Policing Chinese migrant sex workers in Hong Kong

Abstract

This article examines the nature of control of Chinese unwanted migrants. In contrast to much existing research work on the patterns and control of Chinese unauthorised migration to the West, the focus here is on the regulation of immigration violators who routinely move back and forth across the border between the People's Republic of China and the Special Administrative Region of Hong Kong. Through an examination of official statistics, relevant documents and pilot interviews with police officers, immigration officials and prison officers, this article aims to provide some critical insights into the operationalization of the migratory control regime in Hong Kong. In particular, the use of police crackdowns and imprisonment as a migration management instrument raises important questions about their efficacy and the differential impact on particular social groups, especially for women who overstay and are ostensibly engaged in migratory sexual labour. © Journal compilation © 2008 International Organization for Migration.