The mass displacement of populations has been a recurring feature of human history, often driven by conflict, environmental degradation, and economic disparity. It isn’t just people relocating in many cases. It’s weaponized migration.
The book Overrun is a deep dive into how the Biden administration created an illegal migration crisis in only four years.
In recent days I have had time enough to think deeply about what generated this huge mess in a country that had it all. I have a good idea of the whole picture, which I want to share here.
Weaponized migration
However, in recent years, there has been a growing recognition that migration can also be deliberately engineered as a tool of political coercion and destabilization.
Under certain contexts, migration can be weaponized, functioning as a form of “slow violence” that inflicts widespread suffering and undermines the stability of states and societies.
The concept of migration as a weapon of mass destruction may seem hyperbolic, but it is grounded in a growing body of evidence. The infiltration of criminal groups in the migration wave is one of the most blatant pieces of evidence.
By systematically targeting civilian populations, undermining state institutions, and provoking social unrest, actors can exploit migration to achieve a spectrum of strategic objectives. These objectives may include territorial expansion, regime change, or distracting attention from domestic problems.
This has been a behavioral pattern, and the free media and social networks continuously unmask it.
We have in recent history two perfect examples: the displacement of Venezuelan migrants, resulting in turmoil in the streets under the government of President Duque (a known enemy of the Venezuelan regime) in 2017-2018. This chaos disappeared once the guerrilla chief Petro and his gang took over the Presidency.
The same pattern was generated in Chile, with such unrest in the streets never seen in years, only to produce problems in the government of President Piñera (compared by the Venezuelan regime with Pinochet, a known dictator). Once again, as President Boric assumed office, all the turmoil ceased, and there has not been a serious demonstration ever since.
Historically, forced migration has been used also as a tool for ethnic cleansing. In the case of the most recent regimes, the rogue States use it to expel opposition and enemies. The Colombian guerrilla expelled and displaced almost 5 million people only to use their territory as a sanctuary. The leftist ideology once exhibited by these groups lost all the “coating” they had. Their real purpose of existing is to serve as guardians of the humungous drug production business and the corresponding trafficking routes.
Which can be considered an act of war.
Demographic changes
The expulsion of ethnic Germans from Eastern Europe after World War II, the displacement of Palestinians in the 1948 Arab-Israeli War, and the Rohingya crisis in Myanmar are all examples of how migration has been used to engineer demographic change and consolidate power.
Sadly, the weaponization of migration has evolved in recent years, with new technologies and globalization facilitating more sophisticated forms of population displacement. It is even considered an “asymmetric” kind of weapon. This term means that smaller and weaker parts can use it against the strong opponents and generate in their territory a massive disruption of normality for a prolonged time.
The Syrian civil war provides a particularly striking example of how migration can be used as a weapon of mass destruction. The Assad regime, with the support of Russia, has employed a range of tactics, including indiscriminate bombing, siege warfare, and the targeting of civilian infrastructure, to force millions of Syrians to flee their homes. This mass displacement has not only created a humanitarian crisis of unprecedented proportions but has also had a destabilizing effect on neighboring countries and Europe.
The weaponization of migration is often facilitated by the failure of states to protect their favorite groups of popular revolts, for instance, (Venezuela’s case) with the complicity of external actors (Turkey, Russia, Iran). It’s not the same controlling a population of 35 million instead of one of 28MM.
Weak or failing states are particularly vulnerable to exploitation, as their inability to provide basic services and security can create conditions that are ripe for mass displacement. Moreover, external actors, such as great powers and regional rivals, may support or even instigate conflict to create refugee flows that can be used as leverage.
Managing the influx
The receiving states need to dedicate resources, time, and money to solve problems that they shouldn’t have in the first place.
Just like Venezuelans experienced first-hand, the international community has been slow to respond to the threat posed by the weaponization of migration. While numerous international legal instruments protect refugees and internally displaced persons, these instruments have often proven inadequate in the face of large-scale displacement crises.
Moreover, the global governance system has been unable to develop effective mechanisms for preventing and responding to the deliberate engineering of migration.
In the article that inspired this entry, Dr. Greenhill explains that both migration and refugee flows are the most significant causes of serious armed conflicts in the post-Cold War period.
