South America’s moves to liberalize irregular migration are in stark contrast to the punitive and fatal policies of the U.S. and Europe

In light of the escalation of the Mediterranean migrants and refugee crisis, human rights activists have once again severely criticized the approach of the U.S. and Europe to managing irregular migration. South America, in contrast, has become much more accommodating to irregular migrants over the past 15 years. Luisa Feline Freier and Diego Acosta Arcarazo write that, despite persisting inconsistencies, this philosophical paradigm shift in South American immigration policies – which has culminated in the granting of a universal right to migrate in some countries – challenges the fatal criminalization of irregular migrants in Europe and North America.