Keywords: Asylum SeekersForced LaborHuman TraffickingLabor ExploitationLabor TraffickingMigrantsSexual ExploitationTrafficking for Labor |
Author: Bruni, Vittorio Title: Study on Migration Routes in West and Central Africa Summary: This report provides an overview of the complex migration trends in West and Central Africa. Based on a desk review of the existing literature and data, the report presents the main drivers and trends of migration in the region, the main routes migrants take to move from the region to get to Europe, migrant vulnerabilities, and the policy and programme responses to migration (multilateral and inter-regional frameworks, regional organizations, and bilateral agreements). The migration contexts of thirteen countries in West and Central Africa are examined: Burkina Faso, the Central African Republic, Chad, Gambia, Ghana, Guinea, Cote d'Ivoire, Mali, Mauritania, Nigeria, Nigeria, Senegal, and Sierra Leone. These countries are, to different extents, all origin, transit, and/or destination countries of migrants. In West and Central Africa, asylum seekers, refugees, and economic migrants move within the region and beyond it, motivated by different and often overlapping factors, including conflicts, political and socio-economic conditions, and environmental causes. Economic migrants, refugees, and asylum seekers, tend to use similar migration routes and modes of travel. Among the group of migrants originating from the focus countries there are also irregular migrants and victims of human trafficking. For most "irregular" West-African migrants, migration is "regular" in the sense that movements of citizens of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) are prescribed by the freedom of movement protocols of ECOWAS. However, while citizens in this region have the right to free movement, they often lack the correct or recognised documents for movement, making them "irregular" migrants in the region. Even with the ECOWAS free movement protocol in place, there are many barriers to regular migration for prospective migrants, including administrative and bureaucratic challenges and a lack of governmental ability to implement ECOWAS legislations. Corruption is also a major impediment to regular migration, as paying bribes to border patrols is, in many countries, an institutionalised norm. Bribes are often required even when migrants are in possession of proper documentation. Most migrants in the West and Central African region move within the region, and they largely do so by travelling by highways in private cars or buses. Contrary to popular belief, the minority of people that migrate from the region seek to reach Europe. Among those migrants that seek to reach Europe, most rely for the last part of their journey on smugglers that will bring them from some northern Nigerien or Malian cities to either Algeria or, more commonly, Libya. Generally, the complex nature of migration in the region makes it a challenge to identify different types of migrants and their specific vulnerabilities and needs. For these reasons, the flows of migration in the region are often referred to as mixed or complex migration. Details: Maastricht, Netherlands: Maastricht Graduate School of Governance, 2017. 170p. Source: Internet Resource: accessed April 27, 2018 at: https://www.merit.unu.edu/publications/uploads/1518182884.pdf Year: 2017 Country: Africa URL: https://www.merit.unu.edu/publications/uploads/1518182884.pdf Shelf Number: 149927 Keywords: Asylum SeekersBorder SecurityHuman TraffickingImmigrantsImmigration PolicyMigrantsRefugees |
Author: Marchand, Katrin Title: Study on Migration Routes in the East and Horn of Africa Summary: This report provides an overview of the complex mixed migration trends in the East and Horn of Africa. Based on a desk review of the existing literature and data on the main drivers and trends of migration in the region, the main routes, migrant vulnerabilities and needs as well as policy and programme responses to migration are presented. Specifically, the mixed migration context of eight countries in the East and Horn of Africa is examined: Djibouti, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Kenya, Somalia, South Sudan, Sudan and Uganda. These countries are, to different extents, all origin, transit and/ or destination countries of migrants. In the East and Horn of Africa, asylum seekers, refugees and economic migrants move within the region as well as beyond for a variety of different factors, including conflicts, political and socio-economic conditions as well as environmental causes in their respective countries of origin. These migrants often use the same migration routes and modes of travel, including smugglers. In addition, victims of trafficking may also be among these migrants. Overall, this mixed nature of migration in the region makes it a challenge to identify different types of migrants and their specific vulnerabilities and needs. Drivers of Migration The factors that lead people to make the decision to migrate through both regular and irregular channels are often called the drivers of migration. This includes both voluntary and forced movements as well as temporary and permanent ones. The countries in the East and Horn of Africa share many characteristics, but differ in others. It can be said that the region as a whole faces challenges associated with low human and economic development. In addition, violent conflicts, political oppression and persecution are or have been main migration drivers in Ethiopia, Somalia, South Sudan and Sudan. In the case of Eritrea the obligatory national service requirements present another significant driver of migration. Environmental factors are also increasingly affecting countries in the region and impact peoples' livelihoods and migration decisions. Migration from Uganda and Kenya is mainly driven by economic factors. Often it is a mix of different factors that lead to the decision to migrate. It is important to keep in mind that even though the eight focus countries share some common drivers of migration the specific country context matters. Details: Maastricht, Netherlands: Maastricht Graduate School of Governance, 2017. 114p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed April 27, 2018 at: https://www.merit.unu.edu/publications/uploads/1517475164.pdf Year: 2017 Country: Africa URL: https://www.merit.unu.edu/publications/uploads/1517475164.pdf Shelf Number: 149929 Keywords: Asylum Seekers Border Security Human TraffickingImmigrants Immigration Policy Migrants Refugees |
Author: Chung, Donna Title: Young Women from African Backgrounds and Sexual Violence Summary: Service providers have recently reported increasing numbers of young African women accessing unplanned pregnancy and relationship services, with related concerns about domestic violence. This research explores how young women, aged 18 to 25 years, from African refugee and migrant backgrounds understand and experience sexual coercion and violence, and how service providers respond to their needs. The study drew on an online survey of service providers, individual and group interviews with young women from African backgrounds, and focus groups with service providers. The researchers faced challenges due to the sensitive nature of the topic of sexual violence and the silence that surrounds it, but achieved interviews and focus groups involved 21 young women. They found no agreement among the young women about what constitutes sexual violence, which was mostly defined in terms of stranger rape. Concerns about community judgement and exclusion, arising from stigma associated with sexual violence and the myths, beliefs and attitudes surrounding it created barriers for young women from African backgrounds speaking about men's sexualised behaviour. These barriers were compounded by other barriers such as language, transport, caring responsibilities, work/study commitments and other settlement issues. Service providers' input to the study highlighted the need for future service efforts being directed towards education and awareness raising, using culturally appropriate methods and sites. There is a need for increased cultural sensitivity and responsiveness of organisational and worker practices to improve their capability of working with young people from African backgrounds, together with specialist sexual violence responses for younger women in their early teens. Details: Canberra: Criminology Research Advisory Council. 2018. 47p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed April 30, 2018 at: http://crg.aic.gov.au/reports/1718/07-1213-FinalReport.pdf Year: 2018 Country: Australia URL: http://crg.aic.gov.au/reports/1718/07-1213-FinalReport.pdf Shelf Number: 149969 Keywords: African Women Domestic ViolenceGender-Based Violence Migrants Refugees Sexual Coercion Sexual Violence Victim Services Violence Against Women |
Author: Davey, Deanna Title: Unpacking the Myths: Human smuggling from and within the Horn of Africa Summary: This RMMS briefing paper provides an update on the volume, trends, and modus operandi of migrant smuggling within and from the Horn of Africa. It offers new estimates of the volume of smuggling, the value of the illicit migrant smuggling economy, and the conditions and risks faced by smuggled migrants. This paper finds that migrant smuggling within and from the Horn of Africa continues to occur, with new smuggling routes opening in response to irregular migration related risks and law enforcement responses to migrant smuggling on traditionally popular routes. Smuggling as part of the mixed migration flows are more and more common, particularly as travel across borders becomes more dangerous. The paper also provides information on the operations of migrant smuggling - including smuggling routes, activities, and profiles. Summary of Key Findings The research draws on various primary and secondary sources, and relies heavily on data from the RMMS Mixed Migration Monitoring Mechanism Initiative (4Mi), a unique longitudinal monitoring approach using informal migrant monitors and remote mobile survey technology. During this research period, September 2014 to March 2017, monitors conducted 3,522 interviews with migrants from the Horn of Africa and 153 structured interviews with smugglers in various countries in Africa and the Middle East. 4Mi data shows that at least 73% of migrants are using smugglers for at least part of their journey. This paper finds that the following trends and characteristics define the migrant smuggling dynamic: - Migrant smuggling within and from the Horn of Africa remains a vibrant business, and new smuggling routes continue to open - largely in response to political and economic factors, migration risks, and law enforcement efforts to curtail certain routes. - Many smugglers are young men who enter the smuggling trade because they have limited employment opportunities in their home countries, and smuggling activities are more lucrative than other job opportunities in their home countries. - Smuggling networks across all three major routes leading out of the region are organized. Some networks resembling loose, horizontal networks in which smugglers work collaboratively across national borders. In these networks, smugglers tend to hand over the migrants at borders to new smugglers operating the subsequent leg/s of the journey. Other networks, particularly Libya-based smuggling networks along the North-western route to Europe are increasingly hierarchical, with smuggling kingpins dominating the smuggling business from Libya, and Horn of Africa smugglers playing important, but usually subordinate, positions to the Libyan kingpins. - For most smugglers operating in the region, migrant smuggling is the primary criminal enterprise. Predominantly on the Eastern, and North-western routes, smugglers may also be involved in other criminal activities, such as trafficking in persons, kidnapping, and extortion. - Government officials are reported to be involved, directly and indirectly, in migrant smuggling operations. Without this collaboration smugglers would likely encounter significant obstacles to conducting successful migrant smuggling ventures. - With a reported pre-departure average expenditure for smuggling services of USD 1,036 per migrant, the smuggling business remains lucrative for those involved. With a reported average expenditure of USD 2,3714 per migrant on bribes and extortion, it is clear that many other individuals, including border guards, militia, kidnappers, and traffickers, are also profiting from the flows of smuggled migrants within and from the Horn of Africa. - The migration flows within and from the Horn of Africa are mixed, with asylum seekers and refugees being smuggled alongside economic migrants. - Various political and socio-economic factors motivate irregular migration from the Horn of Africa region. The level of migration is highly reactive to political and other pressures, as well as national migration policy. Movement from the region is both in response to short-term crises, as well as rooted in long-term factors. - Most smuggled migrants from the Horn of Africa are young, single men; however, the number of female migrants is reportedly increasing. Also reportedly increasing is the number of unaccompanied Horn of Africa minors travelling irregularly to Europe, the Gulf States and Middle East, and Southern Africa. - Some migrants initiate the first leg of travel, and navigate one or more subsequent segments of travel without the aid of smugglers. These migrants tend to pay smugglers, where they are used, for each individual part of the journey, using cash or informal money transfer systems, such as hawala systems (informal financial transfers outside of the traditional banking system). Other migrants use the services of smugglers to take them from their home country all the way to the destination country - some of these migrants pay for the entire journey in advance. - Paying for the entire smuggling journey in advance does not reduce the vulnerability of migrants to exploitation and abuse during the journey. - In terms of volume, the most popular smuggling route is the Eastern route to the Gulf States and the Middle East. Horn of Africa migrants are also still being smuggled in large numbers to Europe, and to Southern Africa, particularly South Africa. This paper provides an up to date analysis, informed by qualitative and quantitative data, of migrant smuggling within and from the Horn of Africa including unique interviews with smugglers themselves. The author drew on 4Mi data, collected through structured interviews with migrants and migrant smugglers. The interviews with migrants and migrant smugglers were conducted between September 2014 and March 2017 by trained field monitors using smartphone technology to transmit completed interviews to RMMS. This paper presents the relevant data on migrants, collected through the structured interviews with migrants, as well as direct quotes taken from smugglers during the interviews. The author also drew on multiple referenced sources, including the accumulated data and analysis of four years of RMMS resources. Details: Nairobi: Regional Mixed Migration Secretariat, 2018. 24p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed May 4, 2018 at: http://iffoadatabase.trustafrica.org/iff/RMMS_Briefing_Paper6%20-%20Unpacking_the_Myths.pdf Year: 2018 Country: Africa URL: http://iffoadatabase.trustafrica.org/iff/RMMS_Briefing_Paper6%20-%20Unpacking_the_Myths.pdf Shelf Number: 150053 Keywords: Human SmugglingMigrant SmugglingMigrants |
