Abstract
Starting from the idea that border externalization – understood as the spatial and institutional stretching of borders – is enmeshed with the highly contextual humanitarian and securitarian dynamics of migrant trajectories, this article addresses the reach of border externalization tentacles in Costa Rica. Although Costa Rica does not formally engage in border externalization agreements, it is located in a region characterized by transit migration and transnational securitization pressures. Moreover, externalization efforts across the Atlantic have contributed to a relatively new presence of so-called extra-continental migrants. Given these circumstances, we aim to interrogate the ways in which border externalization plays a role in Costa Rica’s discourses, policies and practices of migration management. We do so by analysing a migrant reception centre in the northern Costa Rica border region, and by focusing on African transit migration. Our analysis is based on exploratory field research at the centre as well as on long-term migration research in Central America. Building on these empirical explorations and the theoretical notions of mobility regimes, transit and arterial borders, the article finds that Costa Rica’s identity as a ‘humanitarian transit country’ – as enacted in the migrant reception centre – both reproduces and challenges border externalization. While moving towards increased securitization of migration and an internalization of its border, Costa Rica also distinguishes itself from neighbouring countries by emphasizing the care it extends to African migrants, in practice enabling these migrants to move further north. Based on these findings, the article argues for a deeper appreciation of the role of local-regional histories, perceptions, rivalries, linkages and strategies of migration management. This allows for a better grip of the scope and shape of border externalization across a diversity of migration landscapes.
Highlights
After a short tour of a state-run migrant reception centre in La Cruz, Costa Rica, during which the officer of Costa Rica’s Immigration and Naturalization Service responsible for the centre kept emphasizing the freedom of movement of the African migrants accommodated there, the question became almost inevitable: isn’t there a tension between some of the main tasks of Immigration, controlling migrationWinters and Mora Izaguirre Comparative Migration Studies (2019) 7:27 and combating smuggling, and the awareness that these migrants seek to continue their irregular journey north? The Immigration officer responded: “We provide them with care
Costa Rica does not formally engage in border externalization agreements, it is located in a region characterized by transit migration and transnational securitization pressures
While moving towards increased securitization of migration and an internalization of its border, Costa Rica distinguishes itself from neighbouring countries by emphasizing the care it extends to African migrants, in practice enabling these migrants to move further north
Summary
The Immigration officer responded: “We provide them with care If they want to continue [their journey north], es cosa suya [it’s their business; it’s up to them].”. Immigration is working on that.” (Field notes from La Cruz, 22 August 2017) This short excerpt from research on African migrant trajectories in Costa Rica illustrates a number of important clues for advancing the discussion on border externalization. These include the interlocking of humanitarian and securitarian mechanisms As the ‘spatial and institutional stretching’ of borders and their locally specific mechanisms of care and control This article is about the reach of border externalization tentacles in Costa Rica, a country that is not traditionally targeted by externalization efforts, yet faced with a mobile population and located in a region that are both under extreme migratory scrutiny
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