DOCSLIB.ORG

Iraqi Refugees in Lebanon: Continuous Lack of Protection by Samira Trad and Ghida Frangieh

Total Page：16

File Type：pdf, Size：1020Kb

Download full-text PDF Read full-text
Iraqi Refugees in Lebanon: Continuous Lack of Protection by Samira Trad and Ghida Frangieh FMR IRAQ SPECIAL ISSUE 3 Iraqi refugees in Lebanon: continuous lack of protection by Samira Trad and Ghida Frangieh There are no official statistics but there may be more Prima facie refugee status than 0,000 Iraqi refugees in Lebanon. Lebanon During the UNHCR Pre-Excom NGOs already hosts some 00,000 Palestinians for whom Consultation Meeting in October no durable solution is in sight. In the absence of a 2006, Frontiers Ruwad Association policy response, is there a danger of the Iraqi refugees participated in the drafting of an becoming ‘Palestinised’ – left in limbo in the Levant? NGO Statement which expressed concern for the indefinite use of temporary protection and called for Most Iraqis have entered Lebanon via safe return to the country of origin the recognition of Iraqi refugees on a Syria. They include large numbers when conditions permit. The rationale prima facie basis in order to end the of Iraqi Christians who believe they of the temporary protection regime state of limbo and ensure an effective will find safety among Lebanon’s is to avoid the overwhelming of protection for Iraqi refugees in the Christian communities. Iraqi refugees refugee status procedures and to Middle East. In December 2006, find it next to impossible to obtain an maintain the possibility of return UNHCR issued an advisory return entry visa to Lebanon so have entered once there is a political settlement for Iraqis2 in which it recommended the country illegally, often assisted of the conflict in the country of that states and UNHCR should by smugglers. They are thus at threat origin. It is premised on the belief declare Iraqis as refugees on a prima of arrest and conviction for ‘illegal that the conflict which has caused facie basis except for those who entry’, regardless of their status with the mass displacement is soon to be were residing in Iraqi Kurdistan and UNHCR. Lebanon is not a signatory resolved and it focuses on return those who fall under the exclusions to the 1951 Refugee Convention and as the most appropriate solution.1 clauses of the 1951 Convention. lacks effective legislation regulating asylum. Lebanon has also repeatedly The implementation of the temporary Like the temporary protection stated that it is not a country of protection regime for Iraqis was based regime, prima facie refugee status asylum due to its demographic and on the belief that the US-led invasion determination is based on the idea social composition and to the fact that would overthrow Saddam Hussein’s that a group of people – who share it already hosts more than 400,000 regime and speedily restore stability common criteria such as country Palestinian refugees. To make matters and democracy to Iraq. As a result, of origin or date of flight – should worse, the Arab World – unlike Iraqis were left in a state of limbo and be provided with international Latin America and Africa – lacks legal uncertainty: neither refugees nor protection. However, group regional instruments to provide non-refugees, faced with voluntary determination on a prima facie protection for refugees fleeing from repatriation as the only possible basis grants refugee status to all generalised violence and civil strife. durable solution and denied the chance of settlement in the country As a result, protection of refugees of asylum or in a third country. Few Iraqis can hope lies entirely in the hand of UNHCR. Temporary protection as conceived to be resettled. In March 2003 the agency called by UNHCR is not limited in time, for all Iraqi refugees (including in contrast to the European Union rejected cases) to be included under which sets a three-year limit for the members of the group. Therefore, ‘temporary protection’ – a regime implementation of this procedure. a refugee recognised on a prima elaborated by the international The absence of a time-frame increases facie basis should benefit from community in order to respond to the uncertainty of this temporary the rights enshrined in the 1951 situations of large-scale displacement status and risks politicisation of the Convention unlike a refugee and to the limitations of the 1951 protection of massively displaced under temporary protection. Refugee Convention and the refugee persons. As a result, the temporary definition. It is based around four protection regime of Iraqi refugees The news of prima facie principles: admission to safety, that was initially planned for implementation came as a long- respect for basic human rights, a period of three months was awaited Christmas present for Iraqi protection against refoulement and maintained until the end of 2006. refugees. UNHCR offices in Beirut 3 FMR IRAQ SPECIAL ISSUE – and in Damascus and Amman Most of these returnees were where access