Abstract

Migration is today, as in the past, a major domain of the social, cultural and political struggle for justice, in which alternative organizations play a central role. The principal regulator of migration is the nation-state, such as the United States Department of Homeland Security, or entities like FRONTEX, a multi-state European agency. Because immigrant ¹ advocates often criticize state policies, it is important to emphasize that states often permit or even create or encourage migration, including family reunification, permanent and temporary labor migration, and asylum. Not all state policies are oppressive, but some are. The private sector, and more broadly the world capitalist economy, likewise helps “organize” migration, even encouraging undocumented migration, as we will discuss below. But we can hardly term their activities alternatives to dominant power. ² Immigrant organizations are also affected by home nation-states, religious organizations, labor organizations and large philanthropic funders, so that it would be naïve to envision “alternative” as being pure, clear and separate.