Enabling and Supporting Irregular Migration

Abstract

Despite widespread efforts to stop irregular migration, it continues; and irregular migrants remain present in societies, often finding alternative modes of inclusion. It is essential to recognise how a variety of intermediaries enable irregular migration. Between states, we can observe a complex interplay among ‘facilitating’ actors, including human smugglers, that provide services which help migrants cross borders. However, to a large extent, irregular migration is also enabled within states. Supporters act in favour of migrants and respond to their practical and social needs. Most of the help given to irregular migrants is informal, because irregular migrants most often cannot depend on help provided by public institutions. This chapter will describe the facilitation and support of border crossings, as well as the support given to irregular migrants in receiving societies.