Introduction
For centuries, people in virtually every region of the world have often had to leave their homes and seek safety to escape persecution, armed conflict, or political violence. Recently, migration processes have been intensifying, and the crisis has been exacerbated by the fact that EU states have been unable to develop a unified approach to solving the problem for a long time (Bhabha, 2018, p. 43). European states’ leadership needed more time to constructively and promptly address the problems associated with global migration processes (Bhabha, 2018). This led to the migration crisis of 2015, which remains one of the most critical challenges for European countries today (Bhabha, 2018, p. 43). This is because significant flows of refugees and asylum seekers pose a security threat to various countries and their citizens.
Moreover, national governments’ actions to protect their borders and interests lead to the fact that refugees face human rights restrictions. As a result, there is a significant need to address the challenges posed by the increasing flow of asylum seekers. Hence, it is essential to identify the main security challenges faced by refugees and asylum seekers, determine their rights’ limitations, and propose a solution to balance these problems.
The Problem of Refugees and Seekers of Asylum
Europe and the U.S. are experiencing a large-scale migration crisis. Many politicians and experts consider this crisis unprecedented and view it as the most serious challenge to Europe in the entire post-war period. According to the UN High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), between January and August 2015, 380,000 irregular migrants and refugees arrived in Europe by sea, and their number is increasing by several thousand every day (Bhabha, 2018, p. 65). While in July, their number was 75,483, it increased to 129,843 people in August.
The biggest number of migrants, who reached Europe through Italian territory, accounts for 30 708 Eritrean citizens. Syrians among refugees in Italy were comparatively only 6,710 people (Bhabha, 2018, p. 65). Most of the migrants from the Eastern Triangle try to reach the U.S. territory. Today, approximately 800,000 Hondurans live in the United States. There are approximately 800,000 Hondurans in the United States today, roughly 10% of the population of Honduras, 1 million Guatemalans, and 1.6 million Salvadorans (Costello & Foster, 2022). Hence, the scale of migration of people seeking refuge and refugees is constantly increasing.
The basis of the migration situation that American and European societies faced was the economic, political, and national legal instability that swept through the countries of Africa and the Middle East. The main destabilizing factor was the armed conflicts that escalated in different periods in Syria, Lebanon, Yemen, Iraq, Afghanistan, and other countries where the fight against the Islamic State was waged (Bhabha, 2018). However, over the past year, the war in Ukraine can be considered one of the reasons for the increase in the flow of migrants.
Another equally important aspect was the deterioration of the demographic situation, expressed in a significant increase in the population of these countries. Their economies were not ready to fully provide for their citizens, which resulted in large-scale unemployment and a considerable rise in poverty. When refugees leave their home areas, they settle in established camps in Turkey, Lebanon, and other states (Bhabha, 2018). However, the absence of money, jobs, and social benefits, combined with decreased funding from host governments, resulted in a declining situation in the refugee settlements. All this forced people to leave their residences and head for more prosperous countries in America and Europe.
Security Threats
The migration crisis has become a growing security threat to modern Europe and America. The current migration crisis continues to pose significant threats to the political, social, and economic security of countries suffering from the influx of refugees and asylum seekers (Estevens, 2018). First, the migration factor risks increasing economic and social tensions.
Another reason for this is that many migrants are not able to integrate into European society and become its full members for various reasons. They settle in disadvantaged areas and become sources and participants in illegal business and the “shadow” economy (Estevens, 2018). As for social tensions, a large influx of migrants becomes a guaranteed source of income for organized crime. This naturally leads to the deterioration of the criminal situation in cities, which, in turn, compromises the security of the social sphere of European and American society.
Numerous economic and other problems faced by migrants often cause them to be classified as socially disadvantaged in host countries. Accordingly, against the general background of growing ethnic diversity, strong politicization of refugee migration, and excessive vulnerability of mobile people to social risks, it is becoming a problem. Access to social security for migrants and their descendants has become a key area of concern in all democracies (Estevens, 2018). Residents fear that the influx of migrants will contribute to lower wages, increase national unemployment, and raise the cost of housing and consumer goods. It is often considered that refugees and asylum seekers are a burden on the social welfare system of host countries (Estevens, 2018). The major rationale for this approach is the belief that immigrants are not part of the civilized world and, thus, should not fully benefit from the social welfare system.
Economic security threats are the second most important aspect of society’s perception after socio-cultural threats. The financial challenges include the expansion of the shadow economy, which causes huge tax losses, and the growth of uncontrolled markets for counterfeit goods and services (Estevens, 2018). In addition, the problem arises due to increased smuggling, primarily of resources and various values, and the entrenchment of negative shadow practices and stereotypes in the economy.
