Understanding the "threat" of migration in a post 9/11 context: understanding the USA's response

This paper examines the relationship between immigration, the state, national identity and security in a post 9/11 setting. Using the speech act as understood by the Copenhagen School’s theory of securitization, this paper explores how governments’ portrayal of immigrants as security risks within the literature is presented in a practical sense in the U.S. Looking to see how physical, economic and societal security in relation to migration is articulated by governments, a small selection of speeches by U.S. President Donald Trump is discussed. Providing an overview of the current literature within the securitization- migration discourse, this paper focuses on three major themes: the securitization of migration, controlling migration and the emerging theme of societal security—which focuses on the influence national identity has over restrictive migration. This theme is introduced with the hope that further research will be done on the impacts of national identity and social cohesion on restrictive migration.