Rethinking Immigration in the Age of Exclusion

Source: The post “Rethinking Immigration in the Age of Exclusion” has been created, based on “Rethinking Immigration in the Age of Exclusion” published in “The Hindu” on 29 October 2025. Rethinking Immigration in the Age of Exclusion.

UPSC Syllabus: GS Paper-2- Governance

Context: Immigration has historically facilitated human survival, cultural exchange, and social progress. Contemporary politics, especially during the Trump administration in the United States, has transformed immigration into a source of fear, suspicion, and ideological conflict. This shift has weaponised immigration policies against vulnerable groups while neglecting the historical role of migration in nation-building.

Colonial History and Distorted Narratives

1. Colonial narratives, such as the glorification of Columbus’s “discovery” of America, deliberately ignore the existence of advanced Indigenous civilisations.
2. Colonisation destroyed vibrant societies by imposing foreign languages, religions, and systems of governance for the extraction of wealth.
3. Colonial migration was not a peaceful settlement but a tool of conquest, domination, enslavement, and forced displacement of native populations.
4. Colonial powers established racial hierarchies and property systems that still structure today’s global inequalities.

Link between Colonialism and Modern Anti-Immigration Politics

1. Current immigration restrictions are rooted in historical practices that treated non-European people as inferior and expendable.
2. Powerful nations continue to obscure their role in creating conflict and economic instability that drives forced migration.
3. Migrants are criminalised and economically exploited while being denied legal rights and social protection.
4. The militarisation of borders presents migrants as threats to national security rather than as human beings seeking dignity.

Political Construction of Fear and Suspicion

1. Stereotyping and racial profiling have resulted in deep suspicion of migrants from Muslim-majority and war-affected regions such as Syria, Afghanistan, and Sub-Saharan Africa.
2. Public discourse increasingly frames immigration as terrorism, crime, or disease, rather than as a humanitarian and developmental concern.
3. Political leaders use anti-immigrant rhetoric to gain power by generating fear and reinforcing xenophobic nationalism.
4. Despite being built by generations of migrants, societies like in U.S.A. adopt exclusionary policies against new migrants.
5. The contributions of immigrants to economic growth, scientific progress, and cultural enrichment are often ignored or erased.
6. This selective historical memory enables governments to portray migrants as outsiders rather than as part of national identity.

Ethical and Legal Dimensions

1. Restricting the movement of people across borders raises fundamental questions about human dignity and universal rights.
2. Legal categories such as “illegal immigrant” fail to acknowledge the moral legitimacy of migration as a basic human aspiration.
3. Immigration policies must shift from punitive systems to rights-based frameworks that recognise migrants’ agency and humanity.

Way Forward

1. Future immigration systems should confront historical injustices that continue to shape migration patterns worldwide.
2. Governments should promote humane refugee protections, fair pathways to citizenship, and safeguards against exploitation.
3. Policymakers must replace racialised and security-driven narratives with inclusive, evidence-based, and humanitarian approaches.
4. Societies must acknowledge that diversity strengthens economic development, innovation, and global cooperation.

Conclusion: A just approach to immigration requires dismantling the exclusionary ideologies inherited from colonialism. Recognising the historical roots of migration can help reshape policy toward fairness, dignity, and equality. Migration should be treated not as a threat, but as a legitimate human right that reflects the shared history and future of humanity.

Question: Modern immigration policies often reflect the colonial legacy of exclusion, domination, and racialised control. Critically examine this statement in the context of contemporary global politics.