Shadow Places: Patterns of Spatial Concentration and Incorporation of Irregular Immigrants in the Netherlands

Abstract

In western countries irregular immigrants constitute a sizeable segment of the population. By combining quantitative and qualitative research methods, this article describes and explains irregular immigrants' patterns of spatial concentration and incorporation in the Netherlands.So far these spatial patterns have not been described and explained systematically, neither in the Netherlands nor elsewhere. The article shows that illegal residence is selectively embedded in the (urban) social structure in various ways. The authors argue that irregular immigrants are likely to be spatially concentrated and incorporated in other western countries in similar ways; now and in the foreseeable future.

Integration against the state: Irregular migrants’ agency between deportation and regularisation in the United Kingdom

“…4 Based on the everyday experiences of irregular migrants living in the United Kingdom, Sigona (2012: 51) identifies their agency in 'the ways they shape and adapt daily routines and mundane social interactions to changing circumstances, precarious livelihoods, and the protracted and concrete possibility of being deported'. Others have highlighted the crucial role of 'informal' integration strategies (Leerkes et al, 2007;Palidda, 1998;Sandoval, 2014) and argued that differentiating 'marginal' from 'incorporated' irregular migrants helps 'to understand practices of in-country migration policing' (Leerkes et al, 2012: 450). However, their agency must not just be seen as a reaction to the exclusionary thrust of legal-political frameworks and structures but also as a strategic employment of potentially inclusive aspects of the law, such as formal pathways to regularisation or fundamental rights legislation.…”

“…At the same time, much academic work has highlighted irregular migrants' agency in contesting, undermining or overcoming the legal restrictions, administrative barriers and everyday risks they face as a result of their status (Black et al, 2006;Bloch et al, 2011;Broeders and Engbersen, 2007;Ellermann, 2010;Inda, 2011;Sigona, 2012;Vasta, 2011). One aspect that potentially links these different strands of literature but until now has received comparatively little scholarly attention is irregular migrants' integration within host societies and its interference with immigration enforcement (notable exceptions are Chauvin and Garcés-Mascareñas, 2014;Kraler, 2011;Leerkes et al, 2007;Leerkes et al, 2012;Palidda, 1998;Sandoval, 2014;Vasta, 2011). This is surprising given the fact that the so-called 'fight against illegal immigration' increasingly targets various kinds of social and economic relations (Walsh, 2014) and intersects with other strands of (mainstream) public policy, most notably the welfare regime (Broeders and Engbersen, 2007;Lahav and Guiraudon, 2006).…”

Shadow Transnationalism

“…I take from Leerkes, Engbersen, andVan San (2007, 1492) their concept of "the spatial opportunity structure." I take from Leerkes, Engbersen, andVan San (2007, 1492) their concept of "the spatial opportunity structure."…”

Crime among irregular immigrants and the influence of internal border control

“…Over the years it has become clear that quantitative data sources can yield valuable results, particularly of the findings are supplemented with qualitative field research, as has been done in Dutch research since the 1990s. The VAS data used in the present article already provided valuable insights on the criminal involvement among irregular immigrants [24,37,38,57] and on the spatial distribution of irregular residence in the Netherlands [25,40].…”