23
Jun
2020
Debates Videoconferences
Ifri Paris
from 16:30 to 18:00
This event is public
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Immigration in the EU and the US: Comparing Border Policies

The online registrations for this conference are now closed but you can still register by mail to Matthieu Tardis tardis@ifri.org

 

Both in the US and in Europe, border control has become one central component of immigration and asylum policies with seemingly the same objective: preventing irregular entries of migrants and refugees. This trend has accelerated in recent years, with ever stricter border controls, more detention of migrants and refugees, the use of the notion of “safe third country” and partnerships with third countries, some of which now play a pivotal role in controlling the borders of their US and European neighbors, such as Turkey and Mexico.

What are the differences and similarities in the policies implemented in the EU and the US? What is their impact on the fundamental rights of migrants and refugees? In both contexts, what relative weight is given to the rights of migrants and refugees on the one hand, and to border enforcement measures on the other? Finally, what long-term consequences will the covid-19 crisis have on border policies in both cases?

The Webinar aims at offering a comparative perspective on border enforcement and immigration policies on both side of the Atlantic. It will bring together a wide range of European and US-based stakeholders: academics and experts, representatives of NGOs, members of institutions and policymakers. The webinar will be organized in two parts, with pre-recorded interviews and live presentations followed by a Q&A session.

The Border Between the US and Mexico: The Making of a Migration Crisis? Interviews (in English) with:

-        Clara Long, Senior Researcher, US Program, Human Rights Watch

-        Tom K Wong, Associate Professor and Director, U.S. Immigration Policy Center, University of California San Diego

-        Veronica Ortiz Ortega, General Director, Consejo Mexicano de Asuntos Internacionales (COMEXI)

Discussion and Q&A session Live (in French) with:

-        Vincent Cochetel, Special Envoy for the Mediterranean Situation, United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR)

-        Juan Fernando Lopez Aguilar, Member of the European Parliament, Chair of the Committee on Civil Liberties, Justice and Home Affairs, European Parliament

Registered participants will receive the access codes a few hours prior to the debate. 

 



Contact the organizers: 

For more information, please contact Matthieu Tardis: tardis@ifri.org

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Donald Trump’s election to the White House appeared to be the beginning of a profound change in the United States’ immigration policy. He reneged on bipartisan consensus that recognized the “positive contribution” of immigration to the country. This resulted in an increase in policies that...

Keywords
migration refugees United States