Locked Out of Lockdown: An Analysis of the Impact of the COVID-19 Pandemic on Asylum Policies in Europe

Abstract

Since 2015, the European Union (EU) has faced a mass influx of migrants, which has overwhelmed asylum and welfare systems and pitted frontline migrant-receiving countries of first arrival against non-frontline member states, threatening harmony in the bloc. In 2020, the COVID-19 pandemic has further challenged the already struggling EU asylum system. How has the COVID-19 crisis affected policies towards asylum seekers and the conditions they face in the EU? This thesis explores five hypotheses derived from a variety of social science literatures: (1) the COVID-19 crisis has allowed governments to curtail access to asylum and to equivocate when it comes to their responsibilities to asylum seekers; (2) the pandemic has increased intolerance towards foreigners generally, removing some of the stigma associated with racism and xenophobia; and/or, (3) solidarity with migrants has increased; (4) migrants’ quality of life has deteriorated and the inequalities between them and the local population have been aggravated; and, (5) dependence on civil society has increased in the absence of public support. This thesis analyzes the impact of the pandemic on both the EU-level and the country-level, focusing on two southern, sea-border member states, Cyprus and Italy, which both receive high numbers of migrants but were impacted by the virus to different extents. It employs a mixed methods approach, quantitatively analyzing a brand-new dataset of frontline policy practitioners’ opinions and qualitatively drawing from first-hand, author-conducted interviews with asylum seekers in Cyprus and practitioners in Cyprus and Italy to explore these two cases comparatively.

The key takeaways of this thesis are that governments have restricted access to their territory—by closing borders, pushing back migrant boats, obstructing search-and-rescue operations—, suspended access to asylum procedures, and withheld welfare support. As for public opinion towards migrants, the thesis found evidence that the pandemic has had a nuanced effect. Xenophobia has gotten worse, especially in areas struggling economically and already home to many immigrants, allowing discriminatory policy measures to pass without reaction from society at large. Simultaneously, however, as an ‘indiscriminate’ disaster, COVID-19 has increased solidarity with migrants among those who were already sympathetic. Moreover, the pandemic has undermined migrants’ access to education, healthcare, employment and housing, intensifying inequalities between them and the native-born population. As a result of inadequate public support, asylum seekers’ dependence on civil society organizations has increased for a greater range of services. This thesis concludes by proposing evidence-based policy recommendations for the EU, member states and civil society in order to ensure adherence to international standards, safeguarding of minimal living standards and access for the vulnerable, and greater community cohesion.