The PAE Corner: Research on the Beach
by Tamara Heimur on March 19, 2008 in PAE Corner
Theresa Grano (R) and Eric Driggs. Credit: Naseem Khuri
How do you include a trip to the beach as part of your PAE expense budget? Just ask Eric Driggs (MPP2) and Theresa Grano (MPP2), whose research on the prevention of human smuggling and trafficking recently took them to the Canary Islands to study illegal migration to Europe.
Driggs and Grano, both of whom served with the U.S. Coast Guard, are working with the State Department Human Smuggling and Trafficking Center on the prevention of smuggling and trafficking to the United States from the Caribbean. Thousands of people risk their lives making this journey every year.
The extensive first-hand research Driggs and Grano have collected focuses on European best practices dealing with illegal migration from North Africa. In addition to the Canary Islands, their research took them to Spain and Poland to interview governments, NGOs, the U.S. Embassy and the European Union agency for border security, Frontex.
While some might think that the prescription for smuggling would rely heavily on defensive measures, Driggs said their research shows an increasing recognition by governments that, “instead of putting personnel on the border, we need to address the root causes.” Such root causes include human security and economic development, topics that are well outside the mainstream thinking in the fight against human trafficking.
Since the Human Smuggling and Trafficking Center is still in its early stages (it was established in 2004 as a joint effort between the U.S. Departments of State, Homeland Security and Justice), the research has the potential to make a significant impact. Unlike other students who bemoan the fate of their PAE to collect dust on a shelf, Grano and Driggs see their recommendations as likely to shape policy, and possibly even save lives.
Comments
Got something to say?
