Even high-profile migrants have got to fit the bill. Australia's immigration services have banned rapper Snoop Dogg from entering the country after he failed a character test. The BBC quotes Immigration Minister, Kevin Andrews, who notes: “He doesn't seem the sort of bloke we want in this country.” The star, whose real name is Calvin […]
In their often desperate plea to find work in the U.S., more and more illegal immigrants are turning to counterfeit organizations to provide them with social security number or new identities. The scope of the problem became evident following a number of raids at meatpacking plants in the Midwest. On April 25 federal authorities charged […]
On April 21st 2007 Egyptian born Canadian Mohammed El-Attar was ultimately convicted as a spy in an Egyptian court this past weekend. He was accused of spying for Israel and recruiting Arabs in Canada to assist him in his activities. While the court claims to have obtained a confession of his activities, it is said […]
As many analysts had predicted: it's 'sego’ vs. 'sarko’ in the run-off election for the French Presidency on May 6. The race is now on to win the 18% of the electorate that gave their vote to centrist candidate François Bayrou. Given that Bayrou advocated a moderate take on immigration control, largely favoring the EU […]
The elections in 2002 were remarkable for a number of reasons: first, immigration became a major issue of contention after it had been largely ignored for years, and second, the right-wing Front National was able to use it successfully to its advantage. In a vote that shocked the nation, former Prime Minister, Lionel Jospin was shut […]
This week's news roundup features stories from Iraq, the UK, France and Russia: UK Home Secretary, John Reid, is coming under fire from right-wing critics. Civitas, a right-wing think tank has argued that people have been allowed to enter the UK “at record pace.” Mr. Reid has acknowledged that illegal immigration creates insecuritites and a […]
French presidential hopeful, Nicolas Sarkozy, is coming under fire from those nipping at his heals ahead of Sunday's election. It seems as though the hard-line stance he has been advocating throughout the months of campaigning is now beginning to haunt him. Reuters rounds up the criticism Sarkozy's opponents have been lobbing at him over the […]
In 2006 the UNHCR reported that nearly 26,000 Somalis made the journey from Somalia to Yemen that year, and approximately 330 died while 300 were declared missing and reported dead. With the ongoing conflict in the East African nation of Somalia, the urge to leave for many grows as the conflict continues. The risk of […]
On April 17th 2007 the BBC World Service broadcast a story which until recently has received little attention in the media. With the tensions and deaths of soldiers in Iraq and Afghanistan and the UN focus on Iran and missing sailors, the consequences of conflict in the region has only recently focused on the resulting […]
Verifying the identity of illegal migrants and cracking down on companies that employ migrants without legal documentation is the subject of a number of articles and commentaries this week. In their often desperate quest for work in the United States, illegal migrants have resorted to what the New York Times calls “a growing trade in […]
Over on her very interesting blog, our fellow FPA analyst Bonnie Boyd provides insights into the new policies of Tajik President Rakhmon, which have an impact on Tajik migrants and their remittance payments. …Though President Rakhmon has not yet descended into full Tajikistanibashi mode, this ruling will have several short-term and medium-term effects on its […]
HIV-AIDS activists in Australia are up in arms after Prime Minister John Howard has floated the idea that migrants with the disease could be denied access to the country. The BBC reports that officials from the city of Calais and NGO groups are meeting to discuss the possible re-opening of a new asylum camp, dubbed 'sangatte II’. […]
French voters will take to the polls for the first round of presidential elections on April 22nd. Immigration and national identity have emerged as key topics in the debate between the four leading candidates: Nicolas Sarkozy of the conservative UMP, Ségolene Royal from the Socialist Party (PS), centrist candidate François Bayrou and Jean-Marie Le Pen, […]
The fate of boat people who seek a better life by taking to a voyage at sea to reach the shores of more prosperous countries are random at best. Three stories illustrate the conditions and result of such attempts to escape poverty around the world. In Senegal, with the results of poverty and recent civil […]
President Bush will take a ride near the US-Mexico Border today near Yuma, Arizona in a further attempt to create support for his "comprehensive immigration reform". With the upcoming presidential primaries, Bush is seeking support from the anti-immigration right of the Republican Party in order to produce one of his last significant policy initiatives before […]