Europe's Mediterranean coast : the challenge of illegal immigration

Abstract

The aim of this thesis is to discuss the impact of illegal immigration on the European Mediterranean States. This phenomenon has always been present in the Mediterranean and has also increased with the advance of technology. Although migration is considered to be an effect of globalisation, it is a phenomenon as old as the World itself In the first instance, humanity evolved from Africa, later spreading throughout all comers of the world. Secondly, the process continued bringing about constant demographic shifting. European States have tried to tackle it both individually and jointly but still, a large number of illegal immigrants are caught while attempting to enter Europe's borders. Illegal immigrants are encouraged to undertake such a tough journey primarily due to economic factors, but also as a cause of political and social instability in their respective failing states such as Sierra Leon and Liberia Finally, a network of 'friends' or racketeers may facilitate the process of this phenomenon in exchange of an adequate and sometimes overabundant compensation. The advent of globalisation with modernised and efficient means of transport and communication did facilitate the process. In the post-W.W.II. period, irregular immigration happened between states having historical ties, geographical links or economic relations, such as France and Algeria or Spain and Morocco. Things became different with the establishment of the European Community (E.C.) and later the European Union (E.U.). It is a matter of fact that the success of the E.U. in maintaining internal stability and economic prosperity has stimulated people having nothing to lose to embark in such an ambitious and difficult task to find personal well-being in a developed State. The economic prosperity of the E. U. attracts about 500, OOO illegal immigrants a year. Although legal migration may provide growth in a nation's economy, illegal immigrants are never ·welcomed by the population. This clash between natives and foreigners culminated as an effect of September 11, where people of Islamic origins are normally viewed with scepticism. This increased the popularity of far right parties, which seemed to provide the right solutions to immigration. In a short time, nationalist parties in Austria, France and Denmark revived with issues such as restricting immigration and the elimination of illegal immigration by means of tough measures. European governments try to restrict the flow of immigrants by means of legal barriers, resulting in what is sometimes referred to as Fortress Europe. The E.U. must also provide a clear definition between illegal immigrants and asylum seekers. Although the E.U. has proposed a new joint frontier police force and penalties for third world countries refusing to take back illegal immigrants expelled from the E. U., the efficiency of the Union to stop this phenomenon is still subject to improvement.