Irregular migration, security and human rights paradoxes in the Aegean sea: Frontex

Migration is increasingly seen as a security problem and a phenomenon to be prevented in today's world. The politicians legitimatizing the new security perceptions that emerged after the September 11th and terrorist attacks in European cities, have manipulated migration and immigrants as threat rhetoric. However, despite the recent arguments on the securitization of migration issue, it is not regarded as a security issue. In this thesis, the approaches and effectiveness of EU Common Migration and Asylum policies are explored. In the findings we have seen, both the EU and many other immigrant states' tendencies towards migration have externalized the phenomenon of immigration with control-oriented practices, ignoring the human dimension. One of the most important components of the externalization strategy within the framework of the EU's Integrated Border Management is Frontex, an intelligence-based security agency. Frontex today plays a key role in land, sea and air borders in terms of increasing capabilities and budget, as well as having a wide range of vehicles to effectively protect the EU external borders. However, operations carried out by Frontex at EU borders are hampering the application of the principles and mechanisms of liberal democracy on which the EU is based and contradict human rights as set out in the EU values and the charter of Fundamental Rights. Because of its active role in managing European borders, it has a direct influence on many people's lives. The EU's with control-based approachings, such as Frontex, leads to changes entry points and strategies for migrants and human traffickers. vii In this thesis, migration, security and human rights relations are examined in a paradoxical framework. Each individual either under persecution or not living in human dignity has the right to immigrate. It has been concluded that the only way of reducing centuries-long and complicated migration problem is to end the wars, close the income imbalance between countries and create a bettermanaged and a more livable environment. Keywords: Irregular Migration, Migrant, European Union, Frontex, Human Rights.