US anti-immigration rhetoric under Trump seemed to have a ripple effect, with Balkan asylum applications to Europe dropping by 45%.
Authors
Vasil Pavlov, University of National and World Economy
Siddharth Kanojia, Associate Professor, Jindal School of Banking & Finance, O. P. Jindal Global University, Sonipat, Haryana, India
Summary
Immigration has become an increasingly contentious political and social issue in Europe over the past decade. The growing influx of asylum seekers has been driven by deteriorating security conditions, armed conflicts, and political and economic instability in various regions, alongside the comparatively higher living standards in Europe. As a global hegemon, the United States has indirectly shaped migration patterns in peripheral regions such as the Balkans. This paper examines how President Donald Trump‘s anti-immigration discourse during his first term (2017–2021) coincided with an approximately 45% decrease in asylum applications from the Balkans. Drawing on official statistics and employing Critical Discourse Analysis, the study explores how US rhetoric influenced regional policy emulation. The findings underscore the transnational impact of populist discourse and call for a critical reassessment of migration governance in key transit regions.
Published in: Journal of Liberty and International Affairs
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