Implications of Illegal Immigration for the Mozambican State

Abstract

Since the beginning, human beings have felt the need to migrate from one place to another, in search of better living conditions or for compelling reasons beyond their control. This still happens today and sometimes illegally. This article aims to reflect on the implications of illegal immigration for the Mozambican State. To materialize this reflection, it studies migrations in Mozambique, addresses illegal immigration in Mozambique, presents the factors that favor it as well as its legal framework and, finally, analyzes its implications for Mozambique. Through the Pluralist theory, the historical method and the techniques of bibliographical and documental research, it finds that: Mozambique is one of the few countries in Southern Africa where the entrances and exits of foreigners and Mozambicans are very easy; Mozambique has a strong flow of illegal immigration and that tends to increase; the enabling factors vary from the difficult life at the point of departure to the porosity of the borders in Mozambique; the legal framework is still weak; and that the implications of illegal immigration to Mozambique are positive, such as the availability of more labor at low prices, and negative, such as the importation of other forms of crime and threats to the existence of the State.