THE ROLE OF TECHNOLOGY IN MIGRATION MANAGEMENT. BALANCING SECURITY, ETHICS, AND HUMAN RIGHTS

In the context of increasing migration and refugee flows, the integration of new advanced technologies into border security and their implications for human security requires considerable adjustment. AI-driven surveillance, biometric identification, and automated controls at the border have become part of strategic security measures. While these technologies seek to create “smart borders” for effective functionality, major concerns are raised for data privacy and civil liberties, and the potential for discriminatory practices against vulnerable populations. The analysis describes ethical and humanitarian dilemmas created by the technologization of border management concerning issues for access to international protection by asylum seekers under the 1951 Refugee Convention. It does so by drawing on comparative case studies from the member states of the European Union, illustrating how different geopolitical contexts shape the deployment and regulation of those technologies. This research calls for a balanced policy approach that incorporates the notion of border security with the principles of international human rights law, thereby advancing a framework that protects the dignity and rights of all individuals.