Introduction
Illegal immigration refers to immigration across national borders in a way that violates the immigration laws of the destination country. Under this definition, an illegal immigrant is a foreigner who either has illegally crossed an international political border, be it by land, water, or air, or a foreigner who has entered a country legally but then overstays his/her visa. In politics, the term may imply a larger set of social issues and time constraints with disputed consequences in areas such as economy, social welfare, education, health care, slavery, prostitution, crime, legal protections, voting rights, public services, and human rights. Illegal emigration would be leaving a country in a manner that violates the laws of the country being exited.
The aim of the paper is to discover the difference in covering the matter of illegal migration to Canary Islands from sub-Saharan including periodical issues, radio broadcasts, and a photo, in order not only to get as more informed as possible, but also to feel the trouble.
As it is stated by about.com:
The Canary Islands, an “autonomous community” of Spain better known to the world as a Mecca for cruise ships, are fast becoming a prime destination for illegal immigrants from Sub-Saharan Africa. (Brea, 2006)
The article represents the matter as just the legal, as the key emphasis is made upon the fact, that all the immigrants are without any documents:
The islands, with a population of less than 2 million people, have already seen the arrival of 6,500 ‘sin papeles’ (without papers) this year. Tenerife, with less than 800,000 inhabitants, has been completely overwhelmed. Their major immigration detention center has a capacity to house only 168 people.
According to El Pais (Spain), the governor of the Canary Islands, José Segura, has called immigration “impossible control” and has said that “there is no institutional strength in the heart of the European Union” that can control it” (Spanish). Said Segura:
“It is not the fault of the Spanish government. It is the fault of the government of those countries that, in effect, are demonstrating a remarkable incapacity to provide opportunities for development to their youth.” (Brea, 2006)
As may be seen, the problem of immigration is rather hot, especially for the Canaries in particular, and Spain and European Union in general, as the governments can not control the flood if the immigrants, and are not able even to count them up.
Regarding the illegal immigration from the point of political and governmental matters, some sources argue that the trouble is being solved just by the only side – and this side is the European Union:
The President of the Canary Islands has demanded that central government set up a crisis committee to address the problem of illegal immigration affecting the islands, a situation which he describes as ‘critical.’ (Badcock, 2004)
Adin Martin has called on both Spain and Europe to multiply their efforts in the face of what he calls an untenable emergency situation, which he said is a problem not only of his community, but also of Spain, and of Europe. (Levitin, 2004)
On the other hand, developing African states can not afford to allot resources for the solving of the matter.
Tens of thousands of illegal immigrants try to leave Africa and get to the European Union every year. The trip across the Mediterranean Sea seems unrepresentative simple when watched on a world-scale map. But the fact is that, the trip can take several weeks.
Telegraph.co.uk offers the photo by Reuters of the illegal immigrants, depicting some awful conditions, in which they attempt to get the better life, absolutely forgetting, that the grass only seems greener on the other side of the fence.
As it may be noted, the boat is overloaded, but those who are in it do not mind this, as their aim is to escape from the African horrors of poverty, and the probability of death on the halfway to the “happy” in no way stops them. As Telegraph.co.uk states:
Under the Canary liberal immigration rules, migrants can be detained for 40 days. If officials are unable to establish their nationality, they are freed to live in Spain or to try their luck elsewhere. The shortest sea route from the African coast to the Canaries is 60 miles but since Morocco has stepped up patrols, more migrants are forced to take a 500 mile trip from Mauritania. The journey, in open boats, can take a week. An estimated one in three vessels does not make it, resulting in thousands of deaths each year. A Home Office spokesman said: “The Government is committed to taking the necessary steps and working with its international partners to combat illegal immigration (Leapman, 2007)
Taking into account the radio broadcasts, it is necessary to state, that morning newsreels just state the commonly known facts, and rarely touch upon the matters of illegal immigration, except some extraordinary cases. But instead, radios offer discussions on the matters of migration, getting into more significant details, concerning the reasons for migration, and the ways of its legislative and sometimes practical regulation. Thus, it became known the following:
It is not only Moroccans who are drawn to the narrow waterways between Spain and Moroccan territory. Sub-Saharan Africans and Asians across many borders until they reach sight of their destination across the strait. At least that used to be the case, until 2001 when the Spanish government invested [euro]120m in a sophisticated electronic detection system, called SIVE to invigilate the waterway. The result has been that to escape detection and arrest at sea, clandestine have shifted their line of attack in the less guarded but also less narrow and therefore more perilous regions of the strait.
Increasingly, parties of prospective immigrants leave from the coast of Western Sahara, attempting to reach the Canary Islands, a considerably longer voyage. Of the 16,504 illegal immigrants arrested by the Spanish security forces in 2002, more than half were discovered in the Canary Islands.
Informs “Radio USA”
It is also stated that Moroccan officials are frustrated when they hear the Spanish foreign minister, Ana Palacio, say she has “no problem” with Algeria in terms of illegal immigration, when 80,000 sub-Saharan Africans arrive in the Maghreb each year with the intention of making the leap across to Europe via Libya, Algeria and ultimately, Morocco.
Unfortunately, it is difficult being a foreigner in Spain these days. The government labels you illegal three months after you arrive. Residency and work permits are nearly impossible to obtain. You can’t legally rent an apartment. And that’s if, like me, you’re an American. If you’re an immigrant from a poor country, life can be much grimmer.
Conclusion
As it is stated in the regarded articles, the trouble is severe enough, originating great loss of life and financial efforts for almost every party entailed in the problem. Arranged human trafficking and tremendous poverty, no matter the loss of life, has been coercing the pour of migrants who wish that residency in Europe was easy to obtain.
References
Badcock, James. “On a Dream & a Prayer: Illegal Immigration Is an International Problem Which Continues to Confound Governments and Claim Lives. James Badcock Reports on How Morocco Is Attempting to Deal with the Issue.” The Middle East. 2004: 18
Brea, Jennife Spain: 200 Illegal African Immigrants Land on Canary Islands about.com 2006. Web.
Levitin, Michael. “Labor Pains: Spain’s Migrant-Worker Problem.” Commonweal. 2004: 9.
Leapman, Ben. Canary Islands illegal immigrants heading here, Home Office memo warns Sunday Telegraph, 2007. Web.
Workpermit.com Canary Islands President demands urgent action on illegal immigration. Web.