It is important to remember that despotic regimes have mostly used forced migration: Cuba in the 1965 and 1994 waves and the most famous “shipping” of Mariel refugees in 1980, including all the imprisoned thugs. Jails were emptied.
In other latitudes, extremist groups and authoritarian governments have used the refugee crisis for their political ends, fostering fear and xenophobia. The Syrian crisis is acknowledged as one of the main drivers of Muslim migration to Europe.
The parallelism of the coercion of Turkey to the European Union with the Venezuelan rule attitude is remarkable. The Turkish officials in charge of the deal to include Turkey in the EU made a rude statement to their counterparts to “face the consequences of migration” if they voted against the incorporation of Turkey into the EU. Of course, opening borders to a creeping dictator like Erdogan is not to be taken lightly.
The Venezuelan regime angrily threatened with the “Bolivarian Hurricane”, and Duque, before 2018, as well as Piñera, had to face serious turmoils, including the destruction of public property.
If there is a book and classroom example of weaponized migration, it is this one.
Another painful example is found in the analogies between the Sudanese President Omar al-Bashir, indicted by the International Criminal Court on charges that he directed a campaign of genocide, ethnic cleansing, and other crimes against humanity during the country’s Darfur conflict and certain South American bus driver we all know by now. Mind you, the Horn of Africa deal with the EU included this despotic Sudanese’s demands.
Look at the mess Europe is heading now.
How to deal with the consequences of forced migration in your area
Migration is a complex and multifaceted phenomenon that challenges our societies. The situation gets even more complex when it is used by unscrupulous people as a weapon.
The added value of your regular Joe writing life experiences in worldwide media is that you get the real data you need.
Most of the consequences of uncontrolled migration generated in the short term are petty felonies, homelessness, street begging, drugs, and go as far as home squatting, and serious violent crimes.
We Venezuelans have been dealing with these effects for so long that it’s almost automatic to proceed with the installation of gratings and bars on windows, doors, and other openings where an undesired scoundrel could fit through. Padlocks, CCTV cameras, motion sensors, and all these systems are good tools, but there is another dimension with migrants, and I will explain it.
Talking by experience, we humans like to be part of a clan. It’s part of our brain wiring to feel safe between those we share bonds with.
It’s regrettable that those “clans” sometimes can be nosy, and thugs love to band up, too. Most of the time, the good people in the group don´t even know some of the guys hanging out next to them, perhaps were in jail once or a runaway somewhere else.
That’s why it’s so hard to combat these situations. If you suddenly stumble into a band of migrants, the wisest thing to do is avoid confrontation. No matter how resentful you can be, it’s not the moment to show it. Things can get out of control, and all of the “witnesses” will be against you. Politicians would have a field day exploiting all this. Don’t allow your taxes to be wasted on this.
There are some good people in those groups, also. The familiarity with a language or way of behaving is what makes the bonds within a migrant group strong. If you can bypass the crowd and become invisible, so much better. I just watched a video of one of the major concentrations of Venezuelan migrants in Chile, Calle La Puente, Cal y Canto Metro Station. This is the same crowd that once polluted the Caracas downtown and many other places, like the Boulevard, once an emblematic and high-end restaurant and cafe route. If you cross paths with a group of migrants, open your eyes, and don’t show fear or discomfort. Do what you do as usual. Young guys in numbers can be annoying and total j*rks, no matter the origin. Trust me, I know. But it’s not the moment to be a Karen.
If you want to help someone knocking at your door, ask for some references first (and verify them!) before offering landscaping chores or other jobs. If you have been seeing the same people around for some time, it’s because they will stick to a place where there are jobs. That means they probably have a place to stay and can provide an address.
Don’t allow a guy you see for the first time to get into your backyard. That’s dumb, and if the guy steals your Roomba, it means more work on the desk of an officer. Keep your eyes wide open and analyze facts before conceding trust.
We are facing significant challenges from weaponized migration
In conclusion, the weaponization of migration is a complex and multifaceted phenomenon that poses a significant challenge to international security, democracy, and human rights. By understanding the mechanisms through which migration can be used as a tool of political coercion, the Americas can develop more effective strategies for prevention, response, and, especially, protection. The actors involved in the weaponized migration need to understand that implications can and will be punished by international law and policy.
