How can the pandemic affect the ways we think about immigration in ‘western’ countries? How can it make us feel more empathy and solidarity, acknowledging vulnerability and interdependence, and building more resilience than before?
In a matter of weeks, the COVID-19 pandemic has become the most important crisis that western countries have faced since World War II. Extraordinary measures have been taken and lives changed overnight. The magnitude of the crisis is likely to have reshuffled the cards in several areas. Migration will be no exception. But, how might the pandemic influence commonly accepted perceptions and ideas on migration? Studying immigration and immigrant integration policies has taught me the importance of ideas, discourses and the way immigration is framed to capture policy evolution. Although it is not possible to predict policy changes at this stage, recent events and decisions will affect our views on migration, which may in turn trigger policy evolution.
We can imagine two very different stories about migration and the pandemic: The first is negative and pessimistic. In that scenario, the pandemic fuels fear, racism and exclusion of the most vulnerable. It is very much an exacerbation of recent trends. The second is positive and optimistic. Here, the pandemic reminds every one of their own vulnerability and reveals how much societies actually rely on migrants. The second is the positive side of the story.
