Impacts of Illegal Migration: Lessons for Migration Management Professionals

Around the world illegal migration is occurring with undocumented socio-economic and political impacts and it yarns for concerted efforts at all levels to address it.  Every immigrant is entitled to full protection as reaffirmed by international legal instruments of universal significance. The rationale for the systematic literature review is to examine the push and pull factors of illegal migration, share knowledge to spark and inspire processes that will usher rapid growth from all directions. A systematic review of the literatures using information collected from different sources was actuated. Google search engine and others were used to search for articles. Only peer-reviewed articles published after 2000 were selected except extracts of fundamental mileage. However, articles published by staunch international organizations working in the area for years and produced indefatigable knowledge were stealthily appraised.

The study revealed that the impacts are multifaceted and encompass: socio-cultural changes, economic growth, maltreatment and exploitation, substance abuse, criminal activities increment, conflicts and political tensions, security threats, employment opportunities, discrimination and hate, health complications, family problems; and climate change and ecological disasters. In conclusion, the impacts can be in a nutshell pooled and catalogue into social, economic, political, medical; and criminal. To address the phenomenon, it demands for the urgent implementation of a combination of well-calculated strategic preventive and remedial measures.