The Shadow Side of Migration—Relation Between Crime and Illegal Immigration in the Nordic Countries.
Keywords:
Human Rights, Illegal Immigration, International Relations, Organized Crime, Political ImplicationsAbstract
Illegal immigration is a contentious topic, particularly when linked to concerns about crime and presents multifaceted challenges to host countries, including the Nordic nations. In the complex landscape of international relations, the interplay between migration and crime has emerged as a pressing issue, particularly in the context of illegal immigration. The Nordic countries, known for their progressive social policies and focus on integration, are not immune to these discussions. While renowned for their social welfare systems and openness to immigration, these nations have also grappled with concerns about the impact of illegal immigration on public safety. Drawing upon interdisciplinary perspectives from criminology, international relations, and legal studies, the research explores the multifaceted dynamics of crime and migration, analyzing the socio-economic, political, and legal implications of irregular migration flows. This paper investigates the intricate nexus between crime and illegal immigration in the Nordic context. By examining empirical evidence and theoretical frameworks, the study sheds light on the various dimensions of this international relationship. It explores how illegal immigration intersects with criminal activities, including human trafficking, smuggling, and organized crime networks. Furthermore, the paper investigates the socio-economic factors that drive individuals to engage in illegal immigration and subsequent criminal behavior. Through a comprehensive analysis of existing literature and case studies, this research aims to provide insights into the complexities of the shadow side of migration in the Nordic countries. Understanding the dynamics of crime and illegal immigration is crucial for policymakers, law enforcement agencies, and civil society organizations to develop effective strategies for addressing these challenges while upholding human rights and promoting social cohesion.
References
Master of Laws (LL.M), Postgraduate Institute of Law, the University of Lahore, AHC & Member District Bar Association Kotli, Pakistan Occupied Jammu & Kashmir, PAKISTAN. Corresponding Author: junaidsattarbutt@yahoo.com, Cell: +92-333-4270989. ORCID: https://orcid.org/0009-0000-0530-962X Researchgate: https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Junaid-Butt-4
Legal Information Institute. (2024). Undocumented Immigrant. Cornell Law School. Retrieved from https://www.law.cornell.edu/wex/undocumented_immigrant
Commission of the European Communities: Communication from the Commission to the European Parliament and the Council in View of the European Council of Thessaloniki, on the Developments of a Common Policy on Illegal Immigration, Smuggling and Traffi cking of Human Beings, External Borders and the Return of Illegal Residents, Brussels, 3.6.2003, COM (2003) 323 final.
For estimates see, for example, S. D j a j i : Illegal Immigration Trends, Policies and Economic Effects, in: S. D jaji (ed.): International Migration: Trends, Policies and Economic Impact, London and New York 2001, Routledge, pp. 137-161.
OHCHR. (2024). International standards governing migration policy. Retrieved from https://www.ohchr.org/en/migration/international-standards-governing-migration-policy
Möller, T., & Matrone, A. (n.d.). The Spreading of the “Swedish Condition” – Gang Violence and Worries Among its Nordic Neighbours. European Generation. Retrieved from https://www.europeangeneration.eu/single-post/the-spreading-of-the-swedish-condition-gang-violence-and-worries-among-its-nordic-neighbours