The next area threatened by refugee migration is politics. Stability in this area is undermined by the large number of migrants who create organizations, often radical, designed to defend their interests and fight for equal rights (Estevens, 2018). This situation undermines the political system in democratic states, which also undermines security. This also suggests that the territorial integrity of states is at risk of being torn apart by the inevitable change in the ethnic composition of the population with the help of migrants.
Moreover, the newly formed ethnic groups are fighting not only for equal rights but also for the opportunity to live as a separate ethnic group, which provokes separatist sentiments and interethnic conflicts based on them. The political activity of migrants gives rise to the growing popularity of far-right political parties, which are committed to antagonizing further migration and defending the identity of their state. Most people in Europe and America consider refugees a political threat (Estevens, 2018). The reason is that their connection with their homeland can affect bilateral relations between the host country and the state of origin.
The diaspora can pressure the host country in its policy towards the homeland of migrants. However, the desire of migrants to assert their positions in the power structures of the host country is an even more significant concern for the security of Europeans and Americans (Estevens, 2018). Accordingly, political threats of migration cause acute social tension in the European Union and the United States and make them want to rid the state of a massive flow of migrants who destabilize the internal situation in the country.
Meanwhile, political instability is another cause of social tension, as the local population, fearing such active political activity of migrants, opposes further refugee acceptance. Accordingly, xenophobic sentiments and antagonism between the European population and migrants are growing, which in turn has consequences in the form of protests and even armed clashes (Estevens, 2018). Another major challenge of the migration factor is the spread and growth of terrorism. This is because refugees are one of the primary tools not only for smuggling but also for spreading the influence of terrorist organizations.
Supporters and loyal followers of terrorist organizations enter Europe and the United States together with migrants and carry out terrorist acts there. As a result, this undoubtedly undermines the notion of security in all spheres of life in a civilized society. Moreover, the increasing number of refugees and asylum seekers affects cultural security (Estevens, 2018). Although it is often presented as a management problem related to the economic and labor considerations of states, it, in fact, challenges and undermines their national and cultural image.
Human Rights Violations
The refugee problem is obviously connected to the issue of human rights. Human rights abuses are not only one of the primary causes of mass exodus but also preclude voluntary repatriation until they cease. Violations of minority rights and interethnic conflicts are increasingly causing both mass exodus and internal displacement (Costello & Foster, 2022). Another connection between these two concerns is neglecting the minimum rights of refugees and displaced individuals. Many asylum seekers face growing numbers of measures that prevent them from gaining access to safe locations.
In some cases, asylum seekers and refugees are apprehended or forcibly transferred to areas where their lives, freedoms, and security are threatened (Costello & Foster, 2022). A number of them are subjected to attacks by organized conflict groups or recruited into the armed forces, where they are compelled to participate in civil wars. People who seek asylum and refugees are also victims of racist acts.
Refugees have rights that should be admired before they apply for asylum, during the processing of their applications, and after they are granted. Respect for human rights is a prerequisite for preventing current refugee flows and addressing the associated problems (Costello & Foster, 2022). At the same time, the unequal situation of refugees can be traced through various social indicators, such as income, access to education, healthcare, social guarantees, and justice.
For example, according to data from 2018, almost half of all non-European migrants were at risk of poverty and social exclusion (40%), while for EU citizens, the degree of such risks was only 15.3% (Costello & Foster, 2022). The employment rate of migrants and the local population differed by 60% and 73.8%, respectively. In 2019, the share of young people who were neither employed nor in education and training for migrants was 24.2% compared to 11.8% for the local population (Costello & Foster, 2022). Therefore, this indicates that refugee and asylum-seeker flows have limited rights that do not correlate with guaranteed international rights.
Additionally, refugees and asylum seekers also need financial support from the countries where they are arriving. To start receiving social benefits, they must apply to the state authorities and complete the documents officially. They often need help because they must collect many documents to receive the minimum social security (Costello & Foster, 2022). This process is delayed for individuals who do not speak a foreign language. As a result, there is a problem when refugees and asylum seekers need financial support and help finding housing and thus are below the poverty level (Costello & Foster, 2022). Accordingly, protracted bureaucratic procedures are one of the factors that affect the rights of refugees and asylum seekers.
