Abstract: This paper examines the contradictory positions of the state on the treatment of immigrants and irregular migrants. It does so by reflecting on the case study of five Filipino irregular migrants in Japan. Just as any other modern democratic state faced with migration issues, Japan on the one hand needs to regulate migration inflows including irregular channels, 1 and on the other hand protects its citizens and non-citizens alike within its borders, including “illegal aliens.” Underlying this contradiction is the question of the cost of liberalizing immigration. While doing so is in accordance with international conventions and other human rights instruments, it can have an impact on the economic, cultural, and political life of the state. The paper examines this “liberal paradox” within which most host countries, including Japan, find themselves and its impact on future immigration policies.