Detention, Repatriation, and Deportation

The international human rights regime adopted after the Second World War aspired to a new world order built on equal respect for “the inherent dignity of all members of the human family and their equal and inalienable rights” (Universal Declaration of Human Rights, 1948).  In its most conventional interpretation, the declaration would only regulate the relationship between states and their citizens. The rise in the flow of migrants, however, has made it increasingly necessary to produce specific legislation to account for this new phenomenon. The International Labor Organization (ILO) issued the Immigration for Work Convention in 1949 and the Immigrant Workers Convention in 1975. These two agreements ensured that immigrants received the same treatment and rights as workers in the receiving country, regardless of nationality, race, religion, or gender; the second addresses more specifically the issue of “illegal” immigration and human trafficking.

The individual’s recognition in the international arena as a subject of inalienable rights and the autonomy of states concerning migration creates ever greater tension. As a result, conflicts and abuses are becoming a daily reality at the borders, leaving thousands of people in extreme vulnerability. Between 2003 and 2018, 4,617,463 migrants were deported from the United States alone. 

Our Library contains various resources (introductory readings, books, and texts) on the topic of Detention, Repatriation, and Deportation.