On This Day!

Something new I am going to be doing on here is sharing pictures and facts related to migration on the days that they happened. For now, I will just title the post “On This Day!” It is a chance for me to share great historical moments, facts, and achievements.

For the first in this series, you will see a below a picture of the signing of the Convention Relating to the Status of Refugees in 1951. As many in refugee affairs know, this convention is extremely important because it provided the basis for the definition of a refugee and how to treat them. Without this convention, the idea of a refugee would still be undefined.

Photo source: http://legal.un.org/avl/ha/prsr/prsr.html

How Kenya is Combatting the Brain Drain

Within the context of the developing world, most emigration happens from the Global South to the Global North. This is strongly correlated to a recent phenomenon called the “Brain Drain.” This phenomenon has particularly affected countries in the developing world as some of their best talent moves to the Global North rather than staying in their country of origin. In the midst of this, it is interesting to consider what states are doing with their emigration policies to combat this very issue. As the prominence of the “brain drain” is increasing, many countries in the developing world are taking into their own hands to manage and regulate migration rather than depending on international organizations. In further looking at these trends, Kenya provides a great case study as it is working to combat the brain drain in south-north movements by its efforts to create more of a brain gain through its reliance on the Kenya diaspora, the remittances that the diaspora brings in, and other institutional efforts to keep Kenyans in Kenya.

Currently,  Kenya has a department in the Ministry of Interior and Coordination of National Government called the Directorate of Immigration and Registration of Persons. Its vision is “to be a global leader in population registration and migration management.” In addition to this, Kenya has around 41 embassies and consulates around the world[2]. In terms of handling emigration, Kenya has all the right systems in place. More recently, most likely due to influence from its AU membership, Kenya has begun to pursue the diaspora approach. The new approach is summed up best by John Ochuo when he says, “The New Partnership for Africa’s Development (NEPAD) has sought to reverse the brain drain and convert it into ‘brain gain,’ as well as to involved African Diaspora in Africa’s development,” (51). This approach stems from the African Union’s addition of the African Diaspora as the sixth region of the AU in 1993. While this has been in place for quite some time, the diaspora had not really be considered capable of being able to make a difference away from home. But now, in terms of combatting brain drain, the diaspora has been more and more widely used. According to Adepoju, “The diaspora can promote the flow of trade, capital and technology back to countries of origin, and can also be active in transnational transactions (Block 2005),” (15), and Kenya definitely shares this belief.

In the study of Kenya, we see a strong example of attempting to turn brain drain into brain gain. The principal way it has been successful in doing that is through the diaspora. Since about 1990, countries have been using the “diaspora option” to aide in the development of their country thus fighting brain drain (Rutten 200). In recent years, the Kenyan Diaspora has become more of a focus for the Kenyan government. In fact, in 2011, a Draft Diaspora policy was created. The intention of this policy was to establish a framework for Kenyan diaspora affairs. The ultimate goal was to bring the diaspora into the pictures for the purposes of national development. This is because Kenya has recognized that there is much to gain from keeping the diaspora connected with their country of origin. Just because these persons have left the country does not mean they do not have an interest in helping the country.

At the time this policy was written, some important first steps had been made. In 2010, the Kenyan Constitution made provisions for dual citizenship. Also, children born to a Kenyan parent automatically receive citizenship no matter where they were born (The Kenyan 9). There is also the option for diaspora members to have a “visa for life” as well. Members of the diaspora also have voting rights in Kenya (Kinyanjui). In addition to all the above, an office called International Jobs and Diaspora office was established in 2007 to oversee diaspora affairs. Now that this field is of importance to the government, especially since diaspora diplomacy is on of the five pillars of Kenyan foreign policy (Kinyanjui), have constantly been moves to strengthen relations with the diaspora. The policy paper reflects that in its call for the formation of the National Diaspora Council of Kenya (Draft 14). All in all, Kenya is making strides within the diaspora option that is turning the brain drain into a brain gain.