Author: Smit, Jack H. Title: The political origins and development of Australia's people smuggling legislation: Evil smugglers or extreme rhetoric? Summary: This thesis explores the Australian State response to the voyage facilitators of maritime asylum seekers, commonly known as people smugglers. It does so by examining a number of Parliamentary debates and previously confidential Cabinet papers. Negative depictions of asylum seekers and their voyage facilitators as well as the prevailing political discourse is critically explored while Parliamentary debates are analysed using Critical Discourse Analysis. The research questions the ways Australian legislators justified the criminalisation of these voyage facilitators and investigates whether political elites were sufficiently informed about the circumstances of maritime asylum seeker journeys and the unique nature of their travel arrangements. The analysis is conducted within the container of established asylum seeker rights as formulated by the United Nations is its 1951 Refugee Convention. Within the Australian context these are framed as the rights of unauthorised arrivals. By examining de-classified Fraser government documents, the thesis presents evidence of the States intent to criminalise people smugglers as part of a two-fold strategy, aiming to also punish maritime asylum seekers for arriving uninvited. This strategy was first proposed under the Fraser government soon after the first asylum seeker vessels arrived in Australia during the late 1970s. The research findings indicate that the increasingly harsh measures imposed by successive Australian governments targeting smugglers and passengers represents an increasingly punitive and continuous series of policy proposals and parliamentary discourse, where the voyage facilitators became the recipients of criminal labels such as traffickers and smugglers while 1980 legislative measures determined them to be serious criminals. The research also analyses legislative measures aiming to impose criminal sanctions implemented by the Howard government in 1999, and legislation that established a wide range of extended powers to Australian border officials in dealing with unauthorised vessels entering Australian waters. Both legislative measures were responses to a number of undetected entries by vessels with Chinese migrants in the lead-up to the 2000 Sydney Olympic Games. This section of the research explores the dominant national security narrative constructed by Australias conservative political elites in order to justify the legislation criminalising people smugglers. The research presents documented evidence that the Howard government withheld details of the Chinese arrivals from Parliament for operational reasons and that the Immigration Department attempted to influence political debates by means of distributing a manipulative briefing document in the Parliament. Post-research participant interviews present evidence that Prime Minister John Howards Immigration Minister Phillip Ruddock held the view that nobody has the right, neither by air nor by boat, to enter Australia to seek asylum. The research concludes that the legislative measures criminalising people smugglers were not presented in order to fight transnational people trafficking but that they were instead presented and passed by the Parliament to stop the boats and to further deter assisted asylum voyages into Australia by regarding such ventures as illegal without due regard for the UN Refugee Convention. Details: Joondalup, Australia: Edith Cowan University, 2011. 233p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed May 7, 2018 at: http://ro.ecu.edu.au/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1419&context=theses Year: 2011 Country: Australia URL: http://ro.ecu.edu.au/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1419&context=theses Shelf Number: 150094 Keywords: Asylum Seekers Human Smuggling Human Trafficking Immigration Enforcement Migrants |
Author: Liddell, Marg Title: Evaluation of the Walking Alongside Program (WAP) Summary: This report on the evaluation of the Flemington and Kensington Community Legal Centre's (FKCLC) Walking Alongside Program (WAP) presents findings on the extent to which the outcomes of the program have fulfilled its objectives to date. The WAP is a socio-legal support program for young people of Sudanese and other African migrant/refugee backgrounds pursuing police accountability through often long-running legal actions. It was developed as an adjunct to the FKCLC's Police Accountability Project (PAP)in recognition of its client group's vulnerability and need for ongoing support. The outcome objectives this evaluation set out to measure include enhanced legal, health and educational outcomes; enhanced police accountability; improvements in health and well-being; enhanced community capacity, safety and resilience; reduction in social exclusion and barriers to justice; and whether the WAP is an effective model for replication. A qualitative approach to the evaluation was taken involving interviews and case file analysis. Academic and policy literature on the themes of hope, social exclusion, wellbeing, and community capacity was reviewed as these represent important aspects of the migrant/refugee resettlement experience. While the complexity and overlap of these concepts is acknowledged in the literature, a general consensus emerges about their core meanings, as we discuss. We also consider the literature on therapeutic jurisprudence since this principle underpins the FKCLCs approach to its work. The assumption is that legal processes and interactions can have both harmful and helpful consequences. The FKCLC clearly sees its role as remedying any harmful effects and promoting access to justice for individuals and communities in the inner west region of Melbourne and beyond. These themes are central to the WAP and highlight the important role this kind of program plays to ensure that migrants and refugees in the Flemington and Kensington area (and elsewhere) are welcomed, supported and treated as equal members of our multicultural society. That is not, however, to downplay or disregard the rich diversity within and between communities. The emphasis on participant-driven evaluation in the literature cautions against adopting predetermined constructs or measures. We acknowledge, therefore, that the construct 'refugee youth' itself "can mask the diverse ways in which a young person from a refugee background experiences the world" (Brough et al. 2003: 195): as a young black person, man, woman, migrant, refugee, African, Somalian, Sudanese, Nuer, Dinka, Shilluk, for example. The literature highlights the need to allow and encourage interviewees to give voice to their own experience, rather than impose preconceived measures upon them. Also that in-depth narrative accounts provide a rich source of qualitative data about both individual and shared experience. We prepared interview questions that were designed to elicit and capture narrative accounts of the views and experiences of WAP participants, their family members, and support professionals. Thematic content analysis of the qualitative data provided the basis for this evaluation. A total of thirteen interviews were conducted. The very low take-up rate for interviews with WAP participants - only four were possible - reflects these young people's vulnerability, disengagement, and the difficulty gaining access to this group. Some of the professionals interviewed referred to a period of six to nine months needed to gain their trust. This timeframe extended beyond that available for the evaluation. Interview data was therefore supplemented by analysis of twenty WAP files, which enabled the researchers to obtain a broader picture of the role of the youth engagement officers (YEOs) as well as a view on whether the overall objectives of the WAP had been met. Difficulties also arose in locating family members to interview, with only one coming forward. Eight professionals were interviewed: three from FKCLC, and five support professionals who worked with the same group of young people or with other disengaged youth in the Western region. Although the sample was small, data from the file analysis and individual interviews indicated that most of the objectives of the WAP were being met. Frequent accolades of the YEO, both past and current, related especially to their unconditional care and positive regard for the young people and their families, and their ability to work collaboratively with other services to provide holistic case management. Interviews with professionals reflected a deep understanding of the WAP client group and many referred to this group's vulnerability and disengagement from family, community and the service system. The professionals commented on the value of the PAP and the WAP and the importance of the notion of 'walking alongside' people engaged in protracted human rights litigation. All professionals indicated that the YEO was able to undertake tasks that they were often unable to, due to the flexibility of the YEO's role in providing unlimited and unconditional support, regardless of the client's situation. They believed that, without the YEO, many of the young people would not have pursued or continued with their police accountability cases. The advocacy role of the YEO was pivotal in raising awareness of the plight of the people linked to both the WAP and the PAP. This was reinforced with examples of over-policing and discrimination. While there were criticisms of police there were also comments that some police engaged positively with African young people in inner west Melbourne. The overwhelming view expressed was that more police needed to understand and be prepared to engage in an appropriate and respectful manner with African migrants/refugees. WAP participants interviewed indicated the value of the program, with reference to the YEO's ability to stick with them or "hang in there" with young people "no matter what." Participants felt that this helped the young people combat a sense of helplessness and to feel empowered, more confident to pursue their rights. For some this had translated into an ability to advocate for themselves and others, leading their peers in ways to effectively respond to police and to become model responsible citizens. Testament to the YEO's commitment was that WAP clients maintained and/or resumed contact with them. Support and interpretation of court proceedings by the YEO enabled the legal and non-legal proceedings to be brought together and this reduced the stress for the WAP clients. This was important for not just the FKCLC staff but for other staff working with the WAP clients. All those interviewed, including the WAP clients, felt that there was value in the WAP concept being replicated in other community legal centres. They felt that as well as human rights and police accountability cases it could be extended to support people involved in criminal and civil litigation. This was reinforced in comments that the YEO was able to provide systemic advocacy and be inclusive and collaborative in her work with a range of services, both legal and non-legal. Without the WAP the participants felt that "things would return to the way they were" and this would mean a reduction in police accountability. It would also mean that young people would have no place to go when they felt that they were being targeted or discriminated against. All interviewees referred to there being insufficient funding and time for the current YEO position. All thought that the funding should be extended as this would give the YEO greater capacity to assist more young people, as well as advocate for change in the way that young people are dealt with in legal, criminal and civil proceedings. While the data sets were small, sufficient information emerged to determine that the WAP objectives were being met, and to support the recommendation that the program be continued and extended. Recommendations From the findings of this evaluation, we recommend the following: 1. The Youth Engagement Officer (YEO) should be funded to cover more days of the week - currently the position is funded for three days. 2. Consideration should be given to employing an additional YEO. 3. The funding for the Walking Alongside Program (WAP) should be extended to include more time: - to work with police to improve the collaborative relationships between police and the young people being supported by the WAP - while this is currently being undertaken by the Chief Executive Officer of the Flemington Kensington Community Legal Centre (FKCLC) there is clearly a role for a YEO in this process; - to be able to provide support to more people over more days of the week; - to make improvements to the internal procedures in managing the cases; - so that collection of information from the point at which the Youth Engagement Officers commences contact with the Police Accountability Program and vice versa can be documented and internal file sharing and file management can be streamlined. 4. Consideration should be given for FKCLC to take a leadership and advocacy role to assist other Community Legal Centres to undertake legal and non-legal advocacy work. This could include: - Human rights and public interest litigation - Criminal and civil litigation. This emphasis should be on the collaborative role of the YEO to facilitate, support and advocate for program participants' access to the range of services required to meet their wider social and emotional needs. 5. FKCLC and the YEO should use these findings to continue to raise awareness, as Higgs (2013) suggests, of: - the value of giving young people hope to develop pathways away from behaviours that are harmful to themselves and others; - the need to recognise and acknowledge injustices that many young people experience and work to remedy these to improve their overall well-being; - the need to establish more inclusionary practices so that young people can feel part of a community of care, within the broader community. 6. Recognising that the FKCLC has helped clients to become advocates and peer leaders, we recommend this model be expanded to train other young people as mentors to work alongside the YEO and the community. 7. While the study was small there were sufficient comments on police behaviour to suggest that police training be enhanced to include anti-bias training. A recent example of six young African men being asked to leave an Apple store suggests that such bias is a wider community problem. 8. Further qualitative research (such as life narratives and participant observations- see Fangen 2010) is required to explore and raise awareness of the problems African youth and their families encounter in settling in a new country, given the traumatic experiences they have often faced in their home country. Details: Melbourne: RMIT University, 2015. 72p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed May 31, 2018 at: https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Diana_Johns/publication/304269475_Evaluation_of_the_Walking_Alongside_Program_WAP/links/576b612808aef2a864d211ae/Evaluation-of-the-Walking-Alongside-Program-WAP.pdf Year: 2015 Country: Australia URL: https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Diana_Johns/publication/304269475_Evaluation_of_the_Walking_Alongside_Program_WAP/links/576b612808aef2a864d211ae/Evaluation-of-the-Walking-Alongside-Program-WAP.pdf Shelf Number: 150413 Keywords: Asylum SeekersMigrantsPolice AccountabilityPolice-Citizen InteractionsPolice-Community RelationsPolice-Juvenile RelationsRefugees |