to health care is cheaper. – were flooded with refugees asking arbitrarily detained for months On her way back to Lebanon, she to receive the refugee certificate which after the expiry of their sentence. was arrested and detained by the they believed would protect them Prolonged arbitrary detention Lebanese authorities along with her from arrest in Lebanon and would continues to be an effective coercive new-born child and an older child. be their ticket to travel to another policy to force the Iraqi detainees country as part of resettlement to agree to repatriation. Most Iraqi Single men are greatly neglected. As programmes – the only durable detainees faced with the choice of one told us: “I have not seen a doctor solution for refugees in Lebanon. remaining indefinitely in Lebanese for the last seven years. I cannot Around 1,800 Iraqis registered prisons or returning to Iraq chose afford to pay for a consultation. with UNHCR between January and to return to Iraq with the intention When I go to the different UNHCR May 2007, 50% more than for the of re-entering Lebanon illegally. implementing partners for medical whole of 2006. UNHCR’s target by assistance, they send me back and December 2007 is to assist and/or Returns to Iraq from the Lebanese forth between them explaining register around 10,000 Iraqis. detention centres are financed and either that I am not an emergency coordinated by the Iraqi Embassy in case or that I do not fall under their Lebanon and IOM. UNHCR’s role is programme. At the end, I still have Disillusionment limited to ensuring the repatriations not got a medical examination.” are ‘voluntary’. An interview with The Iraqis’ illusions were soon the Iraqi Ambassador to Lebanon dashed as it became clear that third- in February leads us to estimate Conclusion country resettlement would not be that around 40 to 60 persons are available. Few Iraqis can hope to be returned to Iraq each week. No protection regime – whether it resettled. The US has announced is individual status determination, plans to resettle only 7,000 of the temporary protection or prima approximately two million Iraqi Neglect of vulnerable facie recognition – can be effective refugees in the region and the Iraqi refugees when it is solely implemented by European Union has declared UNHCR without the involvement opposition to resettlement of The illegal status of the Iraqi refugees of the Lebanese authorities and in refugees in the EU – but has agreed denies them any form of protection. the absence of any national legal to donate up to 11 million Euros for As they have no adequate assistance, framework for refugee protection humanitarian aid in the region. they are forced to work illegally and which would guarantee the right can readily be exploited – forced of every individual to seek asylum Disillusionment set in after Iraqis to work long hours, denied social and to be protected against forced realised that their prima facie refugee security and if their wages are not expulsion to a country where status has not changed government paid have no recourse to law out his life would be threatened. policies regarding their presence in of fear of being arrested for lack of the country. The temporary protection papers. Access to education and The magnitude of the Iraqi refugee regime and the recognition on health care are extremely limited. influx in the region raises fears of prima facie basis were not formally Many Iraqi teenagers are forced to ‘Palestinisation’ of their plight for the acknowledged by the Lebanese abandon their studies in order to international community is focusing authorities although Lebanon is a work illegally in harsh conditions almost solely on humanitarian member of the UNHCR Executive to provide for their families. assistance, rather than the search for Committee and is supposed to be durable solutions. Lebanon – like bound by its conclusions. As they There are a few NGOs trying to cover other Arab states – is understandably were under the Saddam regime, the basic health needs of the most reluctant to improve the legal status Iraqi refugees continue to be treated vulnerable Iraqis but their ability and living conditions of Iraqi refugees as illegal migrants by the Lebanese to assist is limited: “My wife had for fear they will once again have to authorities, at constant risk of complications when she gave birth carry a hosting burden which will being arrested for illegal entry and to our son but we were sent to a carry on for decade after decade. stay in Lebanon and sentenced to hospital that didn’t have an intensive imprisonment and deportation. care unit. I had to take her to another Samira Trad (samiratrad@fastmail. hospital but I didn’t have enough fm) is the director and Ghida The Lebanese government has money to pay for it and there were Frangieh a trainee legal advisor at often ignored UNHCR protection no ambulances to transport her and the Frontiers (Ruwad) Association guidelines regarding Iraqi refugees the baby and give them oxygen.
