The Emergence of Pro‐Regularization Movements in Western Europe

Abstract

Contrary to the image conveyed by existing research on irregular migrants as powerless and exploited victims of restrictive immigration policies, irregular migrants in some European countries display a strong potential for collective action. In France, Spain and Switzerland since the mid-1990s pro-regularization movements have emerged which have claimed the collective regularization of illegal migrants. At the centre of these new social movements were illegal migrants from sub-saharan Africa, Latin America and former Yugoslavia who went public and claimed a legal residence status. This article starts form the assumption that despite important differences between the three countries, they share several central characteristics which enabled the emergence of these pro-regularization movements. In order to identify these preconditions, three country studies, based on an innovative social movement research approach, were carried out. The findings of the country studies show that the findings of the country studies shows that in the three countries the same specific preconditions existed which encouraged the emergence of the pro-regularization movements.

Making Undocumented Immigrants into a Legitimate Political Subject: Theoretical Observations from the United States and France

“…They would in other words confine themselves to the private arena, attend to the satisfaction of their basic physical needs, and avoid the public sphere where free and equal citizens debate the direction of the nation. However, contrary to expectations, recent studies have shown that undocumented immigrants have done the opposite in countries as diverse as the United States, France, Germany, Great Britain, and the Netherlands (Anderson, 2010;Barron et al, 2011;Cisse´, 1999;Iskander, 2007;Laubenthal, 2007;Nicholls, 2011;Sime´ant, 1998;Voss and Bloemraad, 2011). In spite of differences in the politics and cultures of these countries, some undocumented immigrants have not only resisted being relegated to the margins of national citizenship but have taken an active role in engaging in public debates over citizenship, rights, and nationhood.…”

El movimiento de los <i>sin-papeles</i> como sujeto de juridicidad

“…En este sentido, podemos dar cuenta de la emergencia de una conciencia colectiva y simultánea entre los distintos movimientos de inmigrantes sin-papeles que está teniendo lugar tanto en el contexto europeo como en el americano (Aierbe 2000;Cissé 2000;Coutin 2000;Krueger 2001;Laubenthal 2007;Nyers 2008;Suarez et al 2008). Dadas las circunstancias de control y persecución de la inmigración, la obtención de los permisos se había convertido en una cuestión vital para muchas personas.…”

Enduring Uncertainty

“…Immigrants' political action is seldom enacted in isolation. As Laubenthal (2007) argues, immigrants' movements count on the support of other more secure actors: citizens, NGOs, trade unions, religious groups and so on. Equally, protest and campaigning against deportation and removal is not just in the hands of removable migrants themselves.…”