Author: Oikonomou, Spyros-Vlad Title: Borderlines of Despair: First-line reception of asylum seekers at the Greek borders Summary: The implementation of the EU-Turkey Statement on March 20, 2016 (henceforth the "Statement"), coupled with the closure of the so-called "Balkan Route", led to a drastic decrease of the unprecedented refugee flows experienced throughout 2015 in the Eastern Mediterranean. It also led to the entrapment of more than 50,000 refugees and asylum seekers in Greece, and especially on the five main island points of entry: Lesvos, Chios, Samos, Leros and Kos. Shortly afterwards, on April 3, 2016, the Greek Parliament adopted Law 4375/2016 (henceforth L.4375/2016), introducing the "fast-track border procedure", which though providing less safeguards for asylum seekers and applicable only under exceptional circumstances, has been since used with a view to the Statement's implementation. In the same context, the "first country of asylum" and "safe third country" clauses, which formed part of previous legislation, were now used to implement the Statement, by making it possible to return ("readmission") to Turkey not only newly arrived (at the islands) "irregular migrants," but also asylum seekers and refugees whose asylum applications would thereafter be found "inadmissible", as per a clause that had never before been previously enforced. Cumulatively, these events marked a new chapter in the Greek/European management of Migration, with one of its defining characteristics being the gradual (re)institutionalization of the overall management of Greek-bound mixed migration flows. In the meanwhile, and within this state-led re-appropriation of border management, the newly established island Reception and Identification Centers (RICs), as well as the land border RIC of Evros (RIC at Fylakio, Evros), became the frontline structures for the reception and accommodation of foreign nationals/non-nationals fleeing persecution and/or destitution. The project In this context, the current project was aimed at assessing how (and if) some aspects of the reception of third-country nationals/non-nationals at the Greek borders evolved since the Statement's implementation in March 2016, and up to the research's conclusion in April 2018. The point of reference for this was the recast European Directive on the reception of applicants for international protection (Reception Directive), which though belatedly transposed into Greek legislation on the 15th of May 2018, still provides/provided for the absolute minimum standards for the reception of third country nationals/non-nationals applying for asylum in Europe, and therefore in Greece as well. The primary analytical lens, however, was that of the experiences to which asylum seekers have been subjected throughout their initial reception at the Greek borders, in the context of their RIC-based reception and accommodation. Therefore, the main underlying questions revolved around what happens when asylum seekers arrive in Greece, to what extent are their reception and accommodation (living conditions) in line with the imperative to respect and protect their decency and rights, and what are the effects of reception towards both their short and long-term well-being, as well as their relation with their new host society. In terms of methodology, the project was based on interviews with officials and/or other professionals engaged in the field of refugee protection, field research and desk-based research. Interviews and discussions were primarily carried out with GCR personnel at the borders and in Athens and Thessaloniki, and were complemented by some 38 additional interviews with state and other officials and employees working in the field. Desk research consisted primarily of reviewing GCR's internal and published reports, legal documents, as well as reports and articles published by intergovernmental, nongovernmental and other organizations and professionals. Field research, lastly, consisted of visiting a number of refugee reception sites (RICs) and Pre-Removal Centers, of which those found at the island border regions of Lesvos and Kos, the Greek-Turkish land border of Evros, as well as two makeshift accommodation sites/squats at the city-port of Patra will be examined in the current report. Details: Athens: Greek Council Refugees, 2018. 78p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed June 1, 2018 at: www.gcr.gr Year: 2018 Country: Greece URL: www.gcr.gr Shelf Number: 150433 Keywords: Asylum SeekersMigrantsRefugees |
Author: Corporate Watch Title: Collective Expulsion: The case against Britain's mass deportation charter flights Summary: The UK's Home Office has used specially chartered flights to deport rejected refugees and migrants en masse for 12 years now. Charter flights are becoming the standard method of conducting enforced deportations to a growing list of destination countries. There is now at least one flight a week to 'popular destinations', such as Afghanistan, Pakistan and Nigeria, which are often closely linked to the UK's most controversial foreign policy adventures. The policy was introduced in 2001 ostensibly to save 'taxpayers' money' and effect 'volume removals' of people who refuse to 'cooperate' with the immigration authorities. Officials have also claimed the programme was designed to send a clear message, both to the British public and to migrant communities' that the UK is serious about enforcing its 'tough immigration policy. Yet, the programme was, and is still being, sold to the public on the basis of unfounded myths and outright lies, which have gone unchallenged for far too long. This report, examines in detail each of these and other deceptions underpinning the programme and debunks them using previously unpublished data covering the first 10 years of the programme. The sources range from Freedom of Information requests, statistical analysis of official figures, court cases, to government and media reports, in addition to case studies based on testimonies from migrants deported on these flights or organisations that worked with them. Having debunked the myths, the reports authors, Phil Miller and Shiar Youssef, then attempt to unravel the 'ulterior motives' behind the UK's deportation charter flights, bringing to light little-known statements by government officials, secretive meetings and agreements and dodgy political deals. The motives examined range from a targets culture introduced by Labour and maintained by the current, Conservatives-led coalition government, to political agendas revolving around the UK's foreign policy and disciplining migrant diaspora communities. The next section explores a number of important legal questions concerning mass deportation flights, delving into the murky depths of European and UK case law, international treaties and other legal instruments. Among other things, the authors argue that deportation charter flights constitute a de facto policy of 'collective expulsion' and must, therefore, be prohibited. Even without this, a number of procedural issues that can be used to challenge the legality of these flights are also explored in detail. This is followed by two short sections on specific issues with significant legal implications: overbooking and the use of 'reserves', and the more recent use of monitors and doctors on mass deportation flights. It is important to remember that, unlike deportations by commercial flights, there are no other commercial and procedural barriers to the exceptional, brutal policies and practices surrounding mass deportation charter flights. There are also no other passengers to witness what happens on these flights - unlike the unlawful killing of Jimmy Mubenga, which took place in full view of British Airways customers, leading to a damning inquest verdict on the use of fatal restraint techniques. On charter flights, immigration officers and private security guards can virtually get away with anything, as they often do, in order to enforce the governments 'tough' immigration policy. Hence, this report not only calls for the immediate halt of the deportation charters programme on the basis of detailed factual findings and legal arguments, but also challenges different practices and procedures that have been institutionalised or taken for granted during the 12 years of this shadowy programme. To achieve this, we would like to bring together as many campaigners and legal practitioners interested in these issues as possible, and explore ways in which they can collaborate and work together more effectively in order to stop these flights. This is particularly important now, in the context of mass deportations becoming an integral part of the UK's 'immigration management' regime, a regime that has recently seen new worrying and xenophobic developments, such as regular immigration checks on the street and the 'go home' advert vans. Mass deportations, using specially chartered aircraft away from the public gaze, are a logical extension of this drive to get rid of as many unwanted migrants as possible by any means possible. Details: London: Corporate Watch, 2013. 48p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed June 26, 2018 at: https://corporatewatch.org/wp-content/uploads/2017/09/Collective-Expulsion-report.pdf Year: 2013 Country: United Kingdom URL: https://corporatewatch.org/wp-content/uploads/2017/09/Collective-Expulsion-report.pdf Shelf Number: 150707 Keywords: Asylum Seekers Deportation Illegal Immigrants Immigration Policy MigrantsRefugees |
Author: Sinchetto, Francesco Title: Unaccompanied and Separated Children along Italy's Northern Borders Summary: Unaccompanied and separated foreign minors have been arriving in Italy for several years. The total number of minors intercepted and registered with Italian authorities over the past six years is 62,672. Since 2011 the number of UASC (Unaccompanied And Separated Children) has risen constantly from year to year, up until a slight fall recorded in the first seven months of 2017 (compared with arrivals in the same period of 2016), with the arrival of 12,656 unaccompanied minors, making up 13% of the arriving migrant population over the past year. Among registered UASC, one in four left reception facilities, and became untraceable3. Such a high dropout rate from centres on the part of minors is chiefly due to the desire to go directly to other States in the European Union. This is partly due to the dysfunctions of Italy's reception system and to the time needed to start and complete the procedures for family reunification and the granting of international protection. In view of the "irregular" nature of these people's status, not in the sense of unlawful presence in the country but rather that of straying from a planned course, characterising the state of migrants in transit, who appear to form a sort of "underground people", these migrants, including minors, do not receive any sort of temporary reception or formal support. This category, present en masse in reality, is not legally contemplated or recognised as such. Thus this group is not governed by any particular rules, and does not receive any protection, including services meeting primary needs. In such a setting, there is a clear use, and need, for activities in support of emergency measures adopted by institutions, humanitarian organisations and civil society. Since 2011 Intersos has been operating a night-time reception centre in Rome called A28 for foreign minors in transit. In five years the centre has provided a safe shelter for more than 4,000 unaccompanied foreign minors in transit in Italy. In 2016 the A28 Centre hosted 1,112 unaccompanied minors from Eritrea, one third of all those arriving in Italy in the same year. Working closely with the centre is the Intersos Street Unit service, created in November 2016 in partnership with Unicef, in order to monitor the territory, promote the service and single out the most vulnerable cases. Following on from this initial project, over the past two years Intersos has broadened its action in the sphere of reception and assistance for unaccompanied foreign minors transiting in Italy or dropping out of official reception channels. In March 2017, in collaboration with Unicef, initiatives were also undertaken in Como and Ventimiglia, in light of the increase in migrant flows in the respective border areas, with the consequent intensification of border checks on the part of neighbouring States and a growing number of "rejected" people in Italy, who are forced to face a stalemate situation with very few prospects. The Como and Ventimiglia projects intend to facilitating the take into care of intercepted unaccompanied foreign minors, 1,070 in Como and 1,418 in Ventimiglia, through the providing of information, support and legal aid. Thanks to collaboration with local organisations and reference institutions, ad hoc pathways for UASC are activated, where possible, starting with access to the international protection application procedure, and including admission to secondstage reception facilities. In Ventimiglia furthermore, a mobile clinic has been operational since April 2017, offering basic medical care to persons outside the reception centres. The most relevant cases in terms of the seriousness of violations committed or complexity of individual cases have been taken up in collaboration with the Associazione per gli Studi Giuridici sull'Immigrazione (Association for Legal Studies on Immigration). As regards family reunification procedures, collaborative ties have been forged with the Safe Passage initiative. Thanks to the support of the Open Society Foundation, the conditions of unaccompanied foreign minors have been monitored along Italy's northern borders, from August to October 2017. This report is the result of this monitoring activity. The research was conducted in connection with the above-described actions, making use of the material gathered during these activities, consisting mainly of direct interviews with minors in Rome, Como and Ventimiglia and information procured by constant dialogue with institutions and the actors of civil society operating in the sector. In localities where an Intersos team is not present on a permanent basis, the research was conducted by means of monitoring visits, interviews with migrants, meetings with the authorities responsible for managing the migratory phenomenon, and counting on permanent cooperation with local associations. Details: Rome: Intersos, 2017. 72p. Source: Internet Resource: July 26, 2018 at: https://www.intersos.org/wp-content/uploads/2018/02/UASC-along-Italys-northern-borders.compressed.pdf Year: 2017 Country: Italy URL: https://www.intersos.org/wp-content/uploads/2018/02/UASC-along-Italys-northern-borders.compressed.pdf Shelf Number: 150923 Keywords: Child MigrantsIllegal MigrantsImmigrationMigrantsUnaccompanied ChildrenUnaccompanied Migrant Children |
