One of the major challenges facing developed nations today is immigration. Globalization and regional experiments in doing away with borders (such as in the European Union), has made it easier for people to travel. The most pressing issue concerns illegal immigration and the international laws regulating the right of asylum. Current legislation in Europe and the United States does not seem to have achieved the promised goals. So, a rethinking of immigration strategies and of the rules governing the entrance of foreign people are incumbent.
So far, five ministers of the interior (or their equivalent) have taken a clear-cut position against illegal immigration that is worth a closer look. The European states facing the Mediterranean Sea, such as Italy, are urging the EU to take action and guarantee the borders. Others, like the United Kingdom, are blaming the EU for the increase in the illegal immigration. In the US, however, the new Secretary for Homeland Security is seeking to reform the current strategy. Yet despite the desire to reform the laws, there is still disagreement as to the specifics of any policy.