Anti-immigration policies are fast becoming the norm not only in countries that built their foundation on massive immigration. Spearheaded by Australia, the hardline stand against refugees, asylum seekers and illegal migrants, arriving by land and by sea, became a model worth emulating.
How Global Anti-Immigration Policies Started
Australian evangelist and former immigration minister, Scott Morrison, took a hardline stance even before he became the Australian Prime Minister. Not even the UN could do anything to resolve issues raised by human rights groups regarding the “stop the boat” actions carried out, to prevent people from stepping foot on Australian shores.
The US was not helping either as the incumbent president Donald Trump made it his political promise to put harsher immigration laws once he assumes office as the 45th US president. As a result, refugees had been making their way to European countries, with Italy, Greece and Spain reportedly taking in the most number of refugees.
The continuing influx of irregular immigration of nationals coming from Africa, Sri Lanka and the Middle East, likewise gave cause to European countries to implement harsher immigration policies. A matter not impossible to achieve for some, since majority of their respective electorate were supportive of candidates who can strengthen the forces that support anti-immigration policies. According to recent European surveys, a large number of voters in 21 out of 28 EU member countries, consider immigration as a top priority issue that must be addressed by EU governments.
It is widely believed that the widespread support for the implementation of hardline immigration regulations, was fueled largely by rising sentiments against anti-semitism and islamophobia.
What Gave Rise to Islamophobia?
Anti-semitism sentiments are not as forceful as that of the rapid growth of negativity directed toward the Islamic race. In fact, only a few care to be identified as being part of anti-semitic movements. After all, the ideology it carries is largely associated with the notorious World War II figure, Adolf Hitler.
Islamophobia took shape after the September 11 attack by the Al Qaeda against the US. As global media continuously made reference to Islamic religion and culture, it slowly developed into a concept that they are the driving forces that inspired fanatic Islamic terrorist groups into launching their attacks in different countries.
So much so that fear of communities in which a concentration of Islamic fundamentalists became widespread; automatically giving birth to the idea that any one of such communities is likely harboring members of terrorist groups.
