People have migrated through the ages, in search of greener pastures, more abundant food sources, better climatic conditions, and after defeat in wars or to escape them. Modern day migration is often to flee from war, ethnic rivalries, effect of colonial practices that denuded the land and made it unproductive or to seek better economic prospects. But migration has become a controversial term as politicians have used racism and xenophobia to divert attention from their policies by demonising migrants.

Illegals, migrants, aliens, foreigners, stateless are some of the terms used to describe the newcomers, while US President Donald Trump typically uses much harsher epithets. In the past decade, anti-migration rhetoric has come to rule the public discourse in the West and many other countries. But, it is those migrants that boost economic activity and perform the dirty work that residents of the host country are loathe to undertake.