Workers' Liberty

A review of Deportation is Freedom, the Orwellian World of Immigration Controls by Steve Cohen (Jessica Kingsley)

This is an extended, angry, rational and forceful polemic against current, past and future immigration control. It is a radical argument against all immigration control. A point worth reiterating as many who are, or say they are, on the left admit to supporting some border restrictions. (George Galloway has in the recent past endorsed a “points system” for immigration. Respect opposes the worse excesses of current policy, yet does not say it opposes all immigration control.). Those on the left who support controls or who fail to oppose controls (a position that is just as bad) have to do so by forgetting and repressing, the reality of immigration controls. That they are racist. That the purpose of controls is to divide and rule the working class. That they corrupt politic life. Cohen says the position of supporting any kind of controls — “fair controls”, a generous “point system” and the like — is illogical, untenable, morally indefensible. I strongly agree.