With the recognition of the state of the Indonesian republic on August 17, 1945 as an independent and sovereign state made the recognition of the free country that includes the aspect of the Indonesian nation, Indonesian territory, and the government of Indonesia. Such recognition has an impact on sovereignty over territory and sovereignty over Indonesian citizens, on the basis of which it is necessary to establish a government agency that regulates for it, then was born a government institution called Immigration. Immigration Indonesia has a duty to implement the immigration of the state of Indonesia. According to Law No. 6 of 2011 on Immigration article 1 point 1 Immigration is a matter of traffic people who entering or who leaving the territory of Indonesia and its supervision in order to keep the state sovereignty upright. Along with the development of the Indonesian Immigration Function not only take care of the traffic of people who will enter or exit the territory of Indonesia but added some functions along with the development of the era in which globalization occurred throughout the life sector of the world community.
In entering the third millennium, which is marked by the rolling of globalization across the world's living sectors and the development of information and communication technologies that penetrate national borders, the aspect of humanitarian relations that has been national has grown into an international one, along with the growing and growing demands for the realization The level of equality in the aspect of human life, encourages the obligation to respect and uphold human rights as part of universal life.
Along with the development in the international world, there has been a change in the country that has changed the paradigm in various aspects of state administration along with the rolling of reform in all fields. With these developments, every Indonesian citizen has the same opportunity to use his right to exit or enter the territory of Indonesia. State sovereignty in the traffic aspect of its citizens is evidenced by the admission of travel documents held by Indonesian citizens abroad or in order to enter other countries. In the travel document is a reflection of the dignity of the state because if Indonesian citizens have difficulties in obtaining visas or other countries are questioned when entering its territory then this means that the country views the lack of dignity of the state of Indonesia. To overcome this, the Indonesian government through the Directorate General of Immigration made the specification of travel documentation in order to maintain the sovereignty of the state in its travel documents. This is the role of Immigration in providing sovereignty of the state to its travel documents, and in line with the development of globalization the necessity of improving the function of Indonesian Immigration is not only taking care of the traffic of people entering or leaving the territory of Indonesia but the need to maintain the state's sovereignty in the supervision of foreigners entering and foreigners residing in the territory of Indonesia.
Immigration Control is not only for foreigners who will enter the territory of Indonesia but Immigration control is done to the activities of foreigners residing in Indonesia. Immigration Control is done in order to maintain the territorial integrity of Indonesia by obliterating activities that can threaten the territorial integrity of Indonesia and preserve the nation's culture consisting of thousands of tribes from Sabang to merauke as embodied in the philosophy of Bhineka Tunggal Ika nation which is manifested in the oath of the youth of the Republic of Indonesia. Today to destroy a nation is no longer done conventionally but is done in a modern way by applying the doctrines of disintegrating nations in shelter in cultural, religious and social missions. Immigration can play a role by using legal action in the form of imposition of immigration administration where the Indonesian government through Immigration can expel foreigners (deportation) which endanger the sovereignty of the republic of Indonesia. Deportation is the embodiment of state sovereignty justified by national law as well as international law, there is no set of government that can do so except Immigration as contained in Act No. 6 of 2011 on Immigration.
In performing immigration duties, Immigration also has the function of being a facilitator of community welfare development in accordance with the policy selective principle. Selective policy principle is the principle used by the Government of the Republic of Indonesia in accepting foreigners who will enter the territory of Indonesia. The Government of the Republic of Indonesia shall only accept foreigners in accordance with the purposes and objectives of its activities in Indonesia. Based on the intended policy and in the framework of protecting the national interest, only foreigners who benefit and do not endanger the security and public order are allowed to enter and reside in the Territory of Indonesia.
When examined from the duties and functions of immigration is very large and very important role of government institutions called Immigration in maintaining the sovereignty of the republic of Indonesia.