Author: Bhui, Hindpal Singh Title: Monitoring Immigration Detention at the Borders of Europe: Summary: In this post, we describe findings from an ESRC-funded Knowledge Exchange project into human rights monitoring in immigration detention. While this post, and the associated report, deals with an initial stage of the research, our work in this area is ongoing. Working together, we seek to inform policy and academic scholarship about human rights monitoring and about practices of detention at the borders of Europe. The high levels of migration into Europe since 2015 have had a profound effect on the countries at Europe's borders. Greece and Italy have been the initial points of arrival for people coming through North African routes, while others have sought to reach northern and western Europe overland through Hungary, via the Balkan route. Meanwhile, Turkey has sheltered millions of people fleeing the war in Syria, alongside migrants from many other countries passing onwards to Europe. Under pressure from the EU to stop the onward flows of people, Greece, Turkey and Italy have opened numerous detention centres and camps, and Hungary has constructed physical barriers. Growing numbers of people have become trapped in large migrant camps in Greece and the Balkans, where they reportedly endure poor conditions and increased mental health problems. The closure of migration routes has also led to people attempting more dangerous crossings towards Italy. In a report, published today, we discuss findings from a research project undertaken during 2016 and 2017 in Greece, Turkey and Italy as sites of first arrival, and Hungary as a place of onward migration. The project investigated the conditions in detention and the nature of human-rights based monitoring within detention centres. There has been limited and sporadic academic research on immigration detention in these countries, while nothing at all has been published on the process of monitoring these sites. The principal responsibility for monitoring conditions in detention falls to the National Preventive Mechanisms (NPMs). These bodies, established pursuant to the 2002 UN Optional Protocol to the Convention against Torture (OPCAT), had been formed relatively recently in each country. OPCAT guarantees functional independence for NPMs and they should be able to both make recommendations and comment on legislation. States must grant them unhindered access to detainees and any information necessary to perform their role, such as numbers of people detained and locations, and other data that can help NPMs to judge how detainees are being treated. If these criteria are fully adhered to, NPMs can provide a powerful safeguard. In addition to meeting with NPMs, we also spoke to NGOs and human rights organisations involved in supporting detainees or campaigning for migrant rights. Some of these organisations undertook forms of detention monitoring and often had considerable experience and valuable insights. Coordination and contact between these civil society organisations and the NPMs varied. In each country, we explored the political and migration policy context, the structure of and conditions in detention, and the way that detention was being used. We also visited detention centres in Athens and at the Hungarian border with Serbia. The rapidly changing environment is reflected by the fact that some of the centres we visited have already closed and others have opened. Across the board, we found a lack of overall ownership of the task of detention. There were no professional detention trained staff and lines of accountability were unclear. Allegations of physical abuses in the centres we saw were not taken seriously. We saw poor conditions for detained unaccompanied children and unhelpfully blurred definitions of detention were applied in Hungarian 'transit zones' and Greek and Italian 'hotspots', where migrants could not leave or could only go back if they did. Details: Oxford, UK: University of Oxford, Centre for Criminology, 2018. 49p. Source: Internet Resource: Border Criminologies: Accessed August 2, 2018 at: https://www.law.ox.ac.uk/sites/files/oxlaw/project_report_final_copy.pdf Year: 2018 Country: Europe URL: https://www.law.ox.ac.uk/sites/files/oxlaw/project_report_final_copy.pdf Shelf Number: 151004 Keywords: Detention Facilities Human Rights Abuses Illegal Immigrants Immigrant Detention Immigration Migrants |
Author: Penn State Law Center for Immigrants' Rights Title: Imprisoned Justice: Inside Two Georgia Immigrant Detention Centers Summary: Project South and the Penn State Law Center for Immigrants' Rights Clinic (on its behalf) have released a report titled "Imprisoned Justice: Inside Two Georgia Immigration Detention Centers." The report is focused on the Stewart Detention Center and the Irwin County Detention Center and is based on interviews with scores of detained immigrants as well as immigration attorneys, tours of both facilities, and review of contracts and other relevant documents. The investigation was completed over the course of one year. Stewart and Irwin had previously been identified in national reports as among the worst in the country. "As the accounts in the report demonstrate, little has changed at Stewart and Irwin. Life at these facilities for detained immigrants is still a living nightmare," said Azadeh Shahshahani. "It is high time for Stewart and Irwin to be shut down." As detailed in the report, the conditions in these detention facilities are deplorable and include: threats of force-feeding for participation in hunger strikes, sexual abuse, lack of clean drinking water, lack of adequate access to legal materials or attorneys, and labor for just $1 per day. Additionally, detained immigrants report they are served rotten and spoiled food with occasional foreign particles inside. Further, detained immigrants at both facilities lack adequate medical care and mental health services are minimal. Some detained immigrants also complained of not receiving dietary accommodations for religious beliefs and practices or health concerns. The use of solitary is also rampant. Several detained immigrants reported being put in segregation for expressing suicidal thoughts or as retaliation for complaining about detention conditions. As described by one detained immigrant at Stewart who suffers from mental health issues: "Segregation is like hell. It is total isolation." Details: Atlanta: Project South, 2017. 65p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed August 15, 2018 at: https://projectsouth.org/wp-content/uploads/2017/06/Imprisoned_Justice_Report-1.pdf Year: 2017 Country: United States URL: https://projectsouth.org/wp-content/uploads/2017/06/Imprisoned_Justice_Report-1.pdf Shelf Number: 151137 Keywords: Human Rights AbusesIllegal Immigrants Immigrant Detention Immigration Enforcement Immigration Policy Migrants Solitary ConfinementUndocumented Immigrants |
Author: Global Initiative Against Transnational Organized Crime Title: Responding to the human trafficking-migrant smuggling nexus with a focus on the situation in Libya Summary: Probably nowhere more than in Libya have the definitional lines between migrant smuggling and human trafficking become as blurred or contested. Hundreds of thousands of migrants have left Libya's shores in the hope of a new life in Europe; tens of thousands have died in the process. The inhumane conditions migrants face in Libya are well documented. The levels of brutality and exploitation they experience in Libya's turbulent transitional environment have led to smuggling and trafficking groups being bundled under one catch-all heading by authorities and policymakers, and targeted as the root cause of the migration phenomenon. In many respects, this would appear to conveniently serve the interests of EU leaders and governments, who choose to disguise the anti-migration drive they urgently seek support for behind a policy of cracking down on both trafficking and smuggling rings, which they conflate as a common enemy, and one and the same. Given the highly complex context of Libya, this report proposes instead that any intervention to address the so-called migrant crisis should place the human rights of migrants at its centre, as opposed to necessarily demonizing smugglers, who are often the migrants' gatekeepers to a better existence elsewhere. Details: Geneva, SWIT: The Global Initiative, 2018. 20p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed September 4, 2018 at: http://globalinitiative.net/wp-content/uploads/2018/07/Reitano-McCormack-Trafficking-Smuggling-Nexus-in-Libya-July-2018.pdf Year: 2018 Country: Libya URL: http://globalinitiative.net/wp-content/uploads/2018/07/Reitano-McCormack-Trafficking-Smuggling-Nexus-in-Libya-July-2018.pdf Shelf Number: 151508 Keywords: Human SmugglingHuman TraffickingMigrantsOrganized Crime |
Author: Lyndon B. Johnson School of Public Affairs Title: Organized Crime and Central American Migration in Mexico Summary: The following report was researched and written in response to a request by the Mexican Federal Police for an evaluation of the interactions between organized crime and Central American migrants transiting through Mexico. Given that protecting migrants and combating organized criminal groups both fall within the Federal Police's mandate, this evaluation also outlines how protecting migrants can help deprive organized criminal groups of a lucrative funding source. Part 1 of this report provides background information on Central American migration to and through Mexico, including current migratory trends, their causes, and high-risk groups. Part 2 examines Mexico's federal legal and institutional frameworks for addressing migration. Part 3 focuses on the interactions between organized crime and migrants and concludes with an evaluation of current crime prevention policies. Finally, the report concludes in Part 4 with the laws and policies that govern the interactions between Federal Police forces and migrants and outlines international best practices for guiding these interactions. Details: Austin, TX: University of Texas at Austin, 2018. Source: Internet Resource: Policy Research Project Report, No. 198: Accessed September 19, 2018 at: https://repositories.lib.utexas.edu/handle/2152/65515 Year: 2018 Country: Mexico URL: https://repositories.lib.utexas.edu/handle/2152/65515 Shelf Number: 151590 Keywords: Immigrants MigrantsMigration Organized Crime |
Author: Ramsey, Geoff Title: Responding to an Exodus: Venezuela's Migration and Refugee Crisis as Seen from the Colombian and Brazilian Borders Summary: As the political, social and economic crisis in Venezuela worsens, more and more Venezuelans are fleeing their country in droves each day. Impoverished Venezuelans are facing food and medicine shortages. Unable to sustain their families, many are seeking refuge abroad as a way out of their predicament. South American countries, which are unaccustomed to receiving such large migration flows, are struggling to respond to the needs of the Venezuelan migrant population. The United States has also seen an influx of Venezuelan migrants. Asylum data shows that Venezuela is now the most common nationality among those seeking asylum status in the United States. Since FY2017, the United States committed roughly $56 million in funding to governments and non-governmental groups in the regional response to Venezuela's exodus, and has pledged to support further efforts. Because this issue is both a domestic and regional policy priority for the U.S. government, it is important to look critically at the response to Venezuelan migration in the most affected countries, and how the U.S. can offer more effective support. The response so far is mixed, with some countries in the region adopting measures to restrict Venezuelan migration, and others opting for a more humanitarian response, facilitating special visas, asylum claims, and residency applications while addressing migrants' need for shelter, education, and economic opportunity. Yet the situation is fragile. As the flow of migrants grows, nationalist and xenophobic arguments will likely grow as well, creating potential for anti-immigrant policies as Venezuela's crisis drags on. And it appears destined to drag on. On May 20, Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro claimed victory in presidential elections that were widely condemned as illegitimate. With Maduro claiming a new six-year term, the outlook for ordinary Venezuelans appears bleak, and it is very likely that the exodus of Venezuelans will accelerate in the coming months. This report applies a critical lens to the response from the two neighboring countries most affected by the exodus: Colombia and Brazil. It is based on the fieldwork conducted by the authors in Cucuta, Colombia, and Boa Vista and Pacaraima, Brazil, for ten days in late April 2018. Details: Washington, DC, 2018. 28p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed October 11, 2018 at: https://www.wola.org/wp-content/uploads/2018/07/Final-VZ-Migration-Report-Final.pdf Year: 2018 Country: South America URL: https://www.wola.org/wp-content/uploads/2018/07/Final-VZ-Migration-Report-Final.pdf Shelf Number: 152882 Keywords: ImmigrationMigrantsMigrationRefugee |
Author: Rivera, Laura Title: No End in Sight: Why Migrants Give Up on Their U.S. Immigration Cases Summary: When the Trump administration began separating children from their families at the U.S.-Mexico border, it exposed the horrific conditions within the nation's immigrant detention centers: people locked in cages, sleeping on floors and denied their basic humanity. But harsh detention conditions are nothing new. Every day, thousands of people are locked away in these detention centers - essentially prisons - as they pursue their immigration cases and the hope of a new life in the United States. Many have fled violence and bodily harm in their home countries. But all too often, detained immigrants, particularly in the Deep South, give up on their cases because their conditions of confinement are too crushing to bear. As this report demonstrates, these prisons and immigration courts are part of a system seemingly designed to make immigrants give up. They face courts - many without counse - where relief is not only a long shot but may be a virtual impossibility as some judges deny asylum at rates nearing 100 percent. And, in the meantime, they may be held on civil immigration charges for months, even years, before their cases are resolved. It's a situation that leaves them feeling as if there's no end in sight to their oppression. "In jail, you get your sentence and you know when you are free, but detention is endless," said one man who was detained for more than 800 days. Belief in the immigration courts also fades for the detained as their cases - and their confinement - drag on. "I have no trust that there will be justice in my case," one detained immigrant said. The goal of the system seemed clear through his eyes: "[The judges'] work is to deny everything. This journey [to the United States] was about saving my life. Three or six months in detention, I can take, but one-and-a-half years in detention is too unjust." At the Stewart Detention Center in Georgia, where many of the people sharing their stories for this report were held, 93.8 percent of detained immigrants were deported or gave up on their cases and left the country. At the LaSalle ICE Processing Center in Louisiana, the rate was 93.5 percent. Both rates far exceed the national average of 67.5 percent - evidence of how immigrants detained in the Deep South face especially long odds in a system already stacked against them. The stories and findings presented in this report reflect more than a year of work by the Southern Poverty Law Center's Southeast Immigrant Freedom Initiative (SIFI), a project launched in 2017 to ensure detained immigrants have access to pro bono counsel. Though President Trump has greatly exacerbated the situation, the issues encountered by immigrants and the advocates who try to assist them are not solely the result of one president who has relentlessly demonized immigrants. They are the result of a detention and deportation machine built by decades of increasingly harsh immigration policy. This punitive approach to immigration policy effectively mirrors the failed "War on Drugs" that propelled the United States to become the world's leader in incarceration. Details: Montgomery, AL: Southern Poverty Law Center, 2018. 48p. Source: Internet Resource: accessed October 12, 2018 at: https://www.splcenter.org/sites/default/files/leg_ijp_no_end_in_sight_2018_final_web.pdf Year: 2018 Country: United States URL: https://www.splcenter.org/sites/default/files/leg_ijp_no_end_in_sight_2018_final_web.pdf Shelf Number: 152905 Keywords: Immigrant DetentionImmigrantsImmigration EnforcementImmigration PolicyMigrantsUndocumented Migrants |