In an article in The Lancet, Samuel Siringi discusses other areas where the Kenya government is working to do just that. He looks at how the Kenyan government promised to increase doctor’s salaries. This effort was one to reduce the effects of the brain drain. The government recognized that many of its doctor’s were leaving due to the pull factors of the wages they could receive in other countries. This is one example of Kenya trying to establish a brain gain. By raising the salaries, the government is keeping its citizens around, which ultimately feeds back into the Kenyan economy. Another way of fighting the brain drain that feeds back into the Kenyan economy is remittances.

As defined in International Migration within, to and from Africa in a Globalised World, remittances are transfers of money, goods and diverse social features, sent or brought by migrants or migrant groups back to their country of origin or citizenship (141). In the last several years, it has been recognized that there has been an increase of remittances, and countries of origin have recognized this flow of money as way to gain from emigration rather than only losing. Some even argue that remittances have a direct effect in reducing poverty (Adepoju 3), which is the main example for how it is used and is being included in conversations about national development. According to Bethuel Kinyanjui, there are “about 3 million Kenyans in the diaspora, approximately 8% of the country’s population, and in the last few years, they have played a huge role in national development through their remittances to Kenya.” As such, it is no surprise that, in 2010, remittances accounted for 5.4% of Kenya’s GDP[3].

Because of the importance of remittances, there is now a “special counter at the Central Bank of Kenya,” (Draft 10) for handling remittances. This feature within the system of Kenya’s infrastructure shows just how much of difference these remittances are actually making. The most important part about remittances is that they are strictly coming directly from emigrants in the diaspora, particularly those in the Global North. In fact, “The US is the 2^nd largest source of Kenyan remittances, having transferred approximately $315 million to the country that year,” (The Kenyan 1). Finally, there are two more critical aspects to the brain gaining practice of remittances that motivate developing countries (Kenya included) to accept and use them for development. The first is that remittances essentially are a type of insurance for return migration (Adepoju 16). This, in and of itself, is a direct method of combatting brain drain. The second is the fact that North-South remittances are second to FDIs (Ochuo 53). This is important because without Kenya’s best leaving the country, there wouldn’t be this source of inflow that makes a huge difference for Kenya, its economy, and its people.

The fact that Kenya is able to turn it into more of a brain gain is one of the best ways that the phenomenon can be combatted. The best part about the case study of Kenya is that it shows how Kenya has taken the matters into its own hands and not been dependent on top-down attempts to reverse the brain drain from organizations like the United Nations or the International Organization for Migration. Most likely because the Kenyan government understands Kenyans and its diaspora better than anybody else, and that is why “Third World Internationalism” is so important. Western organizations and countries (basically all those in the Global North) do not really relate to the developing world. Thus, it would be difficult to implement successful mechanisms to combat issues as prevalent as the brain drain.

[2] http://embassy.goabroad.com/embassies-of/kenya

[3] Mentioned in the foreword by the Honorable Moses Wetang’ula, EGH, MP who is the Minister for Foreign Affairs (Draft ii)

Works Cited:

Adepoju, Aderanti. “INTRODUCTION: Rethinking the Dynamics of Migration within, from and to Africa.” International Migration Within, to and from Africa in a Globalised World. Accra, Ghana: Sub-Saharan Publishers, 2010. 9-45. Print.

Adepoju, Aderanti, Ton Van Naerssen, and Annelies Zoomers. “International Migration and National Development: An Introduction to Policies in Sub-Saharan Africa.” International Migration and National Development in Sub-Saharan Africa: Viewpoints and Policy Initiatives in the Countries of Origin. Leiden: Brill, 2008. 1-20. Print.

Draft Diaspora Policy of Kenya. N.p.: Republic of Kenya, 2011. Print.

Kinyanjui, Bethuel K., and Akinyinka Akinyoade. “Diaspora and Development in Kenya- What Do We Know?” International Organization for Migration. N.p., May 2012. Web. 30 Nov. 2014.

Oucho, John O. “African Diaspora and Remittance Flows: Leveraging Poverty?” International Migration Within, to and from Africa in a Globalised World. Accra, Ghana: Sub-Saharan Publishers, 2010. 137-168. Print.

The Kenyan Diaspora in the United States. N.p. July 2014. 30 Nov 2014.

