Effects Of Criminalization Of Migration

Migration can be a constructive and energizing experience for all parties involved. It is clear that there is a lack of an adequate human rights-based system at a global, regional, and national level. This lack of human rights has created a crisis for immigrants at the borders and in the province of countries of transit and destination. A human rights-based approach to migration places the immigrant at the center for migration policies and governance and pays specific attention to the circumstances of marginalized and unfortunate groups of migrants. In the paper, Deaths in the Desert - The Human Rights Crisis on the U.S. - Mexico Border address some of the most critical issues of Human Rights and Migration that all immigrants face. On

This is because these laws see no difference between legal and illegal immigrants; it only sees immigrants as a whole. The effect these laws of criminalization of Migrants has created a profound humanitarian crisis on the State and Local Policies giving the State such as Arizona the right to detain immigrants on “reasonable suspicion” that they may be in the country without proper documentation. It has allowed immigrants to be prosecuted as co-conspirators in their own trafficking by having consented to be transported across the border. The criminalization of Migrants that started in the 1980’s has had such an effect on illegal border crossing deaths the death toll has risen almost double despite an increase in border security and a decrease in estimated undocumented entries and apprehensions. There have been prevention measures taken such as health campaigns to discourage immigrants in Mexico, warning signs have been put along the border trying to encourage immigrants to turn back and head for their own home country. Humane Borders, Samaritans, and No Más Muettes (NMM) (No More Deaths) set up water Stations and Relief Camps. These groups also have been criminalized in 2005 for providing support and humanitarian aid to immigrants crossing the border without proper

Policies and training need to be addressed in this issue. There has to be reform. However, this reform needs to take place from the inside and work outwards towards an efficient immigration process. This is where social workers will have a more significant impact than volunteer groups that aid in the illegal act of crossing the border without proper documentation. Social workers are often the first person immigrates will talk with, and they help gather vital evidence, wrote detailed evaluations, had have primary contact with immigration officers. Social Workers that work with immigrates need to have an awareness and understand the fears of what undocumented means to an immigrant. Undocumented status can have severe effects on mental health, trust people in authority and identity formation, due to fundamental issues, undocumented immigrants routinely face racial profiling, discrimination such as assuming certain races of people are more likely to commit crimes, unfair treatment, forced separation from family members, immigration sweeps, placement in detention camps or child welfare facilities, and constant anxiety and fear.

Because of these issues, the Social Worker is generally the first person immigrates learn to build a bond of trust with they have to have an understanding specifically on immigrant and refugee populations. What the social workers need to understand is that there are universal