Securitisation of Migration in the European Union During the EU-Belarus Border Crisis (2021-2022)

Securitisation is associated with a certain amount of visibility for migrants in public space. It is expressed in actions such as tightening rules on illegal border crossings, strengthening the number of forces and services at the borders, introducing a state of emergency, intensive use of surveillance technologies and control practices by uniformed services, attempts to push migrants out, and ultimately the erection of fences. The aim of the article is to present activities related to the crisis on the border of the EU with Belarus (2021-2022) in the context of the securitisation theory. The research hypothesis assumes that the militarisation and weaponisation of migration in public discourse are important factors deepening the securitisation of migration in the event of a crisis on the border of the European Union with Belarus. In addition to indicating the emergency measures used in the case of this crisis and its specific features, the article draws attention to the process of securitisation of migration in the European Union in the context of other crises that have affected the community in recent years and were significantly related to migration.