Phalapoem editor, 8/01/2025
The debate over immigration has long been a contentious issue in both the United States and Western Europe. Politicians, media, and the public frequently clash over border policies, asylum seekers, and integration challenges. Yet, amid this heated discourse, the focus remains overwhelmingly on the symptoms rather than the causes of migration.
If immigration is seen as a crisis, it is imperative to ask: What compels millions to uproot their lives and embark on dangerous journeys to foreign lands? The answer is often tied to the policies and actions of Western nations themselves. To address immigration effectively, Western countries must confront their colonial role in creating the very conditions that drive people to migrate.
For decades, the United States and Western European countries have engaged in illegal military interventions, regime changes, and unjustified economic exploitation across the Global South. These actions have destabilized nations, weakened economies, and displaced millions of innocent people. From the illegal war on Iraq to the NATO intervention in Libya, these policies have left behind broken states where war, poverty, and insecurity reign.
For example:
• The U.S. illegal invasion of Iraq in 2003 destabilized the region, leading to the rise of extremist groups and mass displacement.
• The 2011 NATO intervention in Libya toppled Muammar Gaddafi but plunged the country into chaos, creating a hub for human trafficking and migration routes to Europe.
• Western-backed coups, inhuman sanctions, and economic policies in Latin America have contributed to economic hardship and forced migration toward the U.S.
When powerful nations invade or destabilize weaker ones, the resulting chaos often leaves ordinary people with little choice but to flee. Immigration, then, becomes a survival strategy for millions whose homelands were upended by foreign interference.
Beyond war, Western economic policies have played a significant role in perpetuating global inequality. Institutions like the International Monetary Fund (IMF) and World Bank, dominated by Western interests, have imposed austerity measures, debt traps, and structural adjustments that cripple developing economies. Trade agreements often benefit multinational corporations at the expense of local industries, leaving communities impoverished.
Additionally, Western nations have disproportionately contributed to climate change, which exacerbates migration pressures. Rising sea levels, droughts, and extreme weather events disproportionately impact the Global South, forcing millions to flee uninhabitable regions.
Western nations simultaneously criticize immigration while facilitating it in ways that serve their own interests. Many countries rely on immigrant labor to fill low-paying jobs while denying these workers rights and pathways to citizenship. Moreover, Western countries often extend asylum to those fleeing regimes they oppose, using migration as a political tool rather than a humanitarian necessity.
By destabilizing nations and then selectively offering asylum, Western powers create a cycle that perpetuates migration. This cycle is further exploited by far-right movements, which weaponize immigration fears to gain political power.
If Western nations are serious about addressing immigration challenges, they must focus on the root causes:
1. Stop Aggressive Military Interventions: End unnecessary wars, invasions, and regime changes that destabilize countries and force people to flee.
2. Respect Sovereignty: Cease interfering in the internal affairs of other nations, whether through coups, sanctions, or political manipulation.
3. Support Economic Justice: Reform global trade policies and cancel odious debts that keep developing nations in perpetual poverty.
4. Address Climate Change: Commit to reducing emissions and providing resources to the countries most affected by the climate crisis.
5. Invest in Rebuilding: Support infrastructure and economic development in countries that have been harmed by Western actions.
Migration is not a spontaneous phenomenon—it is often the direct result of decades of foreign interference, economic exploitation, and environmental destruction. Western nations have a moral and practical obligation to address the conditions they helped create.
By focusing on these root causes, they can not only reduce migration pressures but also promote global stability and justice. Anything less is merely a band-aid on a wound they themselves inflicted.