From Irregular Stay to Removal through Detention: The Case of Spain as a Member State of the European Union

Abstract

The fight against human smuggling and irregular migration is a worldwide priority. Removal of persons irregularly living in a European country is said to be an instrument to deter irregular migration. In this context, detention to secure removal of those who enter or stay irregularly is proclaimed to be an effective instrument in European policies. However, in the case of Spain, data collected and in-depth interviews show that detention of irregular/smuggled immigrants has a minor effect on the number of removals fulfilled. Thus, the idea that detention can work not only to increase return effectiveness but also as a deterrence measures seems to be unreal.