Thanks for your reading and your much-needed donations to keep writing and sharing this journey with such a fabulous community.
Stay safe, and keep tuned!
J.
Have you seen evidence of weaponized migration?
Is your area home to a large number of migrants? Has it caused problems? What other ways do you see this being weaponized?
Let’s discuss it in the comments section.
About Jose
Jose is an upper middle class professional. He is a former worker of the oil state company with a Bachelor’s degree from one of the best national Universities. He has an old but in good shape SUV, a good 150 square meters house in a nice neighborhood, in a small but (formerly) prosperous city with two middle size malls. Jose is a prepper and shares his eyewitness accounts and survival stories from the collapse of his beloved Venezuela. Jose and his younger kid are currently back in Venezuela, after the intention of setting up a new life in another country didn’t go well. The SARSCOV2 re-shaped the labor market and South American economy so he decided to give it a try to homestead in the mountains, and make a living as best as possible. But this time in his own land, and surrounded by family, friends and acquaintances, with all the gear and equipment collected, as the initial plan was.
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We’ve seen a textbook case of invasion disguised as migration in the recent takeover of the city of Aleppo in Syria. Rebel cells backed by Turkey and USA infiltrated the city over the last several months, and were simultaneously activated by their bosses without the prior knowledge of Syrian gov’t intelligence. Clearly somebody dropped the ball on Syria’s side.
I wonder if there may be a parallel to be found with millions of military aged men crossing the Mexican border?
You’ve hit the nail on the head BarrensHoney. There are at least 100,000 Chinese military already in the US who have come in disguised as ‘migrants’. Add to that all the other special interest bad guys who have been intentionally let in or “snuck” in on their own and we have the making of an epic takeover/takedown of the USA. One aspect of this I find very interesting is that many Americans are oblivious to this covert invasion, but people I personally know who fled other totalitarian/Communist regime nations all over the planet to come here to escape that are well aware of it, and they trying to spread the alarm by informing Americans…..too many of whom refuse to believe it because “that couldn’t possibly happen here”. Once things start, it is going to surprise a lot of people.
Displacement of the Palestinians? First, there are no Palestinians, it is a group of people named so for political purposes. Second, these people moved, after being promised by the surrounding countries allied against Israel, to leave and they could return after the defeat of the Israelis. Third, these so called “Palestinians ” were invited to stay under the UN Partition Plan. Look at the plan. It marks the areas plainly.
Yes, Jordan was designated by international agreement to be the state of the Palestinians. They have no right to live in Israel. Israel, out of kindness and generosity, has offered them benefits, including land, many times, but they have rejected the offers, acting with terrorism instead. It is indeed a case of weaponized migration. I pray that Israel find the way to prevail, and that the world return to sanity.
Thank you. I’m going to add my 2 cents worth as you beat me to it in the main so am going to add some scientific & historical details. The term Palestine was used by the Romans when they ruled over the area 2 millennia ago, it’s a geographic location, not a racial or other designation of people. The term started its use around 1968 when Yassar Arafat grabbed it to give legitimacy to his movement, including the violence which still hasn’t stopped especially towards Israel, Israelis and others (Remember En Tebe and other instances.) Also “Palestinians” aren’t native to the region as they are from nomadic Arab tribes via their DNA. They are and always have been squatters bent on taking anything and anywhere they want, then justify it by lying about their so called rights of conquest/living. Since the start of their wars against Israel, Israel has offered them land and autonomy multiple times, only to have those offers rejected time after time being less than complete takeover of Israel in total. Which is what they want no matter how many times they used taquiyya falsely stating otherwise. They always go back to violence, breaking treaties, falsely claiming victimhood while lying through their teeth about everything. Remember Pay to Slay. Even their fellow Arabs don’t want them.
@ Ron
Yes indeed. And he omits the fact that after the establishment of Israel in 1948, Arab countries in the Middle East expelled the Jewish citizens of those countries who were forced to leave with nothing. Israel, a newly formed impoverished country then was faced with housing and resettling some 850-900,000 new arrivals. It did this with tents in the desert and other areas while it struggled to build housing.