Author: Merkle, Ortrun Title: A Gender Perspective on Corruption Encountered during Forced and Irregular Migration Summary: Policymakers are starting to pay more attention to the links between migration and corruption. This study explores a specific area of these links, by examining the ways in which corruption affects the migration journeys of women - be they regular, irregular, forced or voluntary. It does so by looking at experiences of corruption in countries of origin, transit and destination. The analysis is based on desk research and interviews with stakeholders and migrants conducted between April and May 2017. We find that corruption comes into play whenever legal options for migration are limited, and this seems to be a constant throughout all stages of the migration process of several migrant groups. While both men and women encounter corruption during the various stages of the migration process, this study finds that women are especially vulnerable to atypical forms of corruption, including sexual extortion ('sextortion') when their financial capital is limited. Women travelling alone are particularly vulnerable to different forms of corruption and sexual exploitation, which can have negative consequences on their short-, medium- and long-term mental and physical health. The report concludes that sextortion, which occurs at the intersection of sexual violence and corruption must be clearly defined as a form of corruption and a criminal offence. The report continues with policy recommendations for the country of origin, transit and destination both in the realm of anti-corruption as well as women's empowerment and concludes with suggestions for further research. Details: Eschborn, Germany: Deutsche Gesellschaft fur Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ), 2017. 63p.p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed October 22, 2018 at: https://i.unu.edu/media/migration.unu.edu/attachment/4665/A-Gender-Perspective-on-Corruption-Encountered-during-Forced-and-Irregular-Migration.pdf Year: 2017 Country: International URL: https://i.unu.edu/media/migration.unu.edu/attachment/4665/A-Gender-Perspective-on-Corruption-Encountered-during-Forced-and-Irregular-Migration.pdf Shelf Number: 153038 Keywords: CorruptionMigrantsMigrationRefugeesSexual ExploitationSexual ViolenceViolence Against Women |
Author: Ohtani, Eiri Title: Alternatives to detention from theory to practice: Evaluation of three engagement-based alternative to immigration detention pilot projects in Bulgaria, Cyprus and Poland Summary: This report shares findings of the interim evaluation of the engagement-based alternative to detention (ATD) pilots in the community in Bulgaria, Cyprus and Poland which have been supported by the European Programme for Integration and Migration (EPIM). The pilots started in January, March and June 2017, to continue for the duration of two years. The purpose of the evaluation is to investigate the effectiveness of case management within the engagement-based ATD pilots in increasing individual migrants' ability to work towards case resolution, by helping them to stabilise in the community and supporting them to explore all options available for case resolution. The pilots also aim to generate material and evidence that advance ongoing discussions about the benefits of such ATD: that they are more affordable than detention, are more humane and are highly effective. The further evaluation of the pilots will be conducted at a later stage. In addition to collating quantitative data, for the purpose of analysing qualitative impact of case management, the pilot implementers carried out in-depth monitoring and assessment of data of between 10 and 11 individual cases from each pilot. The key interim findings include the following: - A relatively small amount of financial resources from private foundations can enable the establishment of engagement-based alternative to detention (ATD) pilots in the community based on an individualised case management approach which generate rich advocacy, learning and evidence building opportunities. - Significant amounts of time, preparation and reflection are required to set up and operationalise engagement-based ATD programmes from scratch in the community, including developing protocols and guidance for case managers and informing and gaining buy-in from stakeholders who are unfamiliar with engagement-based alternatives to detention or case management. They also need adjustments after they start and as more experience is gained. - The vast majority (97%) of individual migrants who entered the pilots remained engaged with immigration procedures through engagement-based ATD in the community: only 3% disengaged or absconded - Amongst people at risk of disengagement, absconding or detention, these ATD pilots have been able to successfully identify individuals who are able to work towards the resolution of their cases in the community. - Quality case management can increase individuals' ability to work towards case resolution. Even with various levels of vulnerability and wide diversity of people's circumstances, qualitative evaluation suggests that holistic and individualised case management can have a positive impact on individuals ability to engage with immigration procedures including cases of great complexity and previous experience of detention, when certain conditions are met. - Case management alone, especially when applied only at the end of the immigration process, cannot rectify structural and long-term problems in the migration system that sometimes undermine case resolution. Nor can it compensate for gaps in provision of minimum standards by states. It is particularly challenging to address individuals' lack of trust in the system. While it appears that a certain period of case management is necessary to stabilise the person, we cannot draw the conclusion that longer case management would automatically lead to case resolution when other barriers to case resolution remain unaddressed. - Case management is a complex skill that is fundamentally different from legal case work or general psychological or practical support skills: it is more holistic, reflective and continuous, yet has a clear focus on working towards case resolution in a structured way. Details: Brussels: European Programme for Integration and Migration (EPIM), 2018. 39p. Source: Internet Resource: accessed October 23, 2018 at: http://www.epim.info/wp-content/uploads/2018/09/ATD-Evaluation-Report_FINAL.pdf Year: 2018 Country: Europe URL: http://www.epim.info/wp-content/uploads/2018/09/ATD-Evaluation-Report_FINAL.pdf Shelf Number: 153059 Keywords: Alternatives to Detention Illegal Immigrants Immigrant Detention Immigration Enforcement Migrants |
Author: European Council on Refugees and Exiles Title: Access to protection in Europe: The registration of asylum applications Summary: This report by the Asylum Information Database (AIDA), managed by ECRE, examines the effectiveness of access to protection through an analysis of legal systems and practice concerning registration of asylum applications. The report analyses the legal and practical aspects of registration of asylum claims, with focus on: responsible authorities and content of information collected; locations of registration; time limits; and documentation. It also discusses interplay of the Dublin procedure (following the Court of Justice of the European Union ruling in Mengesteab) and the specific mechanisms for registration of asylum applications made at the border and in detention centres. The recast Asylum Procedures Directive refers to the terms of "making", "registering" and "lodging" a claim, without however detailing how these notions are to be understood in practice. These complex concepts and registration stages do not necessarily reflect consistent practice across the continent. For several countries, the formal introduction of an asylum application entails a single procedural step, while others construe "registration" and "lodging" as discrete stages with different legal effects. The analysis of national practice illustrates that a single-step registration process ensures simplicity in access to the asylum procedure. Additional layers of procedure are counter-productive as they usually entail more coordination within or between authorities, more types of official acts and documents, and inevitably more time for both asylum seekers and officials to comprehend and to navigate. States should build infrastructural and human capacity to make multiple registration points available across their national territory so as to conduct registration and issue documentation within short timeframes. Phone or online platforms used in some countries can be additional technical support tools for registration purposes but can never substitute administrative capacity. Without it, they are liable to exacerbate backlogs and prolong delays and precariousness rather than speeding up access to protection. The volume of documents issued to applicants for international protection should also be minimised in the interests of legal certainty and cost-efficient use of administrative resources. Documents should also have clear and consistent format so as to be recognisable by all actors coming into contact with asylum seekers, be they border guards, police officers, medical professionals, employment agencies, educational institutions or other. Details: Brussels: European Council on Refugees and Exiles, 2018. 34p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed October 23, 2018 at: http://www.asylumineurope.org/sites/default/files/shadow-reports/aida_accessii_registration.pdf Year: 2018 Country: Europe URL: http://www.asylumineurope.org/sites/default/files/shadow-reports/aida_accessii_registration.pdf Shelf Number: 153063 Keywords: Asylum Seekers MigrantsRefugees |
Author: Rutter, Jill Title: National Conversation on Immigration: Final report Summary: Coordinated by British Future and HOPE not hate, the National Conversation engaged 19,951 people, with more than 130 meetings in 60 locations across every nation and region of the UK. Citizens' panels in each place were recruited to be representative of the local population and researchers also met local government, businesses, faith and civil society representatives. In addition to nationally representative research by ICM, an open online survey was completed by nearly 10,000 people. The approach builds on a model used by the Canadian Government to help shape its own approach to immigration. One thing we'll be calling for is that the UK Government follows their example and does more to engage the public on this important issue. The report provides a comprehensive evidence base of public views on immigration, including reports from each of the 60 locations visited and over 40 recommendations to national and local government, business and civil society. Some of the issues on which we make proposals for change include: What are the common issues raised across the UK? What are the local differences and place-specific concerns? How should Britain approach migration for work after Brexit? How do we build public confidence in the immigration system? International student migration and universities; Protecting refugees; Improving Home Office performance; How do we address prejudice, resentment and hate? How can we make integration work better? How are face-to-face discussions about immigration different to those online? Can we find consensus on immigration and, if so, how? Details: London: British Future; HOPE not hate, 2018. 268p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed November 20, 2018 at: http://nationalconversation.uk/wp-content/uploads/2018/09/FINAL-2-national-conversation-september-report-2018-09-final.pdf Year: 2018 Country: United Kingdom URL: http://nationalconversation.uk/wp-content/uploads/2018/09/FINAL-2-national-conversation-september-report-2018-09-final.pdf Shelf Number: 153511 Keywords: Asylum SeekersImmigrantsImmigrationImmigration PolicyMigrantsRefugees |
Author: Great Britain. National Audit Office Title: Handling of the Windrush Situation Summary: Between 1948 and 1973 many Commonwealth citizens came to the UK under successive pieces of immigration legislation. Some of these individuals, particularly those from Caribbean nations, have recently become known as the Windrush generation. The government amended existing immigration legislation with the Immigration Act 1971, which came into force in 1973. At this time, Commonwealth immigrants already settled in the UK were given indefinite leave to remain, but many were not issued with any documentation, and the Home Office (the Department) kept no records confirming these individuals' status. Over at least the past 10 years the government has further reformed immigration policies according to the principle that the right to live, work and access services in the UK should only be available to those migrants who are eligible. In the spring of 2018, the media began to report stories of people who had come to the UK from the Commonwealth, being denied access to public services, being detained in the UK or at the border, or removed from, or refused re-entry to, the UK. It was reported that some people did not have the paperwork to prove their legal right to reside in the UK. In April 2018, the government acknowledged that the Windrush generation had been treated unfairly and set up a taskforce and scheme to help individuals to resolve their immigration status. Content and scope of the report This report seeks: to increase transparency about what happened; and to establish whether problems with the Department's information management and management of immigration casework may have contributed to the situation. We are not questioning the merits of the Department's policy objectives. We examine: - the scale and impact of the problem of people from the Windrush generation potentially being denied access to services, or detained or removed from the UK; - whether the Department identified the potential for new legislation and policy to have adverse effects on the Windrush generation and others; - whether its systems, guidance and processes contributed to negative outcomes, such as wrongful detention and removal; - whether the quality of the Department's information was a factor in people being wrongfully detained, removed or denied access to services; - whether the Department had adequate feedback loops to identify any adverse or unintended consequences and responded appropriately to feedback; -and how the Department is now supporting people who might have been affected, through the Windrush scheme. Report conclusions The policy of successive governments to create a hostile/compliant environment for illegal migrants involved limiting access to benefits and services and tightening enforcement activities. This included a 'devolved approach' placing a duty on landlords and employers and public service providers to carry out checks. This predictably carried a risk of impacting on individuals who were, in fact, entitled to residence, but who did not have the necessary documents. The Department had a duty of care to ensure that people's rights and entitlements were recognised and this has been re-emphasised by the Prime Minister. We do not consider that the Department adequately considered that duty in the way that it introduced immigration policy. In its implementation of the policy with few checks and balances and targets for enforcement action, we do not consider, once again, that the Department adequately prioritised the protection of those who suffered distress and damage through being wrongly penalised, and to whom they owed a duty of care. Instead it operated a target‑driven environment for its enforcement teams. The clarity of briefing to the former Home Secretary on this issue has also been called into question. It is clear that the Department received warnings of the fact that people, including in one case an employee of the House of Commons, were being wrongly caught up in the enforcement and compliant environment sanction regimes it was responsible for, but this did not have the effect of stimulating inquiry, or timely action. The Department is now moving to identify affected individuals, and to compensate them. This is positive. However, it is still showing a lack of curiosity about individuals who may have been affected, and who are not of Caribbean heritage, on the basis that this would be a 'disproportionate effort'. In the circumstances, we find this surprising. It is clear that the Department's implementation of the policy, now resulting in a belated and costly exercise in seeking information and paying compensation, to say nothing of the reputational damage involved, was not value for money. Details: London, U.K.: Comptroller and Auditor General, 2018. 