The Need for Sanctuary

Recently, there was a shooting in California by a man who had been deported five times and should’ve been deported a sixth time. Upon news of this, it did not take long for conversations on immigration to resurface, especially in regards to how bad undocumented immigrants are for the the United States. One prominent figure who was quite vocal in the midst of this event is Mr. Donald Trump. When it comes to immigration, I would consider him to be an extreme on the side of opposition to undocumented immigration. My reasoning stems from comments he makes on the issues such as how Mexican immigrants are rapists. There are many, many ways that this statement is wrong, and Mr. Trump has received a great deal of fallout as a result. For him, the fallout probably only did so much damage because he spoke out about how the shooting in California reinforced his point.

On July 6th, he released a statement his explaining and defending his position saying,

“What can be simpler or more accurately stated? The Mexican Government is forcing their most unwanted people into the United States. They are, in many cases, criminals, drug dealers, rapists, etc. This was evident just this week when, as an example, a young woman in San Francisco was viciously killed by a 5 time deported Mexican with a long criminal record, who was forced back into the United States because they didn’t want him in Mexico. This is merely one of thousands of similar incidents throughout the United States. In other words, the worst elements in Mexico are being pushed into the United States by the Mexican government. (Read more)”

While his views are debatable, they, along with the lack of 6th deportation for the shooter, bring up the need for evaluating the establishment of sanctuary cities. Put simply, sanctuary cities are cities where law enforcement does not have to work with ICE or DHS. Essentially, these cities provide a “sanctuary” to immigrants to may find themselves in situations that could, but do not necessarily have to, lead to deportation. It gives the cities the chance to handle the issues on their own without federal interference. In the case of this shooting, some wonder about the role San Francisco being a sanctuary city had to play. It has been argued that if the shooter were deported a sixth time, the victim would still be alive.

Whether or not that might be the case, the repercussions of such haste to reverse sanctuary city polices must be carefully examined. For starters, the shooter in this case is just one of many undocumented immigrants in the United States. Many of these are not criminals and do not deserve to be treated as such because of actions of just a few. This is where Mr. Trump’s comments were problematic. He grouped all undocumented immigrants to a category they do not necessarily belong in. Thus, it is fair that sanctuary cities exist because it gives undocumented immigrants a chance to interact with law enforcement, which they might need at some point despite their status, without worrying about immediately being handed over to the federal government and most likely deported.

Right now, there are several congressmen and congresswomen who are looking to do what they can to get rid of sanctuary cities. While what happened in San Francisco was quite tragic, keeping sanctuary cities is by no means justifying or giving an okay of what happened. There were definitely other larger factors at work, but I believe despite what happened, the need for sanctuary cities remain. Undocumented immigrants might not be citizens, but they are people living in this country who deserve the protection and service of law enforcement to ensure their safety.

4th of July: New Beginnings

This Independence Day, there will be many people who are new Americans and celebrating their first 4th of July as a citizen. There are also children and adults who feel as American as can be despite their status. As a citizen of America since birth, I know the value of this day for many. Based on my experiences, I know that this day can hold a completely different meaning for some people in this country. This day symbolizes independence and freedom that the United States gained after being under British control. These days there are many different factors and circumstances that can represent a metaphoric British control. So, as we celebrate America’s 239th birthday, we should celebrate what this birthday means for many others. Because of what happened July 4, 1776, we are able to be what is often called a “nation of immigrants.” While there is a significant amount of debate on whether or not some people belong in this country, it is hard to take away the pride and joy of feeling like an American that many people have. I honestly think that it is at the core of what this day is about.

As I think about that feeling, I think about a citizenship ceremony I saw last summer where several refugees took their oaths and officially became American citizens. While this would be their second Fourth of July, there are many people who are experiencing their first Independence day. We cannot forget them. We cannot ignore them. They are just as much a part of what it means to be American as we are. English might not be their first language. They might have had to take tests to prove themselves. They might not eat the same foods as us. They might not even dress the same as we do. Despite all those things, they are in every way American. I say this because there is not one approach, format, or makeup for being American. It can come in a variety of ways. One of those ways is by feeling American.

