Causes.com
| 9.15.23
Europe Records Highest Number of Asylum Requests Since 2016
Is the U.S. doing enough to help?
Updated Sept. 15, 2023, 12:14 p.m. PST
- The EU has recorded the highest number of asylum requests since 2016. In the first half of 2023, approximately 519,000 people applied for asylum in the EU, Norway, and Switzerland, representing a 28% increase over 2022.
- The number does not include the approximately 4 million Ukrainian refugees fleeing the Russian invasion.
- The European Union Agency for Asylum (EUAA) said, "Based on current trends, applications could exceed 1 million by the end of 2023."
- Syrians make up the biggest group of asylees, with 67,000 applications made this year, a 47% increase over 2022.
- After Syria, the main countries of origin for people seeking asylum in Europe are Bangladesh, Colombia, Pakistan, Turkey, and Venezuela. The majority of Syrian asylees are seeking asylum in Germany, while Venezuelan refugees are seeking asylum in Spain, where many have been granted humanitarian visas.
- Asylum claims from sub-Saharan Africa have doubled due to conflict, hunger, and poverty in the region.
- Forty-one percent of applicants receive refugee status or protection after the initial processing stage.
- The rise in asylum requests comes as the EU seeks to push through its flagship migration package, which still needs to win the support of member countries. The proposed deal would require border countries to implement stricter asylum procedures. Non-border countries would be given a choice of either accepting a certain quota of migrants each year or paying into a joint EU fund.
Updated August 30, 2023, 4:35 p.m. PST
- Four migrants died in a shipwreck off the coast of Lesbos, Greece, on Monday, Aug. 28. The deceased were all children: one eight-year-old boy and three girls aged 11 months, eight, and 14.
- The 18 survivors include asylum seekers from Somalia, Palestine, and Yemen. They were transferred to the main city on the island of Lesbos, Mytilene.
- Over 14,000 people have reached Greece by both land and sea this year alone, according to the United Nations.
- Human rights groups have criticized Greece’s tough policy, which essentially allows authorities to push back potential asylum seekers at sea, putting them at risk of drowning or starvation.
Updated August 17, 2023, 10:00 a.m. PST
- Over 63 asylum seekers are feared dead after their wooden fishing vessel was found drifting off the coast of Cape Verde. The boat was originally spotted on Monday in the Atlantic Ocean by a Spanish fishing boat.
- The asylum seekers left Senegal on July 10 with about 100 passengers onboard.
- Emergency services have recovered the remains of seven people, while another 56 people remain missing. The survivors include four children.
- The Atlantic migration route from West Africa to the Canary Islands, which is used to reach mainland Spain, is one of the world’s deadliest. At least 559 people died attempting to reach the Canary Islands in 2022 alone.
What's the story?
- Over 2,000 people are currently missing at sea as the number of migrants attempting to cross the Mediterranean has more than doubled in the first half of 2023 — signaling a global human rights crisis.
- The European Union's border agency, Frontex, has released new figures showing irregular crossings at the borders are at their highest in seven years.
- The report found that irregular migrations were up 13% between January and July, with 176,100 people attempting to reach Europe. Frontex said the increase was driven by a 115% rise in the number of people using the "central Mediterranean" route — from North Africa to Italy and Greece — which 89,000 people successfully took in 2023 alone.
A human rights crisis
- Tunisia is the launching pad for most migrants who take this dangerous route. The route can take several days and is usually made in unseaworthy, overcrowded, unsanitary vessels.
- Despite mass drownings, people continue to attempt the route, fleeing poverty, war, and starvation at home. "Migratory pressure" has grown due to chronic instability in Sub-Saharan Africa, Afghanistan, and Syria. The recent military coup in Niger has contributed to a new stream of refugees.
- Frontex expects the number to keep rising as smugglers are "offering lower prices to migrants amid fierce competition among criminal groups."
- At least 41 people are believed to have died last week when a boat sailing from Tunisia sank off the Italian island of Lampedusa. Children are among those presumed dead.
- In June, a fishing trawler carrying up to 750 people sank in international waters off Pylos, Greece, and only 104 people were rescued.
- By the end of 2022, there were almost 12.4 million refugees and 1.3 million asylum-seekers residing in Europe.
Political responses
- Poland's right-wing prime minister, Mateusz Morawiecki, campaigning for re-election in the fall, has announced a referendum on migration. Voters will be asked if they are willing to accept "thousands of illegal immigrants." This refers to proposed EU reforms that would have each member state take a fair share of migrants.
- Italy's right-wing prime minister, Giorgia Meloni, was elected on the promise of a naval blockade to stop migrant boats from reaching Italy. In Germany, the far-right, anti-immigration AfD party is on the rise. Germany had previously welcomed over a million refugees fleeing the Syrian civil war.
- Denmark's Social Democrat-led government passed a law in 2021 that allowed it to relocate asylum seekers to countries outside the EU while their cases are reviewed.
