How states react to the international regime complexities on migration: a study of cases in South East Asia and beyond

This article provides a holistic analysis of the ‘migration regime complex’ in Asia, which is distinguished from other regions of the world in the absence of a refugee protection regime. The ‘refugee regime complexity’ argument (Betts) fails to take into consideration the deviant behaviors of Asian states that have been excluded from the core institution building. The immigration control policies of Asian countries reflect their respective strategies that seek to take advantage of the economic opportunities provided by the international environment within the domestic sociopolitical constraints. The case studies show that Asian states while rejecting the UN-led refugee regime, tolerate irregular migration not only to protect their vital interest in economic development but also to maintain political stability at both national and regional levels.