Across a variety of disciplines and ranging from various theoretical foundations, there exists a substantial body of research on media discourse and the topic of metaphor/metonymy of immigration/migrants (Burke, 2010; Catalano & Waugh, 2013; Charteris-Black, 2006; Chavez, 2001; Chilton, 2004; Cisneros, 2008; Ellis & Wright, 1998; Hart, 2010; Musolff, 2010; Nelkin & Michaels, 1998; O'Brien, 2003; Ono & Sloop, 2002; Santa Ana et al., 1998; Santa Ana, 2002, 2013; Semino, 2008). This research has determined several major metaphorical themes for migrants/immigration in which they are placed in the frames of WAR, ILLNESS/DISEASE, PARASITES/ANIMALS, INORGANIC MATERIAL, CRIME AND WATER (Musolff, 2012, 2015; Richardson & Wodak, 2009; Santa Ana, 2013; Wodak, 2014). While there is not time to provide a detailed review of all the research, I will attempt to summarize and give examples of some of the major findings in each of these main themes.

In terms of metaphors of WAR, Hart (2010: 144–146) provides convincing evidence from immigration discourse in Britain of how text-producers often employ the 'metaphorical strategy of militarization and present immigration as an invasion and immigrants as invaders.' The following examples demonstrate this:

(The Sun, 17 May 2002)

The invasion of Britain by illegal immigrants continues unabated.

(Daily Mail, 14 December 2005)

The committee was also told that officials in the front line of the battle against illegal immigration have to consider around 50 cases every day. (Hart, 2010: 144, 146)

In the case of many of the metaphors found in the research, metonymy plays an essential role such as in highlighting the legal status of migrants (e.g. illegal), which motivates the metaphor IMMIGRANTS ARE CRIMINALS, and in setting up the frames such as NATION AS A HOUSE/CONTAINER (Burke, 2010; Charteris-Black, 2006; Santa Ana, 2002). In this frame, doors stand for immigration policies and migrants are the invaders trying to get in, or the insects or dirt contaminating the house and the people in it with diseases.