This book investigates the complex interplay between national sovereignty and supranational governance in the regulation of migration across European states. The authors, Gallya Lahav and Virginie Guiraudon, utilize a comparative political framework to examine how European governments attempt to maintain control over borders while navigating the constraints of international law, human rights obligations, and economic pressures. By analyzing the shift from purely domestic policy-making to a multi-level governance approach, the text argues that immigration control has become increasingly fragmented and subject to competing political interests.

Experts in European politics and migration studies recognize this work as a significant contribution to understanding the institutional challenges of border management. Readers frequently note the academic rigor of the analysis, which provides a foundational understanding of the policy shifts occurring within the European Union.