I believe the notion of “immigration” shall not be distinguished from the one of “migration”. We have an “immigrations” when some individuals (even several of them, but as many as necessary to be statistically relevant with their line) move from a country to another ( like Italians and Irish to America, or Turkish to Germany nowadays). Immigration phenomena can be politically controlled, limited, encouraged, programmed or accepted. So it is not for migrations. Whether they are violent or peaceful, as natural phenomena are, they do happen and they are not in control. On the other hand, we have a “migration” when a entire nation, little by little, sees its population moving from a territory to another. ( it does not matter how many of them are still living in there, but in which extent migrants are really changing the culture of the place they have moved to). There have been migration from east to west, during which Caucasus populations have changed their culture and the biological legacy of their natives. There have been migrations of so-called barbarian populations who invaded Rome Empire and created new kingdoms and cultures therefore called “roman-barbarian” or “roman-German”. There has been a European migration toward the American continent, from East Coasts and gradually to California on one hand, and from Caribbean islands and México to the farthest Sur Cone, on the other hand. Although this has been partially politically programmed, here I do talk about immigration because it is not that white men coming from Europe took native mores and culture: they established a new culture and society instead, which even natives (those who survived) adapted to.

There have been interrupted migrations, like the one led by Arab peoples to Iberian Peninsula. There have been forms of programmed or partial migration, but not less important, for such a reason. One of these was led by European going from east to south ( from which the birth of nations called “post-colonial” ) where migrants changed however the culture of native peoples. It seems to me, anyway, that a phenomenology of the different migration types hasn’t been picture yet. But migrations, for sure, are different from immigrations. We do have an “immigration” only when immigrates (admitted thanks to political decisions) partially accept habits and mores of the country they immigrate to, and we have, in the other hand, a “migration” when migrants (who cannot be arrested at the national boundaries) radically transform culture and territory of the place they move to.

Nowadays , after a Nineteenth Century full of immigrates, we are to face a set of uncertain phenomena: today – in a grate mobility atmosphere – it is very hard to tell whether they are migration or immigration. There certainly is an unstoppable population wave from south to north (Africans or Middle-Easters go toward Europe) Indians have invaded Africa and Pacific islands, Chinese are everywhere, Japanese are very present with their industrial and economic companies even when they are not massively moving to some place.

Is it still possible distinguishing immigration from migration when the entire planet is turning into a territory of a cross displacement? I believe this is possible: like I have told before, immigrations can be politically controlled, while migrations are not, like natural phenomena are not. Until there are immigrations, peoples can hope to keep immigrates in some sort o ghettos so they do not mingle with natives. Whenever we have a migration there are ghettos anymore and metizos are out of control. However there are phenomena of migration which Europe is still trying to face as they were immigration. The Third World is knocking at Europe doors and entering even though Europe does not agree. The question is not anymore about deciding (like politicians want us to believe) whether student wearing chador will be admitted in Paris or not or how many Mosques will be built in Rome. The question is that in the next millennium (and since I am not a prophet I cannot exactly predict when) Europe will become a multi-racial continent or “colourful”, if you like it more.

Whether you like it or not, so it will be.