Migration: Engine of Globalization or Political Fear?

Immigration is often seen as a problem. We hear it again and again: “migrants steal jobs,” “migrants are criminals or terrorists,” or “migrants make national traditions disappear.” How many times have we all heard these claims?

However, what Leblang and Peters (2022) show is quite different: migration is an engine of globalization. It increases the flow of cross-border information, money, and even democratic values. Migrants often bring with them what they observe in host countries and share it with their communities back home. They send remittances that support local economies, and in many cases contribute both to the country they leave and the one they arrive in.

This is very different from traditional narratives. Migrants often take jobs that nationals are not willing to do, and they contribute through their work, consumption, and in the long term even through demographic renewal.

This does not mean that migrants are all saints. Some do commit crimes and may have criminal records. However, it is also important to consider that criminality can be linked to difficult living conditions, often shaped by inefficient or exclusionary national policies.

What really influences whether migrants decide to move to a country is the presence of integration policies. These policies help them understand how difficult it will be to find work, what conditions they will face, and whether their cultural practices will be legally and socially accepted.

In 2023, migration flows into Europe decreased by 18% compared to the previous year, and in 2024 asylum applications also fell by 13% compared to 2023 (Eurostat 2025). Does this mean that Europe is becoming less attractive because of weak integration systems or difficult working conditions?

A similar pattern has also been observed in the United States in 2026 under the Trump administration (White House 2026). I find this phenomenon striking because it reflects the influence of rising populist movements. It suggests that countries built by immigrants are now developing policies that are increasingly hostile to foreigners so much so that fewer people choose to go there.

What is even more striking is that if populist parties are becoming more powerful, it means that people are voting for them yet only a few admit it.

What I wonder is: if people hide their views, does that mean they feel some level of shame about being against people who are simply searching for better living conditions or escaping war? And if so, why does that shame exist and why is it not strong enough to change their vote?

SOURCE:

David Leblang, Margaret E. Peters. 2022. Immigration and Globalization (and Deglobalization). Annual Review Political Science. 25:377-399.

Eurostat. 2025. “Migration and Asylum in Europe – 2025 Edition” Eurostat

White House. 2026 “America First in Action: U.S. Records Net Negative Migration Across Every Metro Area”. White House