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Until the end of the 20th century, both Andean countries were predominantly migrant-sending spaces. Contrary to many other states in the world, their legal frameworks have enshrined an open-border, migrant-rights-based approach. The global trend to integrate criminal law and immigration law to govern migrant mobilities and to reinforce securitized borders would seem to have no place in these two countries. Superficial appearances can, however, be deceiving.
Read MoreAt the end of the 2000s, a new form of human smuggling which I call ‘ransom smuggling’ appeared in Northern Africa. In it hostage taking and extortion play a critical role. Both smugglers and hostage takers—actors of mobility and actors of immobility, respectively—are part of the system. The appearance of ransom smuggling was linked directly to European policies aimed at restricting and criminalizing irregular migration.
Read MoreIn recent years, the global approach to irregular migration has shifted significantly towards a strategy of containment and deterrence, embodied in the reinforcement of borders and the implementation of stringent, externalized, and criminalizing migration policies. This paradigm, ostensibly crafted to manage and reduce the influx of migrants, paradoxically, has not led to a decrease in migration. Instead, it has rerouted the journeys of those seeking refuge and better life opportunities, pushing them towards more perilous paths, where surveillance is not only in the hands of the state, but of criminal actors.
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