Es cosa suya: entanglements of border externalization and African transit migration in northern Costa Rica

Abstract

Starting from the idea that border externalizationunderstood as the spatial and institutional stretching of bordersis 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 centreboth 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 localregional 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.

The Event in Migrant Categorization: Exploring Eventfulness Across the Americas

“…This fits in a long tradition of border externalization efforts, in which the US has attempted to control and deter certain types of immigration through agreements with Mexico and some Central American countries through force, diplomacy, and investment(Dominguez and Iñiguez Ramos 2016;Galemba 2013;Vogt 2017). Although Costa Rica, to the best of our knowledge, does not participate in any formal border externalization agreement with the US, it is entangled in regional migration management in myriad ways (seeWinters and Mora Izaguirre 2019) and, just like Panama, shares information about migrants intending to cross its territory with the US. Notably, the flujo controlado appears to dissolve beyond Panama and Costa Rica, effectively leaving migrants to fend for themselves (and become irregular) for parts of their journey.6 The flujo controlado starts in Panama with the reception, evaluation, and containment of migrants emerging from the Darién Gap, or the "selva" (jungle).…”

“…The eventfulness of this particular moment, at these particular borders, included a variety of elements: an earthquake, increasing insecurities and geopolitical changes in the Americas; changing asylum and migration procedures on the other side of the Atlantic; regional animosities and alliances. The moment also incorporated local developments in migration securitization, such as the breaking of a smuggling ring in northern Costa Rica (Winters and Mora Izaguirre 2019). Together, these elements shaped migrant perception and the use of this route, as well as instances of accumulation and blockage along certain borders.…”

Long Voyage: African Migration through Latin America to the US

“…In recent years, however, the number of African migrants and refugees transiting through Latin America toward the US has steadily increased (See Figure 1). Although it is difficult to pinpoint the exact number of African migrants and refugees involved within this migratory flow, particularly since much migration is clandestine or irregular and many migrants are undocumented or seek to evade detection (Laczko, 2005;Laczko & Gramegna, 2003;Sen & Ahuja, 2009), available estimates generally illustrate an upward trajectory and it is believed that tens of thousands have made the long, arduous journey in recent years (Winters & Izaguirre, 2019).…”

“…trains, private cars, walking on foot, and small boats. African extracontinental migrants tend to come from a number of different origin countries in Africa, including Angola, Burkina Faso, Cameroon, the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), Ghana, Mali, Nigeria, Senegal, and countries in the Horn of Africa (USBP, 2019;Winters & Izaguirre, 2019).…”

“…Notably, since most research on migration within Latin America has focused on the movement of local populations, while the majority of research conducted on African migrants has concentrated on their migration to Europe or across the continent (Capps, McCabe, & Fix, 2012;de Haas, 2006;Hatton & Williamson, 2003), the present paper is a useful and timely contribution to the relatively small body of work on this increasingly significant issue. Moreover, in addition to helping strengthen understanding of the geopolitics of the phenomenon, the present paper raises vital awareness of the movement of African extracontinental migrants 1 and offers insight into the array of challenges that they encounter on 1 The term "extracontinental" migration' is widely used throughout the region and within the literature to refer to migrants from Africa, Asia, and the Middle East (Winters & Izaguirre, 2019).…”