McManus, M. (2024, March 28). How Terror and Crime Made Sweden Reject Open Borders. Retrieved from https://www.fairus.org/blog/2024/03/28/how-terror-and-crime-made-sweden-reject-open-borders
Scott, H. (2024). "‘We can't help you – it doesn't concern us’: the legal consciousness of young people seeking asylum in Sweden who report violent crime." Journal of Law and Society, 51, 36–56. https://doi.org/10.1111/jols.12452
Canning, V. (2020). Bureaucratized Banality: Asylum and Immobility in Britain, Denmark and Sweden. In Refugees and the Violence of European Welfare Bureaucracies Manchester University Press. Retrieved from https://manchesteruniversitypress.co.uk/9781526146830/
Joseph, M. (2024, February 2). Illegal immigration and its financial crime risks: An analysis. Financial Crimes - AML & Sanctions. Retrieved from https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/illegal-immigration-its-financial-crime-risks-michael-joseph-cams-gvyze
Lillevik, R., & Tyldum, G. (2021, June 2). Irregular assistance: A study of Norwegian cities' encounter with irregular migrants [Engelsk sammendrag av Fafo-rapport 2021:15]. Fafo. https://www.fafo.no/zoo-publikasjoner/summaries/irregular-assistance-a-study-of-norwegian-cities-encounter-with-irregular-migrants
Madsen, D. (2021). Relation between Crime and Immigration in the Nordic countries: A Narrative Literature Review on the period of 2015-2020 (Degree project in Criminology, 15 Credits). Malmö University: Faculty of Health and Society, Department of Health and Society. Retrieved from https://www.diva-portal.org/smash/get/diva2:1571037/FULLTEXT02.pdf
Fourton, L. E. (2024, March 28). Unveiling the Global Crisis: Illegal Immigration’s Devastating Toll on Nations Across Europe and North America. 360 Business Law. https://www.360businesslaw.com/blog/consequences-of-illegal-immigration/
O'Sullivan, M. (2023, November 11). Has Europe Turned The Corner On Immigration? Forbes. https://www.forbes.com/sites/mikeosullivan/2023/11/11/has-europe-turned-the-corner-on-immigration/?sh=3d27c22941d7
Eraliev, S. (2023). The Shadow Side of Migration: Exploring the Nexus between Undocumentedness, Informality and Crime among Uzbek Migrants in Sweden. Nordic Journal of Criminology, 24(2), 1–16. https://doi.org/10.18261/njc.24.2.5
Coccia, Mario & Cohn, Ellen & Kakar, Suman. (2024). How immigration, level of unemployment, and income inequality affect crime in Europe. Crime, Law and Social Change. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10611-024-10144-y
Parsons, J.R., Riva, S. Innocence and danger at the border: migrants, “Bad” mothers, and the nation’s protectors. CMS 12, 13 (2024). https://doi.org/10.1186/s40878-024-00367-2
Heber, A. Stranger Danger: The Political Debate on Crimmigrants. Crit Crim 31, 859–878 (2023). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10612-023-09718-4
Nogueira Pinto, T. (2023). Between a rock and a hard place: the EU’s transactional approach to migration (pp. 93-99). Mixed Migration Review 2023. Retrieved from https://mixedmigration.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/11/Mixed-Migration-Review-2023.pdf
Horwood, C. (2023). The chill factor: the changing politics of immigration in Nordic countries. In Mixed Migration Review 2023 (pp. 180-191). Retrieved from https://mixedmigration.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/11/Mixed-Migration-Review-2023.pdf
Statista. (2024). Foreign population in Norway from 2014 to 2024, by immigration background. Retrieved from https://www.statista.com/statistics/586719/foreign-population-in-norway-by-immigration-category/