Load more

Recommended publications
  • Migration Control in Malaysia: Shifting Toward Internal Enforcement
    Asia-Pacific Social Science Review (2017) 16(3): 46–64 RESEARCH ARTICLE Migration Control in Malaysia: Shifting Toward Internal Enforcement Choo Chin Low and Khairiah Salwa Mokhtar Universiti Sains Malaysia [email protected] Abstract This article examines two aspects of migration control in Malaysia. First, it deals with the question of how the securitization of border control is tied to a wider dynamics of national interest. Based on the notions of “security versus facilities,” this article contextualizes how the institutional sites of governance are frustrated by the open-border policy and a liberal visa policy. Second, the paper argues that internal enforcement is a neglected part of the state’s migration control. As a self-proclaimed country of “zero irregular migrants,” Malaysia has relied heavily on external control: militarizing border crossings and criminalizing irregular migrants through raids, detention, and deportation. The study used a hybrid technique of data collection which integrates elite interviews, official publications, and online news media. The paper highlights a pressing need to formulate a critical approach to internal enforcement. A shift to internal control—identification, surveillance, and employer inspections—is crucial in addressing the root causes of migration, though controlling physical borders is still important. Keywords migration control, border security, interior enforcement, surveillance, Malaysia Border security is an inherent component of the & Schuster, 2005). The border, according to de Genova study of migration control. In debating migration control (2002, p. 436), is “the theater of an enforcement crisis.” measures, there are two schools of thought. Some of the Enforcement at the “revolving door” is critical, as the literature suggests that internal control—deportation, majority of arrests consist of new clandestine entries.
    [Show full text]
  • Re-Thinking Illegal Entry and Re-Entry
    ARTICLE_2_KELLER.DOCX 11/6/2012 11:19 AM Re-thinking Illegal Entry and Re-entry Doug Keller* This Article traces the history of two federal immigration crimes that have long supplemented the civil immigration system and now make up nearly half of all federal prosecutions: illegal entry and illegal re-entry. Little has been previously written about the historical lineage of either crime, despite the supporting role each has played in enforcing the nation’s civil immigration laws, particularly along the U.S.-Mexico border. This Article takes a critical look at the enforcement of each crime—from when they were initially conceived of as a way to deter illegal immigration, then as a way to target dangerous aliens, and most recently as a means to do both. These shifting strategies, however, have one thing in common: ineffectiveness. Enforcing the crimes has never meaningfully deterred illegal immigration, and the government’s poorly designed proxy to determine whether an alien is “dangerous” has ensured that prosecutions have not made the public safer. The most recent period is particularly troubling—enforcement has led to approximately 72,000 combined prosecutions a year, at the cost of well over a billion dollars a year, and at the expense of prosecuting more serious crimes. Despite these huge costs and the related human carnage, the criminalization of illegal entry and re-entry is invariably left out of the discussion of comprehensive immigration reform, which reflects the silent treatment these crimes have received in the immigration and criminal law literature more generally. By reviewing eight decades of ineffective policy, this Article makes the case for why there should be a fundamental re-thinking concerning the way in which the United States uses the criminal justice system to regulate immigration.
