ABSTRACT
On 19 September 2016, the United Nations convened its first-ever Global Summit on Refugees and Migrants. Most data about the numbers of international migrants are based on censuses that contain information about the birthplace of foreigners and natives. US Secretary of State Michael Pompeo stated Every nation – every nation – must honestly acknowledge its responsibilities to its citizens and ask if the current international order serves the good of its people as well as it could. There are several important patterns and trends in international migration. The refugee and migration regimes overlap with the smuggling and trafficking regimes – increasingly so since the 2014–2015 refugee and migration “crisis.” Both the migration and refugee regimes are increasingly affected by efforts to control and combat smuggling and trafficking. Both also reflect the tension between multilateralism and sovereignty. The chapter also presents an overview of the key concepts discussed in this book.
