Migration policies addressing irregularity: a typology of responses

In the political as well as the academic debate, it often appears as if regularisation or return are the only instruments that states use to address the presence of irregular migrants. Yet in reality, states possess a repertoire of responses to irregularity and select from this repertoire in a situation- and group-specific manner. This article systematically maps out the range of policy responses to the presence of irregular migrants on state territories, categorised as acceptance, toleration and rejection, as well as the rationales policy actors use to justify these responses. Our typology thus helps to move beyond the restrictive-liberal dichotomy, suggesting to explore instead under which circumstances and for which categories states adopt more inclusionary vs. more exclusionary policy approaches.