Eight Living with immigration policy
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Rosemary Sales
Abstract
This chapter looks at some of the human stories behind the policies discussed in earlier chapters. It discusses the experiences of people subject to immigration control and the impact it has on their lives. Many people become involved with immigration policy on a regular basis: immigration officers and lawyers and, increasingly, service providers, who are required to scrutinise immigration status as well as people who become involved in campaigns for migrants’ rights. The focus here is on those who are the target of immigration policy, for whom it can make the difference between security and insecurity; the ability to settle and being socially and economically excluded; and in some cases between life and death. Immigration control involves a process in which those most affected by decisions may have little influence over them and have no part in making the broader policy agenda within which these decisions are made. They may receive little information about the reasons for these decisions and may wait months or even years during which their lives are placed ‘on hold’.
The chapter concentrates on the direct impact of immigration policy itself rather than on more general issues involved in settling into a new society. The diversity of experiences of immigration policy has increased as civic stratification has widened the gap between different groups in relation to their rights and security of residence status. Those with skills deemed highly valuable gain secure status and may face only minor inconvenience as their visas and permission to work are negotiated, often by an agency or through their own company.
Abstract
This chapter looks at some of the human stories behind the policies discussed in earlier chapters. It discusses the experiences of people subject to immigration control and the impact it has on their lives. Many people become involved with immigration policy on a regular basis: immigration officers and lawyers and, increasingly, service providers, who are required to scrutinise immigration status as well as people who become involved in campaigns for migrants’ rights. The focus here is on those who are the target of immigration policy, for whom it can make the difference between security and insecurity; the ability to settle and being socially and economically excluded; and in some cases between life and death. Immigration control involves a process in which those most affected by decisions may have little influence over them and have no part in making the broader policy agenda within which these decisions are made. They may receive little information about the reasons for these decisions and may wait months or even years during which their lives are placed ‘on hold’.
The chapter concentrates on the direct impact of immigration policy itself rather than on more general issues involved in settling into a new society. The diversity of experiences of immigration policy has increased as civic stratification has widened the gap between different groups in relation to their rights and security of residence status. Those with skills deemed highly valuable gain secure status and may face only minor inconvenience as their visas and permission to work are negotiated, often by an agency or through their own company.
Chapters in this book
- Front Matter i
- Contents vii
- Detailed contents viii
- List of tables and boxes xiii
- Acknowledgements xiv
- Introduction: immigration policy in the twenty-first century 1
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Understanding migration
- Contemporary migration flows: continuities and new directions 21
- Explaining migration 45
- Forced migration 69
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Understanding migration and refugee policy
- Contemporary immigration policy making 97
- The development of British immigration policy 129
- Britain’s managed migration policy 161
- Living with immigration policy 187
- The future of immigration policy: immigration controls, immigration and citizenship 211
- Further information for researching migration policy 243
- References 247
- Index 269
Chapters in this book
- Front Matter i
- Contents vii
- Detailed contents viii
- List of tables and boxes xiii
- Acknowledgements xiv
- Introduction: immigration policy in the twenty-first century 1
-
Understanding migration
- Contemporary migration flows: continuities and new directions 21
- Explaining migration 45
- Forced migration 69
-
Understanding migration and refugee policy
- Contemporary immigration policy making 97
- The development of British immigration policy 129
- Britain’s managed migration policy 161
- Living with immigration policy 187
- The future of immigration policy: immigration controls, immigration and citizenship 211
- Further information for researching migration policy 243
- References 247
- Index 269