    [Show full text]
  • Recent Trends in Transnational Population Inflows Into Malaysia: Policy, Issues and Challenges
    MalaysianRecent JournalTrends ofin EconomicTransnational Studies Population 51 (1): 9-28, Inflows 2014 into Malaysia: Policy, Issues andISSN Challenges 1511-4554 Recent Trends in Transnational Population Inflows into Malaysia: Policy, Issues and Challenges Azizah Kassim* Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia Abstract: Malaysia’s foreign population increased rapidly in the last three decades. In 1980, of a population of over 13 million, 0.49 per cent were non- citizens. In 2010, the number of non-citizens increased to 2.3 million, making up 8.3 per cent of a total population of 28.4 million. The majority is low skill workers, both legal and irregular. There are also other groups comprising expatriates, international students, participants of the ‘Malaysia My Second Home’ programme, and asylum seekers/refugees whose numbers are relatively small. The inflows which contribute significantly to economic development have their attendant problems. This paper takes a comprehensive view of all the major inflows, taking a cue from state policy towards them. The inflows are divided into two categories: welcome and problematic inflows. It then outlines how each inflow emerged and expanded, state responses towards them and discusses related issues and challenges. All categories of migrants have both positive and negative impacts, but the low skill workers (including asylum seekers and refugees) are the most challenging especially in relation to the economy, border security, and internal order. The paper concludes with a discussion on the urgent need to review the foreign worker policy including Malaysia’s stand on asylum seekers/refugees to address the problems related to migrants. Key words: Asylum seekers and refugees, expatriates, foreign workers, international students, irregular migrants JEL classification: F22, F24, J15, J23, J38 1.
    [Show full text]
  • A Staircase in Nahr El Bared the Future of Palestinian Refugees in Lebanon
    BRIEFING PAPER October 2010 A STAIRCASE IN NAHR EL BARED THE FUTURE OF PALESTINIAN REFUGEES IN LEBANON EXECUTIVE SUMMARY LEBANON’S RELATIONS WITH Palestinian refugees, one not primarily between Lebanese and Palestinian positions; of the most sensitive issues in the country, was put at the rather, one of the main sources of tension is over the on- forefront of parliamentary and public debates on June 15, going peace process between the PLO and Israel. Both 2010, when a series of legislative proposals were presented Lebanese and Palestinian actors are split over whether to to re-examine the refugees’ legal status and to resolve the support negotiations with Israel or whether to advocate issues surrounding their civil rights.1 It was the culmination resistance to Israel. The main variable impacting the status of a national discussion that began in 2005, in which a new of the Palestinians in Lebanon, over which local actors have atmosphere advocating the examination of the refugee issues very little control, is the outcome of the Middle East Peace started to emerge. Process—in particular, whether it will impose a permanent settlement of the Palestinian refugees in Lebanon (known as The fact that on August 17th the Lebanese parliament “tawteen”), which is prohibited by the Lebanese constitution. managed to pass amendments facilitating the refugees’ access to the labor market is a positive indication that the Lebanese Given the complexity of the situation, the issues that are under society and its political establishment have put the period the control of local players—such as civil rights—must be of the civil war behind them and are able to tackle such a isolated in order to be properly addressed.
    [Show full text]
  • Humanitarian Cash Transfers and Financial Inclusion: Lessons from Jordan and Lebanon.” Working Paper
    HUMANITARIAN CASH TRANSFERS AND FINANCIAL INCLUSION Lessons from Jordan and Lebanon April 2020 Nadine Chehade, Peter McConaghy, and Chrissy Martin Meier Acknowledgments This paper is the result of extensive research combining a literature review, multiple in-country visits, and desk-based analytical work. Data for the paper leveraged work led by Khurram Sikander and Tricia Cuna Weaver at Paysys Global, with support from Karim Jindani. It has been reviewed by Gregory C. Chen (Lead Financial Sector Specialist, CGAP), Matthew Soursourian and Yasmin Bin Human (Financial Sector Specialists, CGAP), and Karol Karpinski (Financial Sector Specialist, FCI). The team is also grateful for the inputs provided on earlier versions by Sophie Tholstrup and Julie Lawson McDowall at the Cash Learning Partnership (CaLP) and by Antoine Navarro (CGAP consultant). The research was supported by the State and Peace- Building Trust Fund, the World Bank Group’s largest global trust fund focused on supporting countries impacted by fragility, conflict, and violence. Consultative Group to Assist the Poor 1818 H Street, NW, MSN F3K-306 Washington, DC 20433 USA Internet: www.cgap.org Email: [email protected] Telephone: +1 202 473 9594 Cover photo by Tareq Khlaf, 2014 CGAP Photo Contest. © CGAP/World Bank, 2020. RIGHTS AND PERMISSIONS This work is available under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International Public License (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/). Under the Creative Commons Attribution license, you are free to copy, distribute, transmit, and adapt this work, including for commercial purposes, under the terms of this license. Attribution—Cite the work as follows: Chehade, Nadine, Peter McConaghy, and Chrissy Martin Meier.