Now, legally and constitutionally, feeling American cannot grant someone citizenship. But when America and feeling American is all someone knows, should we really take them away from the only place they have called home? Fourth of July is an important day for them too because it represents a better life. A new beginning.

These new beginnings continuously redefine what it means to be an American and what America is. Many would say that they create the “melting pot” that is the United States. I hesitate to use that term because it is essentially an illusion making this country feel like it has made a significant achievement when some who claim to be American are constantly degraded. As such, I urge you all to refrain from celebrating the “melting pot” and celebrate new beginnings instead. 239 years our nation got its new beginning, and we should be accepting of all the new beginnings that this day represents in 2015.

Photo source: http://www.article-3.com/celebrating-diversity-and-consumerism-in-americas-mid-town-melting-pot-912176

Film Suggestion: God Grew Tired of Us

Before participating in an Alternative Spring Break a couple years ago, we watched a film called “God Grew Tired of Us” in order to get a better idea of what the lives of refugees are like when they come to America. This film focuses particularly on a few members of the The Lost Boys of Sudan. It truly does a good job of only showing the process that these men had to go through but also showing their paths to self-sufficiency. This film and that alternative spring break sparked my interest in resettlement. This is a must-watch because it helps provide a better understanding of what resettlement can do for refugees.

God Grew Tired of Us Trailer – YouTube

What’s going on, Dominican Republic?

Historically speaking, the Dominican Republic and Haiti have not had the best relationships. Despite this, due to the proximity of the two countries, there has been a great deal of overlap. An area where that overlap is prominent is with Dominican-Haitians. In this context, Dominican-Haitians are those who were born in the Dominican Republic but are of Haitian descent. Compared to the average Dominican, Dominican-Haitians are darker skinned thus easier to identify and distinguish. Unfortunately, this distinction is playing a role for the worse as the Dominican government revoked citizenship for thousands of Dominican-Haitians. As a result, there are plans for the deportations of many of these people. Upon learning the news, I could not help but wonder why all of a sudden Dominican-Haitians were being deported. Then, I realized that the issues at stake are much bigger than just those dealing with deportations and citizenship. We are seeing a form of social and ethnic cleansing taking place in modern times. It is often said how history repeats itself, but with all that has happened in world history, why is the situation in the Dominican Republic being ignored? These issues are dealing with livelihood and statehood, and there should be widespread concern. While there is not much that can be done in terms of changing the legal structures in place in the Dominican Republic, steps can and should be taken to assist and support Dominican-Haitians.

One of the main reasons why Dominican-Haitians should be supported is because it is likely they are going to be deported to a country that has never been home for them. Such action could result in a number of problems for them but also a number of problems for Haiti. As many know, Haiti is still recovering and developing after the earthquake of 2010. The country is making great strides but would most likely not be able to support such an influx of people. Thus, at this time, Dominican-Haitians are in a bind. Resources are limited. They cannot afford to be deported. The silence on the matter in the international community is not helping.

For an international community that is often quite responsive on matters of stateless persons, internally displaced persons, and potential refugees and asylees, there needs to be a larger conversation on what can be done to aide Dominican-Haitians. For the most part, most attention to the issue is focused on what can be done to get the Dominican government to stop, but at this rate, there is not enough time to go through those channels. If attention is going to be paid to the Dominican government, there should honestly be an investigation of the crisis.

As previously mentioned, Dominican-Haitians are darker skinned, and the government is using this phenotypical feature as basis deportation. This is where the concept of ethnic cleansing comes into the picture. Despite what laws and regulations the Dominican government has, this targeting should not be tolerated. These policies are in fact discriminatory and matched with the Dominican Republic’s history with wanting to “get rid” Dominican-Haitians, there should be consequences. On that note, this is why the international community, especially countries like the United States, should get involved. Unfortunately, it is hard for a country to fight for injustice in another country when it has its own issues at home. Maybe that is why there is a painful silence, but hopefully, action starts to be taken to ensure that the lives of Dominican-Haitians are valued and respected. No one should have to prove their a citizen of the country that they have been born and raised in just because his or her skin color is different.

Europe’s migrant crisis hits a new record, as 137,000 people cross the Mediterranean