The Role of NGOs in the Development of Hungarian Migration Law

Abstract

Migration law has changed very rapidly between 2015 and 2020. Domestic rights NGOs have used their existing room for manoeuvre to try to influence the development of migration law in accordance with their own human rights principles. This has meant that certain elements of the legal field relating to the entry, stay and international protection of foreigners have not become more restrictive than they are at present. In my research on this issue, I have found examples of legal developments, as well as evidence of their role in monitoring or enforcing domestic and international law. In my research, I examined changes in relevant legislation, European court cases, and conducted interviews to demonstrate the importance of civil rights organisations even in the period under study in relation to the unstable nature of migration law.