48p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed December 19, 2018 at: https://www.nao.org.uk/report/handling-of-the-windrush-situation/ Year: 2018 Country: United Kingdom URL: https://www.nao.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2018/12/Handling-of-the-Windrush-situation-1.pdf Shelf Number: 154034 Keywords: Illegal MigrantsImigrant DetentionImmigrationImmigration PolicyMigrantsWindrush |
Author: Kandel, William A. Title: The Trump Administration's "Zero Tolerance" Immigration Enforcement Policy Summary: For the last several years, Central American migrant families have arrived at the U.S.-Mexico border in relatively large numbers, many seeking asylum. While some request asylum at U.S. ports of entry, others do so after entering the United States "without inspection" (i.e., illegally) between U.S. ports of entry. On May 7, 2018, the Department of Justice (DOJ) implemented a zero tolerance policy toward illegal border crossing both to discourage illegal migration into the United States and to reduce the burden of processing asylum claims that Administration officials contend are often fraudulent. Under the zero tolerance policy, DOJ prosecutes all adult aliens apprehended crossing the border illegally, with no exception for asylum seekers or those with minor children. DOJ's policy represents a change in the level of enforcement for an existing statute rather than a change in statute or regulation. Prior Administrations prosecuted illegal border crossings relatively infrequently. Criminally prosecuting adults for illegal border crossing requires detaining them in federal criminal facilities where children are not permitted. While DOJ and the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) have broad statutory authority to detain adult aliens, children must be detained according to guidelines established in the Flores Settlement Agreement (FSA), the Homeland Security Act of 2002, and the Trafficking Victims Protection Reauthorization Act of 2008. A 2015 judicial ruling held that children remain in family immigration detention for no more than 20 days. If parents cannot be released with them, children are treated as unaccompanied alien children and transferred to the Department of Health and Human Services' (HHS's) Office of Refugee Resettlement (ORR) for care and custody. The widely publicized family separations are a consequence of the Trump Administration's 100 percent prosecution policy, not the result of any family separation policy. Since that policy was implemented, up to 3,000 children may have been separated from their parents. Following mostly critical public reaction, President Trump ordered DHS to maintain custody of alien families during the pendency of any criminal trial or immigration proceedings. DHS Customs and Border Protection (CBP) subsequently stopped referring most illegal border crossers to DOJ for criminal prosecution. A federal judge then mandated that all separated children be promptly reunited with their families. Another rejected DOJ's request to modify the FSA to extend the 20-day child detention guideline. DHS has since reverted to some prior immigration enforcement policies. Family unit apprehensions, which increased from just over 11,000 in FY2012 to 68,560 in the first nine months of FY2018, are occurring within relatively low historical levels of total alien apprehensions. The national origin of recently apprehended aliens and families has shifted from mostly Mexican to mostly Central American. Administration officials and immigration enforcement advocates argue that measures like the zero tolerance policy are necessary to discourage migrants from coming to the United States and submitting fraudulent asylum requests. They maintain that alien family separation resulting from the prosecution of illegal border crossers mirrors that occurring under the U.S. criminal justice system policy where adults with custody of minor children are charged with a crime and held in jail, effectively separating them from their children. Immigrant advocates contend that migrant families are fleeing legitimate threats from countries with exceptionally high rates of gang violence, and that family separations resulting from the zero tolerance policy are cruel and violate fundamental human rights - such as the ability to request asylum. They maintain that the zero tolerance policy was hastily implemented and lacked planning for family reunification following criminal prosecutions. Some observers question the Trump Administration's capacity to marshal sufficient resources to prosecute all illegal border crossers without additional resources. Others criticize the family separation policy in light of less expensive alternatives to detention. Details: Washington, DC: Congressional Research Service, 2018, 24p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed January 11, 2019: https://fas.org/sgp/crs/homesec/R45266.pdf Year: 2018 Country: United States URL: https://www.hsdl.org/?abstract&did=814001 Shelf Number: 154108 Keywords: Asylum SeekersBorder SecurityCustoms and Border ProtectionFamily SeparationHomeland Security Act of 2002Illegal ImmigrantsImmigrationImmigration EnforcementMigrantsTrafficking Victims Protection Reauthorization Act |
Author: National Juvenile Justice Network Title: Supporting Immigrant Youth Caught in the Crosshairs of the Justice System Summary: Executive Summary Out of the estimated 11.1 million noncitizen immigrants living in America today, approximately one million are children under 18 years old. Many of these youth have come to this country fleeing violence and oppression, carry complex emotional burdens from trauma, and face basic language barriers. As national anti-immigrant rhetoric has escalated to the point of associating immigrants with animals and infestation and equating immigrant youth with gang members, these youthful immigrants have often become caught in the crosshairs of the justice system. Rather than being supported to develop into successful adults, immigrant youth are more often being targeted for arrest, detention, and deportation. As immigrant youth engage with the school and youth justice systems in this country, it is incumbent upon us to treat these youth - as we aspire to treat all youth in the United States - equitably, with dignity, and in a way that supports positive youth development and the rehabilitative goals of the youth justice system. Supporting immigrant youth has become increasingly more difficult, however, as federal, state, and local jurisdictions have adopted laws and policies that are threatening to immigrant youth and their families and fail to humanely support them. These include policies that promote local cooperation with federal immigration authorities, facilitate the deportation of immigrant youth and families, fail to protect the confidentiality of young people's school and justice records, increase harm to immigrant youth involved in the justice system, and fail to provide trauma informed, culturally and linguistically competent services for immigrant youth. While some of these policies negatively impact all youth, they can have profound consequences for immigrant youth, including higher risk of detention and the possibility of deportation. All these policies further serve to traumatize and instill fear in immigrant youth, impeding their ability to follow through on the services that will lead them on the path to positive youth development. Recommendations NJJN makes the following recommendations to support policies that uplift all families and further best practices for positive youth development for all youth, regardless of immigration status. 1) Do not entangle local and state law enforcement, youth justice, and school officials with federal immigration enforcement and encourage laws and policies that support immigrant youth. 2) Do not use gang databases and, where used, do not share them with federal authorities. 3) Safeguard students with policies that prohibit federal immigration authorities from entering schools, require warrants or other court documents to review student records, and discourage the use of school resource officers for the handling routine disciplinary matters. 4) Protect the confidentiality of all youth in the justice system, including immigrant youth. 5) Avoid detaining youth, including immigrant youth. 6) Use an immigration lens when reviewing current and proposed youth justice policies. Consider the possibility that children and/or adults that care for them may be immigrants and take actions that support their healthy development, rather than further traumatizing or harming them. 7) Ensure youth in the juvenile justice system have access to defense counsel that understand the immigration consequences of juvenile justice system involvement and, where necessary, access to immigration attorneys. Details: Washington, DC: 2018. 23p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed January 16, 2019 at: http://www.njjn.org/our-work/supporting-immigrant-youth-caught-in-the-crosshairs-of-the-justice-system Year: 2018 Country: United States URL: http://www.njjn.org/uploads/digital-library/Supporting%20Immigrant%20Youth,%20NJJN%20Policy%20Platform,%20August%20%202018.pdf Shelf Number: 154225 Keywords: DeportationImmigrant YouthImmigrantsImmigration and Customs EnforcementJuvenile Justice SystemJuvenilesMigrantsRefugees |
Author: Galos, Eliza Title: Migrant Vulnerability to Human Trafficking and Exploitation: Evidence from the Central and Eastern Mediterranean Migration Routes. Summary: Over the past years, public attention has gradually turned to the experiences of migrants along the precarious Mediterranean routes to Europe. A large number of migrants continue to risk their lives crossing the Mediterranean Sea on the way to Europe, often enduring long and perilous journeys. In 2015 and 2016, there was a large increase in arrivals of migrants and refugees fleeing protracted conflict, poverty and persecution, and seeking security and economic opportunities in Europe. The largest number of recorded migrant arrivals to Europe in 2015 occurred on the Eastern Mediterranean route. Also, the largest number of recorded migrant arrivals on the Central Mediterranean route occurred in 2016, which was also considered the deadliest and most dangerous year on record for sea crossings to Europe. A growing body of evidence is beginning to highlight the scale and scope of exploitation experienced by migrants along these routes, including human trafficking. In particular, the abuses endured by migrants in Libya - the main departure point for sea crossings to Europe - have been well documented. This report examines migrants' vulnerability to human trafficking and exploitation by exploring risk and protective factors associated with unsafe migration, through the systematic evidence collected by the International Organization for Migration (IOM) Displacement Tracking Matrix operations in 2016. It presents the results from the largest existing set of survey data on the vulnerability of migrants to abuse, exploitation and human trafficking on the Mediterranean routes to Europe. Data derive from interviews conducted over a one-year period with more than 16,000 migrants in seven countries, namely, Bulgaria, Greece, Hungary, Italy, Serbia, Slovenia and the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia. In the context of the analysis, migrants' vulnerability to human trafficking and exploitation is operationalized as the positive response to at least one of the five key questions included in the survey that refer to an individual experience during the journey. The key questions are related to potential human trafficking for labour exploitation, forced marriage and other experiences that could signal coercion (such as being held against one's will) in a possible human trafficking scenario. The survey did not collect information on potential human trafficking for sexual exploitation or on other forms of gender-based violence. More information on the choice and implications of the questions included in the survey can be found in the Methodology (Chapter 2). Definitions related to key terms, such as vulnerability and human trafficking, can be found in the Methodology and Appendix 1. The analysis of the IOM survey data shows that more than one third (37%) of all interviewed migrants had a personal experience that indicated the presence of human trafficking or other exploitative practices along the route. Seventy-three per cent of migrants interviewed along the Central Mediterranean route presented at least one indicator of exploitation, along with 14 per cent of migrants interviewed along the Eastern Mediterranean route. Details: Geneva, SWIT: International Organization for Migration, 2017. 94p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed February 4, 2019 at: http://migration.iom.int/docs/migrant_vulnerability_to_human_trafficking_and_exploitation_November_2017.pdf Year: 2017 Country: Europe URL: http://migration.iom.int/docs/migrant_vulnerability_to_human_trafficking_and_exploitation_November_2017.pdf Shelf Number: 154484 Keywords: Force LaborHuman TraffickingLabor ExploitationMigrants |