Immigration to Norway (2024). Retrieved from https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Immigration_to_Norway
Global Initiative against Transnational Organized Crime. (2023). GLOBAL ORGANIZED CRIME INDEX Norway. Retrieved from https://ocindex.net/country/norway
Statista (2024) Estimated number of refugees from Ukraine recorded in Europe and Asia since February 2022 as of March 31, 2024 retrieved from https://www.statista.com/statistics/1312584/ukrainian-refugees-by-country/
Kauraren, A. (2023) Finland starts fence on Russian border amid migration, security concerns. Reuters. Retrieved from https://www.reuters.com/world/europe/finland-starts-fence-russian-border-amid-migration-security-concerns-2023-04-14/
Global Initiative against Transnational Organized Crime. (2023). GLOBAL ORGANIZED CRIME INDEX Finland. Retrieved from https://ocindex.net/country/finland
Macrotrends (31-03-2024) Denmark Refugee Statistics 1960-2023 retrieved from https://www.macrotrends.net/global-metrics/countries/DNK/denmark/refugee-statistics#:~:text=Denmark%20refugee%20statistics%20for%202022,a%201.69%25%20decline%20from%202020; Statista (2024) Estimated number of refugees from Ukraine recorded in Europe and Asia since February 2022 as of March 31, 2024 retrieved from https://www.statista.com/statistics/1312584/ukrainian-refugees-by-country/
Global Initiative against Transnational Organized Crime. (2023). GLOBAL ORGANIZED CRIME INDEX Denmark. Retrieved from https://ocindex.net/country/denmark
Traub, J. (2021) Even Sweden Doesn’t Want Migrants Anymore. Foreign Policy. Retrieved from https://foreignpolicy.com/2021/11/17/even-sweden-doesnt-want-migrants-anymore-syria-iraq-belarus/; Henley, J. (2022) Sweden’s failed integration creates ‘parallel societies’, says PM after riot. The Guardian. Retrieved from https://www.theguardian.com/world/2022/apr/28/swedens-failed-integration-creates-parallel-societies-says-pm-after-riots#:~:text=Sweden's%20failed%20integration%20creates%20'parallel%20societies'%2C%20says%20PM%20after%20riots,-This%20article%20is&text=Sweden's%20prime%20minister%20has%20said,living%20in%20different%20realities%E2%80%9D
UNHCR (2021) Syria refugee crisis – Globally, in Europe and in Cyprus. Retrieved from https://www.unhcr.org/cy/2021/03/18/syria-refugee-crisis-globally-in-europe-and-in-cyprus-meet-some-syrian-refugees-in-cyprus/
Statista (2024) Estimated number of refugees from Ukraine recorded in Europe and Asia since February 2022 as of March 2024, by selected country. Retrieved from https://www.statista.com/statistics/1312584/ukrainian-refugees-by-country/
Global Initiative against Transnational Organized Crime. (2023). GLOBAL ORGANIZED CRIME INDEX Sweden. Retrieved from https://ocindex.net/country/sweden
Statistics Iceland (2023) Immigrants 16.3% of the population of Iceland. Retrieved from https://statice.is/publications/news-archive/inhabitants/immigrants-and-persons-with-foreign-background-2022/
Global Initiative against Transnational Organized Crime. (2023). GLOBAL ORGANIZED CRIME INDEX Iceland. Retrieved from https://ocindex.net/country/iceland
European Union Agency for Law Enforcement Cooperation. (2023, August 13). 19 arrests for smuggling migrants within EU. [Press release]. Europol. https://www.europol.europa.eu/media-press/newsroom/news/19-arrests-for-smuggling-migrants-within-eu#empact
The most recent data can be accessed from the Missing Migrants Project website at https://missingmigrants.iom.int/data. For details on how the figures are calculated, please visit the Project’s methodology page at https://missingmigrants.iom.int/methodology.