    [Show full text]
  • Solid Waste Management City Profile
    Solid Waste Management City Profile Union of Municipalities of Tyre, Lebanon District Information Number of Municipalities: 55 Names of the Municipalities in the District: Tyre, Arzoun, Bazouriyeh, Al Bayad, Al Borghliye, Al Ramadiyeh, Al Kneyseh, Al Bustan, Al Jebin, Al Hinniyeh, Al Haloussiyeh, Al Hmeyreh, Al Zaloutiyeh, Al Shatiyeh, Al Dhira, Al Kleyle, Al Majadel, Al Mansouri, Al Nafakhiyeh, Al Nakoura, Al Abassiyeh, Burj Rahal, Burj Al Shemali, Barish, Bedyas, Batouley, Jenata, Jbal Al Batm, Hanaweih, Deir Amess, Dardaghyah, Deir Keyfa, Deir Kanoun Rass, Deir Kanoun Al Naher, Zebkin, Reshkaneyna, Shameh Shehour, Shayhin, Seddikin, Srifa, Tayr Harfa, Tayr Daba, Tayr Felseyh, Toura, Aytit Alma Al Shaeb, Ain Baal, Qana Mrouhin, Maaroub, Mahrouneh, Maarakeh, Majdal Zoun, Mazraet Meshref, Yanouh, Yarin. Population: 400,000 (average between summer and winter) Area (km2): 418 km2 Climate: Tyre's climate is classified as warm and temperate. The winter months are much rainier than the summer months in Tyre. The average annual temperature is 20.2 °C. The rainfall averages 697 mm. Climate and Clean Air Coalition Municipal Solid Waste Initiative http://waste.ccacoalition.org/ 1 Main Economic Activities: Agriculture: South Lebanon is an important agricultural region, spreading from Sidon to Tyre where intensive agriculture is present in greenhouses. Greenhouse agriculture in South Lebanon covers an area of 6,277 ha, 78% of which is used for the plantation of fruits. Permanent agriculture land covers an area of 201,539 ha, 38.9% of which is used for planting olives, and 31.6% used for citrus fruits. The District of Tyre is considered one of the largest and most fertile coastal plains in the country and accounts for about 20% of the employment in the District in comparison to 8% in the whole country.
    [Show full text]
  • Jordan As a Transit Country: Semi-Protectionist Immigration Policies and Their Effects on Iraqi Forced Migrants
    NEW ISSUES IN REFUGEE RESEARCH S c h Working Paper No. 61 R o b Jordan as a transit country: semi-protectioniste immigration policies r and their effects on Iraqi forced migrants Géraldine Chatelard Robert Schuman Centre for Advanced Studies European University Institute Florence, Italy E-mail: [email protected] August 2002 These working papers provide a means for UNHCR staff, consultants, interns and associates to publish the preliminary results of their research on refugee-related issues. The papers do not represent the official views of UNHCR. They are also available online under ‘publications’ at <www.unhcr.org>. ISSN 1020-7473 Introduction In the last twenty years, several episodes of forced migration have taken place in the Arab Middle East following armed conflicts between states (the Iran-Iraq war, the 1991 Gulf war) or internal political unrest (in particular in Iraq).1 Despite the scale of these displacements and the centrality of Iraq, the remarks S. Shami made in a 1993 paper still hold true. She states that attention has focused on previous episodes of forced migration, such as the Lebanese civil war and the Palestinian diaspora, that group migration has not been extensively studied, that relief agencies or human rights groups produce the overwhelming majority of the literature, and that there has been little focus on the long-term social implications of forced displacement (Shami 1993: 5). In particular, involuntary migration prompted by the 1991 Gulf war and its aftermath has been given surprisingly little attention, at the notable exception of studies by a single author that have looked at the socio-economic impact of return migration from the Gulf to Jordan and Yemen (Van Hear 1993, 1994, 1995, 1998).
