Portraying forced removal as a means for crime control. On immigration policy communication in Belgium

Restrictive immigration laws – and the consequent labelling of those who do not comply with the restrictive rules as 'illegal' – emerged in Belgium from the 1930s onwards, but gained momentum after the 1973 oil crisis. Nowadays, the forced removal of irregular migrants is considered the keystone of this restrictive immigration policy and immigration detention has become the key instrument in facilitating the forced removal of irregular migrants.