Global Migration Data Analysis Centre (GMDAC) of the International Organization for Migration (IOM). (n.d.). Immigration & emigration statistics: Migrant deaths and disappearances. Retrieved April 2, 2024, from https://www.migrationdataportal.org/themes/migrant-deaths-and-disappearances#definition
Europol. (2023). Criminal networks in migrant smuggling. Europol Spotlight Report series. Publications Office of the European Union, Luxembourg. ISBN 978-92-95220-84-3 | ISSN 2600-2760 | DOI: 10.2813/550319 | QL-AN-23-001-EN-N. Retrieved April 2, 2024, from https://www.europol.europa.eu/publications-events/publications/criminal-networks-in-migrant-smuggling
Carl Hermann Dino Steinmetz. (2020). Unravelling Relations Between Immigration, Crime and Superdiversity in the United States of America, Europe, Australia and New Zealand. Humanities and Social Sciences, 8(1), 7-19. https://doi.org/10.11648/j.hss.20200801.12
7rangers. (2023, December 12). 70% Crime Due To Illegal Immigrants” - Poland, Hungary Block EU Migration Pact Citing Security Risk. 7rangers. https://www.7rangers.com/2023/12/70-crime-due-to-illegal-immigrants.html?m=1
Belton, P. (2024, March 29). Denmark’s hardline immigration model eyed by neighbours as EP elections nears. Brussels Signal. https://brusselssignal.eu/2024/03/denmarks-hardline-immigration-model-appeals-to-germany-and-austria-as-ep-elections-near/
Spike, J. (2023, November 27). Six EU countries agree to bolster efforts to stop illegal immigration. PBS NewsHour. https://www.pbs.org/newshour/world/six-eu-countries-agree-to-bolster-efforts-to-stop-illegal-immigration
MacGregor, M. (2024, January 9). Germany urged to follow Denmark's lead on migration policy. InfoMigrants. https://www.infomigrants.net/en/post/54378/germany-urged-to-follow-denmarks-lead-on-migration-policy
Rosen Fondahn, G. (2024, January 19). Asylum seekers 'missing' after crossing Russia border to Finland. Reuters. https://www.reuters.com/world/europe/asylum-seekers-missing-after-crossing-russia-border-finland-2024-01-19/
YLE News. (2024, January 16). Finnish border authorities prepare for migrant influx. YLE. https://yle.fi/a/74-20069651
Teivainen, A. (2024, April 19). Finnish government approves tougher immigration provisions. Helsinki Times. https://www.helsinkitimes.fi/finland/finland-news/domestic/25148-finnish-government-approves-tougher-immigration-provisions.html
MacGregor, M. (2023, October 23). Sweden to make it harder for non-European migrants to claim benefits. InfoMigrants. https://www.infomigrants.net/en/post/52750/sweden-to-make-it-harder-for-noneuropean-migrants-to-claim-benefits
The European Council on Refugees and Exiles (ECRE). (2024, April 19). EU Eastern Borders: Finland Closes its Border with Russia Indefinitely Despite Criticism ― Hungary, Poland, and Slovakia Oppose Implementation of New EU Migration Pact While Lithuania Prefers to Pay ― Northern Latvia’s New Asylum Centre Receives Support from Local Community. News. https://ecre.org/eu-eastern-borders-finland-closes-its-border-with-russia-indefinitely-despite-criticism-%E2%80%95-hungary-poland-and-slovakia-oppose-implementation-of-new-eu-migration-pact-while-lithuania-prefers/
Civil Rights Defenders. (2022). The Tidö Agreement Review: A Rights-Based Review of the Tidö Agreement. Retrieved from https://crd.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/12/Analysis-of-the-Tido-Agreement_Civil-Rights-Defenders_221024.pdf
McManus, M. (2024, March 28). How Terror and Crime Made Sweden Reject Open Borders. FAIR. https://www.fairus.org/blog/2024/03/28/how-terror-and-crime-made-sweden-reject-open-borders
Ćirić, J. (2023, March 16). Highly-Criticised Immigration Bill Passed in Iceland. Iceland Review. Retrieved from https://www.icelandreview.com/politics/highly-criticised-immigration-bill-passed-in-iceland/
Birkebaek, J. (2023, October 31). Nordic countries to cooperate more on returning migrants to countries of origin. Reuters. https://www.reuters.com/world/europe/nordic-countries-cooperate-more-returning-migrants-countries-origin-2023-10-31/
Amnesty International. (2024). Refugees, asylum seekers and migrants. Retrieved from https://www.amnesty.org/en/what-we-do/refugees-asylum-seekers-and-migrants/
Tomlinson, C. (2023, November 1). Nordic Countries Agree To Cooperate on Deportation Flights. European Conservative. https://europeanconservative.com/articles/news/nordic-countries-agree-to-cooperate-on-deportation-flights/
Downloads
Published
How to Cite
Issue
Section
License
Copyright (c) 2024 Junaid Butt
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License.
The author fully assumes the content originality and the holograph signature makes him responsible in case of trial.