Balance Reflections and Consequences
All proposed measures to protect people’s rights and security in the states in which they live can be divided into several main categories. First, socio-economic measures must be enhanced. The first and most important decision that all governments should take is to ensure free and equal access to medical services for all people regardless of their migration status (Hatton, 2020). States need to legislate to remove barriers to access to various social services, in particular to health care for migrant refugees and members of their families. Obstacles can appear through legal and regulatory restrictions, language, cultural or religious barriers (Hatton, 2020). Other factors should be removed so that migrants and refugees can receive health care equally with citizens.
In addition, public and private companies need to provide decent working conditions that include all the required elements for safe labor. This includes, for example, protective equipment and safety and health instructions, including in the national language (Hatton, 2020). Occupational health and safety for all workers, including migrant employees, should be a priority.
Moreover, socio-economic support measures could include additional unemployment benefits, job placement assistance, social support guarantees, and insurance prolongation. Therefore, these measures will allow refugees or asylum seekers to receive assistance from the state to work for their benefit in the future. Additionally, introducing these measures will improve the observance of refugees’ fundamental rights and turn them into people who can work in the state of migration and pay taxes (Hatton, 2020). Therefore, it will reduce the economic insecurity that is a significant threat to the citizens of the states.
Secondly, it is essential to strengthen political and legal measures to minimize dangers to residents of states while respecting the rights of refugees and asylum seekers. Accordingly, discrimination based on the race of refugees should be prohibited and controlled by state authorities. Only by formulating such a policy can social security guarantees for citizens and refugees be achieved simultaneously (Hatton, 2020).
Therefore, creating and maintaining a tolerance policy will help reduce negative societal tensions. As a result, it will help to prevent protests, armed confrontations, or other fights. Thus, national policies should adapt to the influx of refugees and asylum seekers and assess the potential dangers they may pose to states (Hatton, 2020). Further, national governments need to ensure that migrants’ rights are respected and develop programs that will help migrants access various areas to ensure their integration into society. This way, they can work and pay taxes like citizens and receive all the required rights.
Nevertheless, states need to continue to work at the international level. This is necessary to approach global management of the refugee flow. Consequently, they should develop a system of permissible migration to reduce the burden on certain states that cannot provide refugees with decent living conditions (Hatton, 2020). Additionally, global governance should share information on successful methods of dealing with refugees to balance human rights and national interests. Furthermore, continuing global governance mechanisms, such as the UN Refugee Agency (UNHCR), will contribute to addressing national security and refugee rights issues at the global level.
Accordingly, such an approach will have significant implications at the national and global levels. This is because, at the national level, states can start implementing policies to protect their security and ensure the universally recognized rights of refugees using the same measures (Hatton, 2020). Meanwhile, global governance approaches will be coordinated with national guidelines to help states cope with the challenges. As a result, balancing considerations of the two issues will allow for the continued development of successful migration policies at the national level.
Conclusion
In summary, the migration flow of refugees is constantly growing and causing problems with the security situation in Europe and the United States. The main factor that influences the growth of the number of asylum seekers is wars and the desire of people from developing countries to get better living conditions. As a result, people are migrating to developed countries, which raises concerns among their citizens and politicians about economic, cultural, and social security for society. Meanwhile, nation-states and global migration governance cannot redistribute the flows of refugees and asylum seekers, which means that states often fail to provide them with human rights, such as adequate living conditions or benefits. In addition, the population of states often protests the influx of refugees and discriminates against them based on race and social status.
At the national level, governments must balance these problems by introducing new policies to help refugees in basic areas of life. Consequently, this will ensure their basic human rights and reduce the pressure on the state system. The reason is that refugees who receive assistance in employment and other areas, like citizens, will work to support the state. This will help to minimize social tensions and avoid conflicts between refugees and citizens. Moreover, global governance of these problems will help formulate a common international policy and ensure the redistribution of asylum seekers depending on the capacities of all states. Therefore, it will help to relieve pressure on individual states and improve the overall state of migration policy.
References
Bhabha, J. (2018). Can we solve the migration crisis?. John Wiley & Sons.
Costello, C., & Foster, M. (2022). (Some) refugees welcome: When is differentiating between refugees unlawful discrimination?. International Journal of Discrimination and the Law, 22(3), 244-280. Web.
Estevens, J. (2018). Migration crisis in the EU: Developing a framework for analysis of national security and defence strategies. Comparative Migration Studies, 6(1), 20-28. Web.
Hatton, T. J. (2020). Asylum migration to the developed world: Persecution, incentives, and policy. Journal of Economic Perspectives, 34(1), 75-93. Web.