The Neoliberalized State and Migration Control: The Rise of Private Actors in the Enforcement and Design of Migration Policy

Current migration debates often underestimate the structural transformation of the European state and its embrace of neoliberal competition state priorities. This article analyzes two important changes that flow form this mutation. Firstly, migration control efforts now involve private actors, especially transportation companies, but also private security companies. By devolving operational responsibility and imposing financial sanctions, airlines are forced to co-manage flows of “undesirable” migrants, such as refugees and asylum seekers. Secondly, employer associations are gaining increasing influence over economic migration design. The rhetorical link between competitiveness and liberalized economic migration policy successfully sways policy-makers. Employers provide the data and arguments that West European governments base their economic migration policy design on. They are represented in influential advisory councils and help co-manage migration flows considered of economic utility.