Report/ Recommendations
This report is authored by Dr. Oliver Schmidtke. It’s on governing irregular migration and refugees explores the complexities of this issue through a transatlantic perspective, focusing on Europe and Canada. It identifies irregular migration as a “wicked policy challenge” due to its unpredictability, political sensitivity, and the difficulty of balancing humanitarian principles with national security concerns. The report discusses paradoxes in policy-making, the polarizing effects of migration debates, and the rise of right-wing populism. The report includes the following key section:
- The European Context: The report examines Europe’s struggle to develop a unified approach, highlighting the failure of supranational leadership during the 2015–16 migration crisis. Europe’s reliance on securitization and border control, combined with the political polarization on the issue, has hindered comprehensive solutions.
- Local Governance: The role of municipalities in housing and integrating refugees is emphasized, noting that while local governments face logistical and financial challenges, they are often more pragmatic than national authorities in implementing policies.
- Canadian Approach: The Canadian refugee system, with its emphasis on civil society and programs like private sponsorship, is highlighted as an innovative model for integrating refugees. The system’s reliance on local actors and civil society offers lessons for other countries.
The report concludes by calling for evidence-based policy discussions, the need for faster asylum processing, and the importance of transnational cooperation to effectively manage irregular migration. It suggests involving local communities more directly and developing a comprehensive, humanitarian-centered approach to address the growing global displacement crisis.
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