Author: Hungarian Helsinki Committee, Title: Crossing a Red Line: How EU Countries Undermine the Right to Liberty by Expanding the Use of Detention of Asylum Seekers upon Entry Summary: In February 2019, the Hungarian Helsinki Committee (HHC) along with several partner organisations, including the Global Detention Project (GDP), launched the final report of their joint initiative, the Red Line detention project, whose objective is to document and raise awareness of how EU states' border "reception" procedures are increasingly used for the detention of asylum seekers. Initially launched in 2017, the project received financial support from the European Programme for Integration and Migration (EPIM) and involved NGOs in Hungary (HHC), Bulgaria (Foundation for Access to Rights), Greece (Greek Council for Refugees), and Italy (Italian Council for Refugees). The final report, "Crossing a Red Line: How EU Countries Undermine the Right to Liberty by Expanding the Use of Detention of Asylum Seekers upon Entry," is based on assessments made by project partners of how the morphing of reception into "detention" at the borders of their countries is undermining asylum seekers right to liberty. The GDP's role was to assist the project in using UN human rights mechanisms, like the Working Group on Arbitrary Detention, to raise awareness of these trends at the international level. In addition, the GDP worked individually with each national partner to use the GDP's online database, the Global Immigration Detention Observatory, to develop comprehensive detention data profiles of each country's key immigration detention-related indicators as well as operations at the main detention centres covered in the report (links to these data profiles are provided below). The Red Line detention report was launched at an event hosted at Quaker House in Brussels on 6 February 2018, which included presentations by each country partner in addition to presentations by Elina Steinerte, vice-chair of the UN Working Group on Arbitrary Detention; Judith Sargentini, member of the European Parliament; the GDP's Michael Flynn; ECRE's Minos Mouzourakis; and HHC's Grusa Matevzic. KEY FINDINGS OF THE RED LINE DETENTION REPORT The use of detention upon entry increased in 2015 with the increase in the number of migrant arrivals, but it has continued to this date despite a significant decrease in asylum applications in Bulgaria, Hungary, and Italy. In 2017, 73.5% of asylum seekers were detained in Hungary (an increase from 2.9%) and 59% in Bulgaria, while the average length of detention has also increased in both countries. In 2017 the use of migrant detention increased in Italy by 25% and in Greece by 75%. The research revealed various practices of de facto detention, such as "protective custody" of children in Greece, hot spot detention in Greece and Italy, transit zone detention in Greece and Hungary, detention during pushback in Greece, detention on boats in Italy and detention in pre-removal centres in Greece. The common element in these forms of detention is that "de facto detention" occurs when individuals are deprived of their liberty in the absence of a detention order. Their confinement is not classified as detention under domestic law and their only possibility of release is by leaving to another country. The increased frequency with which asylum seekers are detained upon entry is motivated by a range of different practical, political, and legal considerations. It has been used as a general response to cope with unprecedented pressure on the reception and asylum processing systems in all of the countries studied (including as a response to the lack of open reception accommodation facilities in Bulgaria and Greece). Detention has also been promoted as a security measure (e.g. against terrorism) and used as a means to prevent asylum seekers from crossing external borders in a bid to gain political support for the ruling government (in Bulgaria, Hungary, and Italy). No clear evidence confirms that detention reduces the flow of arrivals as a response to an increased migratory pressure. Global Immigration Detention Observatory Data Profiles (Appendix to the Red Line Detention Report) I. Bulgaria Profile (Lyubimets Detention Centre (Special Home for Temporary Accommodation of Foreigners and Sofia Busmantsi Detention Centre (Special Home for Temporary Accommodation of Foreigners)) II. Hungary Profile (Roszke Transit Zone Detention Centre and Tompa Transit Zone Detention Centre) III. Greece Profile (Fylakio Pre-Removal Detention Centre and Samos Vathy Reception and Identification Centre) IV. Italy Profile (Trapani Pre-Removal Centre and Lampedusa (Contrada Imbriacola) Hotspot) Details: Geneva, SWIT: European Programme for Integration and Migration (EPIM), 2019. 88p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed February 8, 2019 at: https://www.globaldetentionproject.org/wp-content/uploads/2019/02/crossing_a_red_line_REPORT.pdf Year: 2019 Country: Europe URL: https://www.globaldetentionproject.org/wp-content/uploads/2019/02/crossing_a_red_line_REPORT.pdf Shelf Number: 154542 Keywords: Asylum Seekers Human Rights Abuses Immigrant Detention Immigrants Immigration Migrants |
Author: U.S. Department of Homeland Security. Office of Inspector General Title: ICE Does Not Fully Use Contracting Tools to Hold Detention Facility Contractors Accountable for Failing to Meet Performance Standards Summary: Although ICE employs a multilayered system to manage and oversee detention contracts, ICE does not adequately hold detention facility contractors accountable for not meeting performance standards. ICE fails to consistently include its quality assurance surveillance plan (QASP) in facility contracts. The QASP provides tools for ensuring facilities meet performance standards. Only 28 out of 106 contracts we reviewed contained the QASP. Because the QASP contains the only documented instructions for preparing a Contract Discrepancy Report and recommending financial penalties, there is confusion about whether ICE can issue Contract Discrepancy Reports and impose financial consequences absent a QASP. Between October 1, 2015, and June 30, 2018, ICE imposed financial penalties on only two occasions, despite documenting thousands of instances of the facilities failures to comply with detention standards. Instead of holding facilities accountable through financial penalties, ICE issued waivers to facilities with deficient conditions, seeking to exempt them from complying with certain standards. However, ICE has no formal policies and procedures to govern the waiver process, has allowed officials without clear authority to grant waivers, and does not ensure key stakeholders have access to approved waivers. Further, the organizational placement and over-extension of contracting officer's representatives impede monitoring of facility contracts. Finally, ICE does not adequately share information about ICE detention contracts with key officials. Details: Washington, DC: OIG, 2019. 36p. Source: Internet Resource: OIG-19-18 : Accessed February 22, 2019 at: https://www.oig.dhs.gov/sites/default/files/assets/2019-02/OIG-19-18-Jan19.pdf Year: 2019 Country: United States URL: https://www.oig.dhs.gov/sites/default/files/assets/2019-02/OIG-19-18-Jan19.pdf Shelf Number: 154727 Keywords: Detention Facilities Illegal Immigrants Immigrant Detention Immigration Enforcement Migrants |
Author: American Civil Liberties Union Title: Freezing Out Justice: How Immigration Arrests at Courthouses are Undermining the Justice System Summary: Approximately 22 percent of police officers surveyed reported that immigrants were less likely in 2017 than in 2016 to be willing to make police reports; 21 percent said immigrant crime survivors were less likely to help in investigations when police arrived at the scene of a crime; 20 percent reported that they were less likely to help in post-crime scene investigations; and 18 percent said immigrant crime survivors were less willing to work with prosecutors. Sixty-seven percent reported an impact on police ability to protect crime survivors generally and 64 percent reported an adverse impact on officer safety. More than 50 percent of police surveyed said domestic violence, human trafficking, sexual assault crimes are now harder to investigate because immigrant crime survivors are afraid to seek assistance. Fifty-four percent of judges participating in this survey reported that court cases were interrupted due to an immigrant crime survivor's fear of coming to court. Similarly, prosecutors surveyed reported that crimes including domestic violence, sexual assault and human trafficking were harder to investigate and prosecute because immigrant crime survivors feared immigration consequences if they came forward. SURVEY DETAILS 232 law enforcement officers in 24 states 103 judges in 25 states 50 prosecutors in 19 states 389 survivor advocates and legal service providers in 50 states Law enforcement officers, judges, prosecutors and advocates around the country are calling on ICE and CBP to stay away from courthouses so the justice system is accessible to everyone. Courts can't operate fairly or effectively when people dont feel safe coming forward. When the federal government insists on conducting immigration arrests in courthouses, it is harder for prosecutors, police, public defenders, and judges to do their job. This tactic, by instilling fear and essentially excluding noncitizens and their relatives from the courts, threatens constitutional rights, like equal protection and due process, as well as the safety of the broader community. Details: New York, New York: American Civil Liberties Union, 2018. 10p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed March 1, 2019 at: https://www.aclu.org/sites/default/files/field_document/rep18-icecourthouse-combined-rel01.pdf Year: 2018 Country: United States URL: https://www.aclu.org/issues/immigrants-rights/ice-and-border-patrol-abuses/freezing-out-justice Shelf Number: 154764 Keywords: Customs and Border Patrol Illegal Immigration Immigrant Crime Survivors Immigrants Immigration Immigration Customs Enforcement Law Enforcement Migrants |
Author: Pro Asyl Title: Walls of Shame: Accounts from the Inside: The Detention Centres of Evros Summary: What we have observed in Evros area is a multilevel deterrence system implemented by the Greek police and Frontex. The detention of refugees and migrants in Evros is synonimous with brutality, despair and dehumanisation. In this case, calling an emergency of mass-immigration has given the Greek government and the EU an excuse for violating human dignity. Greece has been repeatedly criticised for its human rights violations, specifically for the appalling detention conditions for immigrants in the border region Evros. Following this harsh criticism, the Greek government declared its commitment to improve the asylum and reception system and therefore announced a national Action Plan 2010. However, so far there have been almost no improvements. Human rights violations continue. Details: Berlin: Pro Asyl, 2012. 96p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed March 8, 2019 at: https://www.proasyl.de/wp-content/uploads/2015/12/PRO_ASYL_Report_Walls_of_Shame_Accounts_From_The_Inside_Detention_Centers_of_Evros_April_2012-1.pdf Year: 2012 Country: Greece URL: https://www.proasyl.de/wp-content/uploads/2015/12/PRO_ASYL_Report_Walls_of_Shame_Accounts_From_The_Inside_Detention_Centers_of_Evros_April_2012-1.pdf Shelf Number: 154885 Keywords: Detention CentersHuman Rights AbusesImmigrant DetentionImmigrantsMigrantsRefugees |
Author: Hvidtfeldt, Camilla Title: Refugees and asylum seekers in Denmark 1992-2016: Numbers, waiting times, settlement and legislation Summary: The purpose of this report is to present an overview of key issues that concerned asylum seekers and refugees newly arrived in Denmark over the period 19922016. Interest in topics relating to refugees has once again risen markedly on the Danish political agenda, especially since the refugee crisis in 2015, when images of refugees wandering on foot along Danish motorways imprinted themselves on the consciousness of many Danes, reminding them that global problems can become very local ones. At the same time, the phenomenon of refugees is an old and familiar one. The UN Refugee Convention dates from 1951, and it came into being in light of the huge streams of refugees that the world had seen during and after World War II. Over the years, Denmark has received refugees from European countries such as Czechoslovakia, Hungary and Poland, and also from more distant countries such as Vietnam, Sri Lanka, Iran, Iraq and Somalia. One of the largest refugee groups received in Denmark to date came as a result of the civil war in Yugoslavia, and the period covered by this report begins in the years when many of these refugees arrived in the country. Developments in issues concerning newly arrived refugees are traced over the subsequent 25 years, finishing in 2016, when the civil war in Syria was the cause of a new stream of refugees. A number of key parameters are used in elucidating developments concerning refugees over the past 25 years. These concern the number of asylum seekers arriving in the country, the countries from which they came, the number of applicants that were granted refugee status, the length of time taken to decide each case, and where the refugees were settled after receiving their residence permits. By juxtaposing the figures related to trends in numbers of asylum seekers and refugees with Danish legislation in the area and the changes in it, we hope to create a more complete and cohesive picture of developments in the area. In this report, the term asylum seeker denotes a foreigner who seeks protection under the Refugee Convention and thereby the right to reside in another country-in this case, Denmark -but who has not yet been recognised as a refugee. A refugee is a person who has had his or her application for asylum granted (Ministeriet for flygtninge, udlndinge og integration, 2003). Details: Copenhagen: Rockwool Foundation, 2018. 73p. Source: Internet Resource: Study Paper Nr. 133: Accessed April 19, 2019 at: https://www.rockwoolfonden.dk/app/uploads/2018/12/Study-Paper-133_Refugees-and-asylum-seekers-in-Denmark-1992-2016.pdf Year: 2018 Country: Denmark URL: https://www.rockwoolfonden.dk/app/uploads/2018/12/Study-Paper-133_Refugees-and-asylum-seekers-in-Denmark-1992-2016.pdf Shelf Number: 155472 Keywords: Asylum Seekers Immigrants MigrantsRefugees |
Author: Fekete, Liz Title: When witnesses won't be silenced: citizens' solidarity and criminalisation Summary: Chronicling 17 cases involving 99 people in 2018 and the first months of 2019, this second report [1] on the criminalisation of humanitarian actors, shows the expansion and escalation of states' prosecutions during the 'migrant crisis'. For example, 2018 saw charges include: Membership of a criminal network or gang as well as, in the Stansted 15 case, terrorism-related offences In some cases, individuals and organisations have had phones tapped and bank accounts frozen In the case of search and rescue NGOs investigation and/or prosecution has been accompanied by 'smear campaigns' which seem to be spearheaded by the Italian government to delegitimize, slander and obstruct aid associations Details: London: Institute of Race Relations. 2019. 30p. Source: Internet Resource: Briefing Paper No. 13: Accessed April 26, 2019 at: http://s3-eu-west-2.amazonaws.com/wpmedia.outlandish.com/irr/2019/04/24131900/When-witnesses-wont-be-silenced-FINAL.pdf Year: 2019 Country: Europe URL: http://s3-eu-west-2.amazonaws.com/wpmedia.outlandish.com/irr/2019/04/24131900/When-witnesses-wont-be-silenced-FINAL.pdf Shelf Number: 155555 Keywords: Asylum Seekers Human Rights Humanitarian Aid Immigration EnforcementImmigration Policy Migrants |
