Ursula von der Leyen, European Commission,
EU Interior Ministers,
We, organisations led by migrants and racialised people, along with our supporters, write to European leaders to condemn the violent, punitive and immoral turn in European migration politics in recent weeks.
In recent weeks, we, residents of Europe organising amongst both new and long-standing migrant communities, have watched as EU leaders have declared war on migrants and international law.
From illegal proposals to suspend the right to asylum and adopt offshore migrant processing models, the creation of EU ‘safe’ third-country lists and extended periods of internal border checks in the Schengen area, to our consistent reality of prison-like detention centres, state violence and racial profiling, illegal pushbacks and violent and unlawful deportations, European leaders have reached a point of no return.
These announcements are part of a trajectory of worsening demonisation of migrants and the complete erosion of international law. For almost a decade, the European Union has pursued violent, ineffective and expensive migration measures that expand prison-like detention centres, endorse racial profiling and facilitate pushbacks and violence at borders.
Human rights organisations have consistently framed these developments as flagrant violations of international law. We agree. However, we should also clarify that European leaders are unashamedly emulating a fascist politics reminiscent of Europe’s genocidal and colonial history. We see the consistent demonisation and blame of our communities as a clear attempt to distract Europe’s residents from decades of political, economic and environmental failures.
Rather than orient policies toward safety, protection and social provision for all, European leaders have settled for a politics of securitisation, criminalisation, and violence. The EU has pursued migration policies geared toward criminalising our communities, militarising borders, and endorsing far-right and racist violence.
What you frame as a ‘migration crisis’, is actually a global inequality crisis. Recent announcements on migration conveniently evade responsibility for Europe’s past and present role contributing to the root causes of migration: displacement caused by climate change and environmental destruction, resource and wealth extraction, colonialism, conflict, military intervention and political destabilisation. The EU is presenting an inhuman, unworkable response to problems it itself has created and contributed to.
Attacks on migrants rights are the beginning of attacks on everybody. Anti-migrant politics and the subsequent degradation of rights have opened the door for rollbacks in women’s rights and the right to abortion, anti-gender movements, anti-worker movements and the widespread repression of civil liberties. The far-right forces that birthed this narrative and the centrist ones that normalise them are responsible for broader threats to democracy and the rule of law. Collectively, these trends disproportionately impact communities at risk of state violence, including (undocumented) migrants, racialised, queer and trans people, and sex workers.
We call on leaders to change course and present a meaningful alternative to current EU migration policy, which is illegal, immoral, and unworkable.
Instead of wasting billions on new offshore detention centres, illegal and costly deportation procedures, and the militarisation of borders, European leaders could implement policies in compliance with human rights, toward economic well being, safety and community care, and invest in long-term solutions to address climate degradation, conflict, and economic decline.
We need:
- Safe and legal routes for migrants, asylum seekers and refugees;
- Pathways to regularisation and an end to the criminalisation of people on the move;
- Address the root causes of why people flee their countries, including by ending EU investment in the militarisation and securitisation of borders, the weapons trade, fossil fuels, and other industrial strategies contributing to conflict and climate degradation in the global South;
- Policies that focus on addressing the needs of all people (including migrants, shift and gig economy workers, unpaid carers, and those in precarious work) instead of prioritising corporate profits;
- A comprehensive economic and social strategy for everyone living in Europe.
We call on European leaders to change course and end their war on migrants. Instead, reorient your policies to centre a politics of care, protection and safety for all, including migrant communities.
Drafted by:
Equinox Initiative for Racial Justice – Europe
Greek Forum of Migrants – Greece
International Women* Space – Germany
Movement for Asylum Seekers in Ireland (MASI) – Ireland
Signatories:
Equipo del Decenio Afrodescendiente – Spain
Academics for Peace-Germany, Germany
Acollides Feministes – Transformem juntes, Spain
Agora Association, Turkey
Akoma, Germany
Albanian Community in Greece, Greece
AlgoRace, Spain
All Faiths and None, United Kingdom
Almena Cooperativa Feminista, Spain
APROSEX, Spain
Ariadni A.M.K.E., Greece
Associació intercultural diàlegs de dona, Spain
Association de soutien aux travailleurs immigrés – ASTI asbl, Luxembourg
Association Tunisienne des Femmes Democrates ATFD, Tunisia
BARAC UK, United Kingdom
Border Criminologies
Cantiere, Italia
Centre for Information Technology and Development, Nigeria
Centre of legal aid “Voice in Bulgaria”, Bulgaria
Citizen D / Državljan D Slovenia / EU
Comitato 3 Ottobre – ETS, Italy
Conflict Kitchen Foundation / Kuchnia Konfliktu, Poland
Congolese Community of Brazzaville in Greece, Greece
Conselho de Cidadania do Brasil em Barcelona, Spain
EDUXO ITALIA APS, Italy, Belgium, Spain
EL*C, Europe and Central Asia
EmpowerVan, Greece / Switzerland
European Center for Constitutional and Human Rights (ECCHR)
European Network Against Racism, Europe – wide
European Network for the Promotion of Rights and Health among Migrant Sex Workers, Europe
European Network on Religion and Belief, Europe-wide
European Sex Workers’ Rights Alliance (ESWA), Pan European
European Union of Women Marina Alta, Spain
Feminist Collective of Romani Gender Experts
Flüchtlingshilfe Iran e.V.2010, Germany
forRefugees, UK
GAT – Grupo de Ativistas em Tratamentos, Portugal
Ghanaian Nationals Association in Greece, Greece
Global Women Against Deportations, England
Greek Forum of Refugees, Greece
Hidden Goddess, Greece
Hoffnung leben e.V., Germany
HOTM, Belgium
IGLYO – The International LGBTQI Youth and Student Organisation, Belgium
Infokolpa, Slovenia
Ivorian community of Greece, Greece
KISA- Action for Equality, Support, Antiracism, Cyprus
Lesvos Solidarity, Greece
Migrant Tales, Finland
Migrationsrat Berlin e.V., Germany
Mulheres Brasileiras contra o fascismo e o racism, Spain
New Women Connectors, Netherlands
Nigerian Community Greece, Greece
Northern Ireland Council for Racial Equality, United Kingdom/Northern Ireland
One Billion Rising Frauengruppe, Germany
Racism and Technology Center, Netherlands
Red Española de Inmigración y Ayuda al Refugiado, Spain
Refugees in Libya, Italy, Libya
Refugees Welcome España, Spain
Revibra Europe, EU
Romnja Feminist Library
S.P.E.A.K ( Muslim women collective), The Netherlands
Safe Passage International, Europe (UK, France, Greece)
Samos Volunteers, Greece
Sant Just Solidari, Catalunya
Siempre ong, Belgium
Solidaridad Entre PErsonas Integrando Comunidades- SOEPIC, Spain
Spazio di Mutuo Soccorso, Italia
The German Center for Integration and Migration Research (DeZIM), Germany
Trans United Europe-BIPOC European trans network, France
VELOS YOUTH, Greece
WeMove Europe, Europe
Women in Development Europe (WIDE+), Europe
Women of Colour in Global Women’s Strike, England
women’s council Dest Dan e.V., BRD
Yoga and Sport with Refugees, Greece/ France
