Contradictions in Western Immigration Regimes Securitization, Humanity and Power

Abstract

Joseph, Jo

In Western countries, migrants are often portrayed as a threat to national security, and boat migration is no different. In response, Western countries and many of their member states have adopted extensive securitization policies aimed at controlling and preventing unwanted migration. Among these, externalization has emerged not only as a policy mechanism but also as a diplomatic tool for states to utilize migration to pursue national interests. This paper explores and examines three key paradoxes: the simultaneous portrayal of immigrants as threats and victims, the contradictory logic of search and rescue operations, the changing power dynamics that create migration diplomacy. From this perspective, externalization policies not only concern the rights of immigrants, the paper also reveals how inter-state relations are being reshaped in ways that reflect deep asymmetries in global migration governance.

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