    [Show full text]
  • Official Journal Number : 29656 REGULATION from Ministry of Interior: IMPLEMENTING REGULATION on the LAW on FOREIGNERS and INTERNATIONAL PROTECTION
    Unofficial Translation by UNHCR Turkey 17 March 2016 THURSDAY Official Journal Number : 29656 REGULATION From Ministry of Interior: IMPLEMENTING REGULATION ON THE LAW ON FOREIGNERS AND INTERNATIONAL PROTECTION SECTION ONE General Provisions CHAPTER ONE Purpose, Scope, Basis and Definitions Purpose and Scope ARTICLE 1 – (1) The purpose of this Regulation shall be to regulate the procedures and principles with regard to entry into, stay in and exit from Turkey of foreigners and the scope and implementation of the protection to be provided for foreigners who seek protection from Turkey. (2) This Regulation shall cover the procedures and proceedings related to foreigners within the framework of the Law No. 6458 on Foreigners and International Protection dated 04/04/2013 and the procedures and principles related to implementation of international protection to be provided upon individual protection requests of foreigners in Turkey. Basis ARTICLE 2 – (1) This Regulation is prepared on the basis of Article 121 of the Law No. 6458 on Foreigners and International Protection dated 04/04/2013. Definitions ARTICLE 3 – (1) In implementation of this Regulation, the following definitions shall apply; a) Family members: The spouse, the minor child and the dependent adult child of the foreigner, applicant or the international protection status holder, b) European Countries: Member States of the Council of Europe as well as other countries to be determined by the Council of Ministers, c) Minister: The Minister of Interior, ç) Ministry: The Ministry of Interior,
    [Show full text]
  • Second-Generation Afghans in Iran: Integration, Identity and Return
    Afghanistan Research and Evaluation Unit Case Study Series Second-generation Afghans in Iran: Integration, Identity and Return Mohammad Jalal Abbasi-Shavazi Diana Glazebrook Gholamreza Jamshidiha Hossein Mahmoudian Rasoul Sadeghi April 2008 Funding for this research was provided by the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) and the European Commission (EC) i AREU Case Study Series © 2008 Afghanistan Research and Evaluation Unit. All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, recording or otherwise without prior written permission of the publisher, the Afghanistan Research and Evaluation Unit. Permission can be obtained by emailing [email protected] or calling +93 799 608548. ii Second-generation Afghans in Iran: Integration, Identity and Return About the Research Team (in alphabetical order) The research team members for the Second-generation study conducted in 2006-7 also carried out the Transnational Networks study in Iran in 2005-6. Both of these studies were commissioned by the Afghanistan Research and Evaluation Unit. Mohammad Jalal Abbasi-Shavazi is an Associate Professor in the Department of Demography of the University of Tehran, Tehran, Iran, and Adjunct Professor, Australian Demographic and Social Research Institute, Australian National University. Abbasi- Shavazi’s PhD study focused on immigrant fertility in Australia. He has conducted several studies on Iranian fertility transition as well as the Afghan refugees in Iran, and has published extensively on these subjects. He directed the project on Transnational Networks among Afghans in Iran in 2005, and prepared a country report on the situation of International Migrants and Refugees in the Iran in 2007.