Author: United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) Title: Evaluacin Final Independiente. Proyecto: "Promocion de la cooperacion entre Mexico y Centroamerica para prevenir y combatir el trafico ilcito de migrantes" ( Promotion of cooperation between Mexico and Central America to prevent and combat th Summary: Project description Given the high intra- and extra-regional mobility of Mexico and Central America, the illicit trafficking of migrants has become one of the most common criminal manifestations due to the growing number of people who resort to the services of traffickers to illegally enter the country. United States of America. For decades, facilitation for the crossing of the northern border was tolerated and even considered a "social service". However, according to the UNODC Report entitled "Transnational Organized Crime Threat Assessment Report", the smuggling of migrants is currently dominated by organized criminal groups who violate violence and terror against migrants in transit. The general objective of the project Promotion of cooperation between Mexico and Central America to prevent and combat the smuggling of migrants is to articulate coordinated and effective responses to prevent and combat the smuggling of migrants, one of the most profitable clandestine businesses in the region. and offer the participating authorities the political and technical elements necessary for the construction of solid, sustainable and reliable protection schemes for migrants smuggled. The technical assistance provided by UNODC will consist mainly of the facilitation of meetings between Mexican and Central American officials to promote their professionalization and international cooperation, within the framework of a shared responsibility towards the security of migratory movements along the Central American corridor and Mexico. Details: Vienna: UNODC, 2017. 90p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed April 27, 2019 at: https://www.unodc.org/documents/evaluation/Independent_Project_Evaluations/2017/MEXX89_Final_Evaluation_Report_January_2017.pdf Year: 2017 Country: Mexico URL: https://www.unodc.org/documents/evaluation/Independent_Project_Evaluations/2017/MEXX89_Final_Evaluation_Report_January_2017.pdf Shelf Number: 155587 Keywords: Human Smuggling Human Trafficking Illegal Immigrants MigrantsMigration Organized Crime |
Author: Aliverti, Ana Title: Making home safe? The role of criminal law and punishment in British immigration controls Summary: This thesis is an enquiry into the regulation of immigration through criminal law and its institutions. It looks at the range of immigration offences in British legislation, and whether and how they are being used in practice. The criminalisation of immigration status has historically served functions of exclusion and control against those who defy the state's powers over its territory and population. In the last two decades, the prerogatives to exclude and punish have been enhanced by the expansion of the catalogue of immigration offences and the more systematic enforcement of these powers. The great reliance on the criminal law to regulate immigration is distinctive of a period in which crime and immigration have been increasingly politicised. As a consequence, more offences have been created and more individuals have been subject to the hybrid immigration and criminal justice system. While immigration offences largely remain under-enforced, some of them - particularly those penalising document fraud and identity stripping- are used against foreign nationals who cannot be removed from the country. In this thesis I explain what I consider to be the most pernicious consequences of this expansion of formal and substantive criminalisation of immigration breaches. The existence of a parallel system of sanctions allows enforcement agencies wide margins of discretion. Therefore, similar cases may be dealt with in very different ways. When the criminal route is chosen, the use of criminal law in the vast majority of cases reaching the criminal courts is unnecessary, disproportionate and extremely harmful. Both the decision to prosecute and the sanction eventually imposed are justified by preventive and regulatory purposes. The actual practice of criminalisation reveals that the criminal procedural safeguards are weakened and those accused of immigration crimes are likely to be convicted and imprisoned for these offences. I conclude that the formal and substantive criminalisation of immigration represents a departure from liberal criminal law principles and the purposes of criminal punishment. These conclusions cast doubts about the pragmatic, non-principled use of criminal law to regulate immigration flows, and call for the need to look at other, more humane alternatives in the treatment of 'unwelcome' migrants. Details: Oxford, UK: University of Oxford, 2011. 294p. Source: Internet Resource: Dissertation: Accessed June 14, 2019 at: https://ora.ox.ac.uk/objects/uuid:c3659f2f-679e-464e-a12a-282c85ebac94 Year: 2011 Country: United Kingdom URL: https://ora.ox.ac.uk/objects/uuid:c3659f2f-679e-464e-a12a-282c85ebac94 Shelf Number: 156427 Keywords: Illegal ImmigrantsIllegal MigrantsImmigrantsImmigration EnforcementImmigration OffencesImmigration PolicyMigrants |
Author: Global Network of Sex Work Projects Title: Migrant Sex Workers Summary: This Briefing Paper explores the human rights barriers encountered by migrant sex workers as a result of their type of labour. It highlights their lack of access to services, as well as the increased precariousness and exclusion they face due to legal restrictions on cross-border movement and work in the sex industry. This paper also places migrant sex work in the context of international labour migration, using consultation responses from NSWP member organisations. Details: Edinburgh, Scotland: Global Network of Sex Work Projects, 2018. 16p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed June 18, 2019 at: https://www.nswp.org/sites/nswp.org/files/briefing_paper_migrant_sex_workers_nswp_-_2017.pdf Year: 2018 Country: International URL: https://www.nswp.org/sites/nswp.org/files/briefing_paper_migrant_sex_workers_nswp_-_2017.pdf Shelf Number: 156519 Keywords: MigrantsProstitutesProstitutionSex Workers |
Author: Secor, David Title: A Better Way: Community-Based Programming as an Alternative to Immigrant Incarceration Summary: Human rights norms and international law demand that immigrants benefit from a presumption of liberty during case adjudication. The use of immigration detention has been repeatedly proven inefficient, ineffective, and at odds with human welfare and dignity. Throughout the world, governments and non-governmental organizations are operating a growing variety of alternatives to detention. Evidence-based studies consistently prove community-based programs to be safer than a detention-based approach, vastly less expensive, and far more effective at ensuring compliance with government-imposed requirements. Most importantly, community-based alternatives offer a framework for refugee and migrant processing that is welcoming and allows families and communities to remain together. Instead of pursuing alternatives, the United States has dramatically expanded its reliance on immigration detention in recent decades. Prior to the 1980s, the United States government rarely jailed individuals for alleged violations of the civil immigration code. This changed in the late 1980s, and the use of detention increased significantly after the government authorized the indefinite detention of Haitian asylum seekers at Guantanamo Bay in 1991, claiming a need to control the movement of arriving refugees and migrants. Using many of the same structures that were fueling mass incarceration of communities of color across America, the United States started locking up immigrants at unprecedented levels. The immigration detention system quickly metastasized, fueled by profit and fear. Today it is a sprawling network of wasteful prisons operated by for-profit companies, county jails, and a small number of processing centers owned by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) that are interchangeable from jails in structure and practice.5 The number of individuals locked in immigration detention skyrocketed from an average of 7,000 per day in 1994 to more than 50,000 in 2019. The Trump administration is demanding even more funds to open more immigrant jails and expand those already in operation, beyond spending levels approved by Congress. Human rights violations are rampant throughout United States immigration jails. Those who leave the system carry psychological and physical scars. Asylum seekers and immigrants should be welcomed to the United States, not greeted by a jail cell. A transformative approach to migration management, developed in reliance on evidence-based analysis and comparative models, could support immigrants and their families in a manner that invests in all communities. Details: Chicago, Illinois: National Immigrant Justice Center, 2019. 23p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed June 19, 2019 at: https://www.immigrantjustice.org/sites/default/files/uploaded-files/no-content-type/2019-04/A-Better-Way-report-April2019-FINAL-full.pdf Year: 2019 Country: United States URL: https://www.immigrantjustice.org/research-items/report-better-way-community-based-programming-alternative-immigrant-incarceration Shelf Number: 156523 Keywords: Asylum SeekersCommunity-Based ProgramsEvidence-Based ApproachHuman RightsHuman WelfareImmigrant DetentionImmigrantsImmigration and Customs EnforcementMigrantsRefugee |
Author: Marcus, Anthony Title: Is Forced Marriage a Problem in the United States?: Intergenerational Conflict over Marital Choice Among College Students at the City University of New York from Middle Eastern, North African, and South Asian Migrant Families Summary: During the past decade, European parliaments, researchers, and social service providers have recognized and designed policy to address forced marriages, in which migrant parents, primarily from Middle Eastern, North African, and South Asian (MENASA) families, impose marital choices on their European-raised children, through coercion, emotional abuse, psychological pressure, kidnapping, trickery, physical violence or the threat of violence. In the United States there has been little research on forced marriage, despite over three million resident migrants from these countries. Drawing on interviews from a purposive sample of 100 City University of New York students, this study documents the presence of intergenerational conflict over honor, sexuality, and marital choice within MENASA migrant communities with the goal of assessing whether forced marriage is a problem in the United States. Results suggest that there is significant and widespread intra-familial conflict over marital choice within this population and that forced marriage may be a problem for some young people in US migrant communities. However, definitions and policy approaches derived from Europe may not be suitable to the vastly different receiving country conditions encountered in the United States. Details: New York: Aha Foundation and John Jay College of the City University of New York, 2015. 10p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed June 20, 2019 at: https://www.theahafoundation.org/wp-content/uploads/2015/03/AHA_Forced-Marriage-Report.pdf Year: 2015 Country: United States URL: https://preventforcedmarriage.org/resources/is-forced-marriage-a-problem-in-the-united-states-intergenerational-conflict-over-marital-choice-among-college-students-at-the-city-university-of-new-york-from-middle-eastern-north- Shelf Number: 156543 Keywords: Family Conflict Forced Marriage Migrants |
Author: Wahlbeck, Osten Title: National Report on the Governance of the Asylum Reception System in Finland Summary: The system of governance of the national reception system in Finland can be described as a centralised state-led system with a top-down decision-making, where the municipalities and civil society are key partners in implementation processes, but they can only indirectly influence the governance of the reception system. Reception and integration are formally two different areas of practice, with the state as responsible for reception measures and the municipalities responsible for integration measures. The centralisation of the system has involved the strengthening of the role of the Finnish Immigration Service. The administrative reforms involve a long history of centralisation and Europeanisation of the administration, which predates the so-called migration crisis of 2015. A convergence of the functioning, accessibility and quality of reception services is an aim of the centralised national system. Yet, the system also involves structural conflicts of interest between local and national perspectives, which are strengthened by the legal and administrative division of reception and integration into two different areas of practice. Details: Chemnitz: Technische Universitt Chemnitz Institut fr Europaische Studien Humangeographie mit Schwerpunkt Europaische Migrationsforschung, 2019. 53p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed June 25, 2019 at: http://ceaseval.eu/publications/WP3_Finland.pdf Year: 2019 Country: Finland URL: http://ceaseval.eu/publications/WP3_Finland.pdf Shelf Number: 156627 Keywords: Asylum Seekers Immigrants Immigration Policy Migrants |
Author: Human Rights Watch Title: "We Can't Help You Here": US Returns of Asylum Seekers to Mexico Summary: The Trump administration has pursued a series of policy initiatives aimed at making it harder for people fleeing their homes to seek asylum in the United States, separating families, limiting the number of legal entries, prolonging detentions, and narrowing the grounds of eligibility. In January 2019, the administration expanded its crackdown on asylum to a wholly new practice: that of returning asylum seekers to Mexico where they are expected to wait until their US asylum court proceedings conclude, for months and perhaps even for years. "We Can't Help You Here": US Asylum Seeker Returns to Mexico details serious abuses associated with the US Department of Homeland Security's so-called Migrant Protection Protocols (MPP). Based on interviews with asylum seekers in Ciudad Juarez, Mexico, attorneys, advocates, and Mexican and US government officials, as well as court monitoring in El Paso, Texas, the report reveals asylum seekers are trapped in dangerous Mexican border cities with limited shelter space where they lack meaningful access to due process in the US and face risks to safety and security. Human Rights Watch calls on the Department of Homeland Security to immediately end the MPP program and cease returning asylum seekers to Mexico in order to ensure their safety, access to humanitarian support, and due process in their asylum proceedings. The US government should also reduce the backlog in the immigration court system and avoid detaining migrants, especially asylum seekers, children, families, those with physical or mental health concerns, and other vulnerable populations. Details: New York: HRW, 2019. 56p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed July 5, 2019 at: https://www.hrw.org/sites/default/files/report_pdf/us_mexico0719_web.pdf Year: 2019 Country: United States URL: https://www.hrw.org/sites/default/files/report_pdf/us_mexico0719_web.pdf Shelf Number: 156849 Keywords: Asylum Seekers Immigrants Immigration Enforcement Immigration Policy Migrants |