In person icon Borders Beyond Borders: Securitization, Externalization, and Technological Control in EU Migration and Asylum Policies and Their Impact on Human Rights

Abstract

The European Union’s migration governance has changed over the years, marked by a growing reliance on securitization, externalization, and technological control. This panel critically explores the EU governance of migration and asylum within and beyond EU borders and its evolving strategies, which combine externalization, internalization, securitization, and technological innovation to manage borders and control mobility. Each paper examines these strategies through different lenses, collectively contributing to a broader understanding of how these policies impact fundamental rights, the principle of non-refoulement, and the agency of migrants and asylum seekers. Drawing on diverse methodologies and case studies, the panel addresses four interconnected themes that together illuminate the evolving landscape of EU border policies and practices. The first paper, "Navigating Shifting Borders in the EU Pact on Migration and Asylum: Internalisation versus Externalisation," analyzes the dual strategies of externalization and internalization embedded in the EU’s new migration framework. Externalization shifts responsibilities to non-EU states through "safe third country" agreements, while internalization reinforces restrictive measures within EU borders. Together, these mechanisms create a system of deterrence that challenges the rights and agency of asylum seekers. By unpacking the implications of these shifting borders, the paper contributes a critical framework for understanding the human rights consequences of the new Pact on Migration and Asylum. The second paper, "Hard Borders and Weak Safeguards: Frontex as an Agent of Expansive Externalisation," investigates the European Border and Coast Guard Agency’s activities beyond EU borders, particularly in the Sahel region. Through fieldwork in Mali and Niger, it explores the legal implications of Frontex’s externalized operations and their neo-colonial dimensions. This research reveals how the externalization of EU migration management perpetuates imperial power structures, while local actors navigate complex dynamics of cooperation and resistance. The paper raises critical questions about accountability for human rights violations and the risks posed by a lack of robust safeguards. The third paper, "AI at the Border: The Rise of Extra-Territorialised Surveillance and the Erosion of Non-Refoulement," focuses on the role of advanced surveillance technologies, including AI-powered systems, in border policing. Centered on Greece’s external borders, it highlights how pre-emptive practices enabled by technology have facilitated the extra-territorialization of border controls. This evolution poses significant legal challenges, particularly regarding the principle of non-refoulement, as the obscured responsibilities of actors involved in prohibited conduct undermine accountability. The paper calls for urgent scrutiny of these developments to ensure compliance with European and international human rights norms. The fourth paper, "Rethinking Vulnerability in an Increasingly Securitized CEAS: A Critical Look at the New 'Needs-Based' Approach," examines the evolution of vulnerability assessment procedures under the Common European Asylum System (CEAS). It critiques the shift toward individualized “needs-based” vulnerability assessments as part of the New Pact on Asylum and Migration, interrogating whether this approach genuinely enhances protection or serves as a tool to legitimize restrictive policies. This analysis situates vulnerability mechanisms within broader securitization narratives and questions their ability to uphold fundamental rights in an increasingly restrictive governance framework. Together, these papers weave a coherent narrative of the EU’s increasingly securitized approach to migration governance. By addressing the interplay between securitization, externalization, internalization, and technological innovation, this panel highlights the pressing need for accountability and safeguards in the face of policies that prioritize deterrence over protection. This discussion is not only a critical intervention in the field of migration studies but also a call to reimagine governance strategies that center the rights and agency of migrants and asylum seekers.

Title	Details
Navigating Shifting Borders in the EU Pact on Migration and Asylum: Internalisation Versus Externalisation	View Paper Details
Hard Borders and Weak Safeguards: Frontex as an Agent of Expansive Externalisation - Navigating a Changing Reality in the Sahel	View Paper Details
Navigating Tomorrow's Borders: AI, Pre-Emptive Border Policing and the Prospects for Non-Refoulement in Europe	View Paper Details
Rethinking Vulnerability in an Increasingly Securitized CEAS: A Critical Look at the New ‘Needs-Based’ Approach	View Paper Details