Open Borders: The Case Against Immigration Controls

by Teresa Hayter

In this new edition of Open Borders, Teresa Hayter assesses the impact of the increasing severity of border controls since they were first introduced and makes the controversial case for their abolition. Hayter focuses on postwar immigration controls, especially the use of such controls against the peoples of former European colonies and East Europeans, and their effects on asylum seekers. She examines the recent history of European coordination of border controls and the notion of ‘Fortress Europe’. Hayter argues that the existence of controls leads to great suffering and abuse of human rights, and that immigration controls are racist and help legitimate racism. She demonstrates that immigration controls have actually had a limited impact on controlling numbers. To illustrate her arguments, she draws on empirical material, especially from Britain in the 1980s and 1990s, relating in particular to the use of detention, arbitrary decision-making and the denial of benefits. She compares British government policies with policies elsewhere in Europe and calls for the free movement of people and the abolition of border controls. The new edition brings this seminal work up to date with a lengthy preface exploring how the practices of the British government over the past few years has continued the process Hayter outlines in the main text – of abusive and irrational border controls and the criminalisation of entire communities. This second edition also updates the bibliography and list of campaigning groups, and ends with a new manifesto for a world without borders, declaring 'no one is illegal!'

Genres: Politics, Nonfiction

240 pages, Paperback

First published February 1, 2000

About the author

Writer and activist. Deals mainly with anti-racist and issues around migration.

Reviews

[M · Rating 5 out of 5]

Well worth reading even if, like I, you already believed the border regime should be abolished. Focuses on Britain but also has a good deal on the rest of western Europe and the USA. Includes a history of immigration controls and resistance to them. This book helped me cohere my arguments against borders and I would certainly return to it as a reference in future. Hayter finely balances humanist arguments against the barbarity of detention centres and murderous guards and fences while also countering the common anti-migrant myths. While she tackles economic questions head-on the author avoids a simplistic or liberal 'they are actually good for our economy' stance (which is a bosses' argument). Although the edition I read was published in 2000 it only rarely felt dated, though it is clear the situation has tragically become much worse in the last 15 years. Even if this book is only read by 'the choir' and does not convince anyone new, it is still a powerful and concise weapon that socialists, anarchists, greens and others should call on in the struggle for refugee, asylum seeker, and migrant rights.

Libcom have the 2004 edition online: https://libcom.org/library/open-borde...

[Nathan · Rating 3 out of 5]

Not exactly what I was looking for since it focused almost entirely on the history of British immigration control. This meant that I was lost for a good chunk of the more granular recountings of political fights, but the overall argument was excellent. The last chapter in particular, which summarized why the recent immigration restrictions should be done away with, is worth reading. "Immigration controls should be consigned to the dustbin of history, recognized for what they are: a cruel but relatively short-lived twentieth-century aberration.” Amen.

[Rosie · Rating 4 out of 5]

A much needed academic writing on the case against immigration controls. An excellent collection of evidence compressed into a short piece of writing establishing a strong case. Loads of great info on social policy and immigration law for those who are interested in the particulars of these subjects.

[Signý Guðmundsdóttir · Rating 5 out of 5]

þessi bók breytti lífi mínu, allir verða að lesa hana