    [Show full text]
  • Lebanon: Syria Crisis ECHO FACTSHEET
    Lebanon: Syria Crisis ECHO FACTSHEET shortage Facts & Figures Number of registered Syrian refugees in Lebanon: 1.07 million Number of Palestine refugees from Syria: 42 000 Number of Palestine refugees: 450 000 Number of Iraqi refugees: 6 000 (Source: UNHCR, UNRWA) Photo credit: UNHCR/Sara Hoibak Key messages Total European Commission funding for Lebanon since Lebanon is the neighbouring country hardest hit by the the start of the Syria crisis, hosting more than 1.1 million Syrian refugees. crisis: With other refugee communities also living there, Lebanon has Almost €552 million, the world’s largest number of refugees per capita. including Access to Lebanon by those fleeing the conflict in €269.1 million Syria has become close to impossible since the beginning of from the humanitarian 2015 with the enforcement of strict regulations by the budget for Syrian Government of Lebanon. refugees and host communities The European Commission commends the government and people of Lebanon for its generosity but it is increasingly concerned about the deteriorating protection space and Humanitarian Aid and living conditions of the most vulnerable refugees. An Civil Protection increasing number of refugees are being forced to become B-1049 Brussels, Belgium undocumented, which raises concerns over their ability to move Tel.: (+32 2) 295 44 00 and access services and exposes them to abuse and Fax: (+32 2) 295 45 72 email: harassment. [email protected] The European Commission is committed to continuing its Website: http://ec.europa.eu/echo support to Lebanon and the humanitarian community in providing assistance to Syrian refugees and vulnerable Lebanese.
    [Show full text]
  • Irregular Migration to Turkey 10 Irregular Migration from Turkey 11
    Cover_MRS12.qxd 1/28/03 3:52 PM Page 1 Also available online at: M Irregular Migration R http://www.iom.int S 12 in Turkey No. 12 Situated at the crossroads of trade and travel routes linking East and West, Turkey has always been a key junction for many types of migratory movements, whether by land or sea. During the last decades, millions of migrant workers have left Turkey to work abroad, but, more recently, Turkey has itself become the target of labour migration originating from neighbour- ing countries and beyond. The growing importance of illegal transit migration through Turkey, together with the use of Turkey’s territory as a staging post for onward migration towards the west, pose a major challenge for the Turkish government as it seeks to control and manage such movements, which are often organized by international criminal smuggling and traffick- ing networks. This report is based on interviews with migrants, migration officials as well as traffickers and provides useful insights into the origins and motivations of transit migrants and their inten- tions for further migration. Documented testimonies of individual smugglers show with rare candour the workings of the well-organized local and international criminal networks. The report also discusses Turkey’s policies and efforts aimed at managing the substantial irregular migration flows through its territory in cooperation with western European countries – the main destinations of transit migration through Turkey. IOM IOM • OIM ISSN 1607-338X 2 Irregular Migration in Turkey Prepared for IOM by Ahmet Içduygu Bilkent University Turkey February 2003 1 This report was extensively edited by the Research and Publications Division, IOM, Geneva.
    [Show full text]
  • The American Legion POLICY on ILLEGAL IMMIGRATION
    The American Legion POLICY ON ILLEGAL IMMIGRATION A StrAtegy to Address IllegAl ImmIgrAtIon In the UnIted StAteS The American Legion is opposed to any person or persons being in this country illegally, regardless of race, sex, creed, color or national origin. We believe the current laws govern- ing immigration should be enforced impartially and equally. tABLE oF CONTENTS Introduction 1 Situation Analysis 2 • Overstays 4 • Crime and Terrorism 5 • Education 6 • Employment and Wages 7 Proposal for U.S. Immigration Reform 8 • Step One – Border Security 8 • Step Two – Eliminate Jobs Magnet/Benefits 9 • Step Three – No Amnesty 10 • Step Four – Reduce Illegal Population 11 • Step Five – Screen/Monitor All Foreign Visitors 14 Conclusion 16 Appendix A – American Legion Positions 19 Appendix B –Message Points 25 Appendix C – Strategy to Address Illegal Immigration 29 Sources inside back cover This booklet is not intended to be a technical manual or an exten- sive compendium on the many aspects of illegal immigration. The items brought out in this brief review reflect, in the opinion of The American Legion, the more recurring concerns raised in debate on the issues of illegal immigration, whether the debate be within the halls of Congress or among the American people. POLICY ON ILLEGAL IMMIGRATION IntroductIon The American Legion members have served in the U.S. Armed Forces throughout the world so that Americans can be safe at home. They know Third World countries. They have seen poverty, political instability, disease and war. The sacrifices they have made give them a perspective on national security issues that many Americans do not have.
    [Show full text]