A World on the Move

A new report shows a sharp rise in the numbers of migrants worldwide. In many cases, it makes economic sense for richer countries to accept workers from poorer ones. But even countries that traditionally welcome immigrants are having doubts ACROSS Western Europe, there are few more emotive topics than migration, and particularly the growing numbers of asylum-seekers. For those on the left, these are deserving cases: if they are not victims of a repressive regime, then they are victims of both old-fashioned colonialism and the new imperialism of globalisation. Those on the right, in contrast, point out that more than 80% of asylum-seekers have their claims rejected, argue that the country " cannot afford " to be so generous in admitting immigrants and allege that they bring with them crime and disease. In a number of Western European countries, extreme-right political parties have recently made electoral gains by tapping into popular worries about immigration. A report published on Tuesday June 10th by the International Organisation for Migration shows that the numbers abandoning their home country in search of a better life elsewhere are soaring: since the mid-1960s the numbers of migrants worldwide has more than doubled to 175m, or almost 3% of the world population. Across the world, rich countries are struggling with the question of illegal migration, though the reasons why it worries governments differ from country to country. The United States of America was built on immigration and remains relatively open to skilled migrants. Moreover, the country turns a blind eye to huge swathes of illegal immigrants, especially Mexican migrant labourers, who have enough legal compatriots to affect electoral outcomes in key states like California and Texas. Moreover, since America has a more restricted welfare system than those in most European states, there is no feeling that taxpayers' money is being lavished on asylum-seekers, and thus no widespread resentment that the country's hospitality is being abused. However, Americans have become increasingly worried about the effects of their relatively open-doors policy on their security. Asylum procedures were dramatically tightened after an asylum-seeker was found to have been responsible for the first bombing of the World Trade Centre in 1993. Since the terrorist attacks on New York and Washington on September 11th 2001, perpetrated by 19 Arab men, America has tightened its broader immigration policies. The fact that many of the men had lived and studied in America generated a …