Responding to Irregular Migration: High Potential of Local Governments in Turkey
| Date | 01 June 2018 |
| Author | H. Deniz Genç |
| DOI | http://doi.org/10.1111/imig.12424 |
| Published date | 01 June 2018 |
Responding to Irregular Migration: High
Potential of Local Governments in Turkey
H. Deniz Gencß*
ABSTRACT
This study examines local governments’growing presence in irregular migration management,
and discusses how autonomous local responses challenge centralist approaches to the manage-
ment of this migration. By building on the relevant legal framework, secondary literature and
interview notes, the study focuses its attention on irregular migration in Turkey, and uncovers
the potential of two local government units –district municipalities and muhtarlıks–in the
response to irregular migration. The study discusses the enablers and the main constraints on
these local government units in responding to, and therefore involving themselves in, the man-
agement of the phenomenon. As discussed in the study, the main impediment appears to be
the country’s highly centralized state structure, while there also exist several enablers, such as
Turkish Townsmen Law (Hems
ßehri Hukuku), the trust relationship with their inhabitants, and
their experience of liminality in handling irregular matters and providing social aid to vulnera-
ble, fragile and low-income residents.
INTRODUCTION
Irregular migration has become a primary concern during the last four decades. Despite increasing
cooperation at international and regional levels, it is the national level that has emerged as the most
important site for managing this phenomenon. Driven mostly by security and sovereignty concerns,
states have implemented various policies and instruments to prevent, control, restrict and return
irregular migrants at national level (Brochmann, 1999; Koser, 2010). Yet, despite 40 years of effort
and focus on the issue, “there are no indications that the phenomenon is on the wane”says the
International Organization for Migration (IOM) (2008, p. 201). On the contrary, it has become a
major flow (Angenendt, 2008; Koser, 2010). The persistence of irregular migration shows that
despite all the efforts at national, international and regional levels, this type of human mobility can-
not be managed as previously conceived by national governments. It demands efforts that transcend
mere “control”and “prevention”. This, then, is one side of the discussion.
On the other side, we see that although debate and policy-making on all forms of international
migration, including irregular migration, are conducted at national, international and regional levels,
it is at the local level that the drivers and consequences of these movements are felt most strongly.
No responsibility is assigned locally, yet in many localities, local governments are reported to be
increasingly responsible for managing the consequences of these movements. This study reveals
local governments in different countries stretching the limits of their competence and taking on
new roles in all aspects of migration policy, including irregular migration. In many localities, local
governments are compelled to respond to irregular migration and irregular migrants in different
*Istanbul Medipol University
doi: 10.1111/imig.12424
©2018 The Authors
International Migration ©2018 IOM
International Migration Vol. 56 (3) 2018
ISSN 0020-7985Published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.
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