Obviously, these Jews were integrated into Israel and unlike the so called “Palestinians “ they didn’t and don’t receive services from the UN or continue to be classified as “refugees “ along with their descendants to this day.
And many Arabs actually chose to remain in Israel in 1948; they and their descendants live there today. But “Palestinians “ is a made up term for a made up people that doesn’t exist and never did.
@Kelvin Skye
“There are at least 100,000 Chinese military already in the US who have come in disguised as ‘migrants’”
Can you document this claim?
Lude Media has mentioned that. I don’t remember exactly where at this time.
Other tidbits in this interview: https://jrnyquist.blog/2024/10/04/ccp-plots-to-assassinate-trump-interview-with-lude/
Dear Kelvin Skye,
Why do you think the dems demonized the McArthism for so long?
My take is this plan had been in place for so long. We made a HUGE mistake allowing the Cubans in and look what happened.
Dear BarrensHomey,
Enhance that point was one of my intentions with this article, indeed.
I work with various physicians that came here legally from various countries and they talk about this all the time. They’ve seen it, they’ve lived it and they escaped it. Now they are trying to wake people here in the US up but so many just don’t want to believe it.
Dear Lori,
Sooner or later, everybody will be awake. I just hope the DNA of those WW soldiers’ descendants is not too dilluted or go woke.
There was a book titled “Immigration’s Unarmed Invasion.” It was published in the 1980’s. Some of us have been aware of this as war on the USA for a long time. But the criminals own the MSM, and focused most people’s attention on benefits to the immigrants, so you were kind if you let them in and mean if you didn’t. Kindness is a virtue. Aiding and abetting theft or assault is not kind and no virtue.
Native American “Indians” had traditions that a Healing Time for mankind would come when an eagle landed on the moon and a spiderweb went all around the world. This makes it clear to me why we are dealing with all this at this time–only the web’s inherent freedom of communication has made it possible to overcome that control of information. The Enemy has fought back with shadow-banning, and so forth. We must fight by supporting substacks, Brighteon, Rumble, Odysee, Telegram, Gab, MeWe, Truth Social, and other media bypasses wherever we find them, as we are able.
It is hard to endure the gullibility of those still ensnared in lies, but somehow we must.
Dear Lady Life Grows,
Holy Cow. You certainly seem someone worthy to hold a deep conversation. I always had interest in both native indigenous civilizations of America, both South, Center and North.
Thanks Jose for this valuable info. people forget history.. The Kalergi Plan by a founder of the EU, is a debunked far-right, antisemitic, white genocide conspiracy theory according to Wikipedea.. we all know the truth of conspiracies.. unfortunatly I see this plan coming true. Just read up on it and see.
Dear Kurt,
No a doubt, I will read it.
Thank you.
Quote: ” It’s not the same controlling a population of 35 million instead of one of 28MM.”
Can someone translate please? What am I missing? How many is 28MM?
Blessings to you,
OD
28MM is 28 million. An M stands for 1000, so 1000 x 1000. It’s generally used that way in finance/accounting.
Dear Old Duffer,
Apologies. The migration of Venezuelan citizens has been +7 million people, more than the displaced people in Syria. I just tried to avoid repeating the same word and use abreviations. We use that notation for millions in Spanish.
There are high levels of illegal migration in every city and town in the US. This degrades our society as a whole
Dear Michael,
The kind of migration that degrades the most are the thieves that haven’t been properly screened before applying for investor visas. There is a LOT of money laundering gov-tied there, way more harmful than a handful of scoundrels looking for some pocket money to get high. Those high level gangs hate everything the US represents, and have ties with Islamic terrorism. Mind you, the gang provided them with sanctuaries to train in the Caribbean. A few of them were caught in Trinidad and Tobago, only a jetski ride from our coastal line.
Internal Homeland Security memo warns Tren de Aragua is now active in 16 states and Washington, D.C., 11/22/2024, By Laura Harris
https://collapse.news/2024-11-22-tren-de-aragua-expands-16-states-dc.html#
–Lewis
Dear Lewis,
Thanks for the link. Mind you, that gang is the most violent face of the iceberg. The initial shock troops. The real danger is the money laundering gang disguised as “legit” business. You may want to check the website armando.info as it has an English version. There is a lot of people there with fake businesses and the regular US citizen is unaware.