Economic Dimensions of Migration Challenges to Citizenship Education

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Economic Dimensions of Migration Challenges to
Citizenship Education

• Johan Wets
• PICUM Platform for International Cooperation on
  Undocumented Migrants
• HIVA University of Leuven, Belgium

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Undocumented migrants in Europe

• Estimated 5-8 million undocumented migrants (UDM)
  in EU
• Legal entry overstayers (tourist, work, student
  visas/permits), rejected asylum seekers
• Clandestine entry
• To tackle irregular migration, EU has developed
  strict measures (community return policy,
  reinforcement of external borders, readmission
  agreements)
• No evidence that strict border controls have
  reduced numbers of UDM

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UDM largely invisible to policy makers in Europe

• All measures taken by EU have common focus on
  entry or return of UDM, not on those currently in
  EU
• EU refers to fundamental rights but real focus
  remains on border control
• Communication on fight against illegal migration
  (July 2006)
• Face problems in accessing decent housing,
  education, health care, fair working conditions
• Exclusion leads to marginalization and
  exploitation

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Contradictory messages

• EU member states restrict access to basic social
  services as ways to fight illegal migration
• Refugee Action and Amnesty Intl UK reports (Nov.
  2006) governments policy on cutting off
  support for refused asylum seekers does not work
  and leading to a new wave of widespread
  destitution
• UDM criminalized and chased on the one hand, and
  desired and exploited on the other hand
• UDM people with rights, recognized in intl human
  rights treaties, but these rights systematically
  abused

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1. They are here to stay
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1a.The world population (billion)
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1b. Population Doubling time
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2. Large scale, unwanted migrationis the export
of the problems of the third world
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2a. Income distribution
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2b. Human Development
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3. No human being is illegal.Only the
legislation in the countriesof destination
makesmigration illegal.
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(No Transcript)
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4. Consumers create the marketwhere irregular
migrants find their job.
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8a. The role of consumers
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5. Also undocumented migrantshave basic (human)
rights inthe country of residence
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(No Transcript)
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Ten Ways

• Widespread situation of exploitation and abuse of
  undocumented workers
• What is civil societys response?
• PICUM research
• 50 NGOs and unions
• Europe and USA
• Ways and Recommendations

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1st Way Raising public support

• Coalition of Immokalee Workers (USA)
• Consumer campaign against Taco Bell
• McDonalds

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2nd Way Collecting data

• Influence policy making
• UN Special Rapporteur on Rights of Migrants
• OKIA - Dutch study on undoc. workers in
  greenhouses

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3rd Way Informing undocumented workers

• Help desks
• Printed material (comic books)
• OR.C.A. Brussels, guide to rights, workshops
  for community leaders

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4th Way Empowerment

• Influence decision-making affecting their lives
• Leadership development
• Civic participation
• Domestic Workers United - New York

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5th Way Unionizing

• A worker is a worker!
• Challenges for unions
• Recent positive developments
• Dutch and U.S. unions

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6th Way Employers

• Prevent exploitation
• Hold them accountable
• Social Responsibility Law Portugal
•       

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7th Way Mediation and collective actions
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8th Way Legal system

• Barriers! (Fear, proof, cost)
• Examples in Germany, France, USA
• Spain 2002 Supreme Court ruling
• Ruling affirmed that undocumented workers have
  inalienable labor rights

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9th Way Working with governmental agencies

• A worker is a worker!
• Labor inspection
• Occupational safety and health
• EMPLEO alliance (Los Angeles, USA)     

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10th Way Advocating for legal status
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Thank You

• PICUM
• www.picum.org
• info_at_picum.org