The Impact of Trump’s Anti-Immigration Discourse on Asylum Applications in the Balkans (2017–2021)
The Impact of Trump’s Anti-Immigration Discourse on Asylum Applications in the Balkans (2017–2021)
Author(s): Vasil Pavlov, Siddharth KanojiaSubject(s): Politics / Political Sciences, Politics, Law, Constitution, Jurisprudence, Constitutional Law, International Law, Human Rights and Humanitarian Law, Political Theory, Political Sciences, Civil Society, Governance, Public Administration, Public Law, Economic policy, Government/Political systems, International relations/trade, Military policy, Welfare systems, Developing nations, Political behavior, Political economy, Politics and law, Politics and society, History and theory of political science, Methodology and research technology, Comparative politics, Demography and human biology, Nationalism Studies, Migration Studies, Inter-Ethnic Relations, Ethnic Minorities Studies, Globalization, Geopolitics, Politics and Identity, Asylum, Refugees, Migration as Policy-fields, Administrative Law
Published by: Institute for Research and European Studies - Bitola
Keywords: Immigration; Asylum; Balkans; Trump; Securitization; Migration Governance; Populism; Critical Discourse Analysis
Summary/Abstract: 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.
Journal: Journal of Liberty and International Affairs
- Issue Year: 11/2025
- Issue No: 1
- Page Range: 132-149
- Page Count: 18
- Language: English
