The Global Migration Crisis: A Humanitarian Issue or Security Threat?

The United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) projects that global refugee resettlement needs will increase by 20% to approximately 2.9 million in 2025. With Syria (933,000) has the highest number of refugees following Afghanistan (558,000), South Sudan (242,000), Myanmar (226,000), Sudan (172,000), and the Democratic Republic of Congo (158,000). Aristide R. Zolberg asserted that migration is the pressing issue of our time, fueled by the interplay of inequality, opportunity, violence, and climate change. Geraldine Franz pointed out that the refugee crisis is not just a humanitarian issue but a global governance challenge as well. There is discourse between scholars about the causes and effects of migration crises. During the prehistoric period, migration was a natural phenomenon. The absence of nation-state boundaries at that time rendered migration closely intertwined with survival strategies. But in the era where borders play a great role in international affairs and security challenges, the issue of migration became a global issue.

Saskia Sassen, a sociologist, asserts that migration has become increasingly a humanitarian concern, primarily driven by economic and political disparities, as well as environmental changes. It is not just about individuals relocating across borders in pursuit of better opportunities; rather, it is a struggle for survival in the face of global inequalities and environmental collapse. Inequality around the world is one of the major reasons people are migrating from their villages, states, and countries to a new place where they find no stability. Oxfam in its report “Takers Not Makers” reveals that the wealth of the world’s billionaires surged by $2 trillion in 2024, while a staggering half of the global population remains in poverty. We are living in a globalized world where countries relate to each other, and war and conflicts take new forms. War and conflicts also play an important role in migration, As Hobbes posits, individuals may violate the social contract in the event of imminent life threat. Consequently, people do not intentionally break norms; rather, the imperative of survival compels them to breach the social contract. A research paper published by the Oxford Economic Paper and authored by Andrea Crippa, Giorgio D’Agostino, John Paul Dunne, and Luca Pieroni concluded that conflict is a cause of migration. Douglas S. Massey, a sociologist and migration expert, has raised concerns about migration flows from regions affected by war or economic collapse. These flows have alarmed destination countries, particularly in Europe and the United States, where migration is increasingly perceived as a threat to national security rather than a natural consequence of globalization.

Countries of the global south are also facing problems with migration, and narratives are made that migration causes security threats. The USA also started deportations of migrants to their native countries. Migrants are a security threat not because they have no nationalism regarding the countries where they are living illegally, but they are not traceable like a citizen in terms of economic fraud and other dangerous crimes. Illegal immigrants can work as spies in any country. The House Judiciary Committee of the USA shows that since fiscal year 2021, approximately 2 million individuals from countries deemed national security threats have been encountered at the southwestern border. These nations include Iran, Syria, and Venezuela. The report suggests that these individuals may pose risks related to terrorism, espionage, or organized crime.

Nationalism in countries where right-wing governments are in power gives a new direction to the migration issue, where analysis has been done more in a pessimistic manner. The rise of nationalism and nationalist governments can cause ignorance about the root cause of migration, which can only be dealt with collaboration and cooperation among countries. International organizations can also play important roles in issues related to migration. Migration is a multifaceted issue that demands a balanced approach, prioritizing both humanitarian concerns and national security.