The missing link: the role of criminal groups in migration governance

Abstract

Speaker: Luigi Achilli (European University Institute, Florence, Italy & Christian Michelsen Institute, Bergen, Norway) This presentation sheds light on the under explored role of transnational criminal groups in migration governance. While these groups are often dismissed as either existential threats or peripheral actors, this analysis argues that they occupy a more central position in the governance of migration, influencing policies and practices in profound ways. Building on empirical research into migrant smuggling and human trafficking, the discussion explores the interactions between criminal networks, state institutions, and other stakeholders. The findings reveal that criminal groups not only disrupt but also actively shape migration governance, and may even play a crucial role in the functioning and reproduction of its legal apparatus. This perspective invites a reassessment of prevailing narratives: moving beyond traditional views that frame crime solely as a threat and beyond critical interpretations that attribute its role entirely to state-led processes of "criminalization." Instead, it positions crime as a dynamic and integral force in the broader ecosystem of migration governance.