- The U.K. government has introduced a new measure that makes it impossible for migrants who arrive illegally to apply for asylum, a move condemned by the U.N. In 2022, over 45,000 people arrived in the U.K. on small boats, 60% more than in the previous years.
- The EU is proposing up to $2 billion in support if Tunisia's President Kais Saied helps stem the tide of migrants leaving his country's ports. The union has negotiated a new migration and asylum pact, which would include charges of approximately $21,780 a head for member countries that refuse to host refugees.
Is the U.S. doing enough to help?
—Emma Kansiz
(Photo Credit: NDLA)
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We cannot help the European migrant crisis, but again we need to work with the rest of the world to plan for and address the global migrant crisis, because it's affecting us and Europe and Canada and Mexico and it's not likely to stop anytime soon.
There are root causes to these migrations, and pretending that just sending troops to our border is going to fix it is insanity. We must work together with the whole world to solve these problems.
Our country cannot get a handle on those trying to migrate to our country. While my heart goes out to anyone who leaves everything & everyone they know to make a dangerous journey to a new country, I don't believe we have the leadership to deal with any migrants.
I also predict this problem will worsen with global warming, increase of terrorist takeovers in Africa and the Middle East, and the growth of drug cartels.
these are human beings, just like you. try to imagine yourself in their shoes.
This is completely outside of US responsibility. No tax money should be spent on this. Of course it is tragic and if you can spare a little, it would be great to send them some money.
US needs to solve the US immigration problem 1st before getting involved with global immigration problems other than supporting UNHRC's role in global refugee resettlement.
The issue of migration is complex and requires a collaborative approach. By recognizing it as a global challenge, countries can work together to tackle the root causes of migration, such as poverty, conflict, and lack of opportunities. This can involve supporting economic development, peacebuilding efforts, and human rights protections in countries of origin. Additionally, promoting safe and legal channels for migration helps to reduce the risk and vulnerability of migrants while also ensuring orderly movement and opportunities for legal employment. Finally, social integration and inclusion are essential to creating cohesive societies and reducing discrimination against migrants. This can involve providing language training, access to education, healthcare, and employment opportunities. Overall, by joining forces and adopting a comprehensive approach, countries can address the complexities of migration and work towards more sustainable and equitable solutions.
In the end, it is not only a matter of the compassion of a few but depends on the political will of each nation and is a matter of resources.
It is crucial to address the underlying causes with clear eyes and honesty.
No--of course not...
But the USA has its own difficulties dealing with fleeing migrants fleeing their coutries for good reasons--often life and death reasons.
DESPERATE PEOPLE DO DESPERATE THINGS!
When the only other choice is a slow agonizing death for themselves and their children, they will risk the potentially deadly trip to the U.S.
The U.S needs to get its own house in order before telling other countries how to do things!
Fix our system first !
some people who now are living comfortably are forgetting what their migrant forefathers/mothers had to endure running from the atrocities of their home countries to seek freedom within america. t
Not sure on this one. I hope so.
No we are not and no we have not. This is due to the Racist and Bigoted GOP.
The war Bush and Cheney lied us into in Iraq, followed by the disaster in Afghanistan have been large contributors to the refugee crisis. Add in the effects of climate change on that region and you have a full scale humanitarian crisis.
Need updated immigration policies!
Maybe send boats to bring them to our Southern Border. No, airplanes so they do not have to suffer long voyages.
America needs a comprehensive immigration policy....congress and every administration for years refuses to deal with this issue.
Until congress addresses the problem, our borders should be closed.
USA needs to finish the wall, Stop funding UNSECO who pays these people to infiltrait non socialist countrys.
This is an addition to my original Comment.
It seems to me that the United States has an excellent bureaucratic infrastructure that can successfully carry out the goals of the Legislative Branch and the Policies of the Executive Branch despite the shade dirtbags like Trump, DeSantis, and Ramaswamy, as well as the MAGA flamethrowers, and the Extremist Media throw at it.
Further, there are Graduate Schools in the United States and other countries that have excellent Community, Regional, and Urban Planning Programs.
Individuals from the US Government, and other countries, as well as graduates from Urban Planning Programs around the World, can be tasked with finding ways to accommodate the ~ 5 Million displaced persons.
I believe that teams of these people or other teams should be formed and called upon to help solve the coming migration problems due to Climate Change.
As a thought experiment, I tried to find the universities with top Urban Planning graduate Programs:
Several universities around the world are globally recognized for their exceptional graduate programs in Urban Planning. Here is a list of some of the top ones in no particular order. Note that this list is far from comprehensive.
Harvard University, USA - Harvard's Graduate School of Design provides a comprehensive urban planning program that allows students to work on significant projects.
University of California, Berkeley, USA - The Department of City and Regional Planning (DCRP) at Berkeley prides itself on its interdisciplinary approach.
Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), USA - MIT's Department of Urban Studies and Planning is renowned for its research-oriented course.
University College London (UCL), UK - The Bartlett School of Planning at UCL offers a range of urban planning programs.
University of Melbourne, Australia - Melbourne's urban planning program is known for its emphasis on the international policy environment.
Technical University of Munich, Germany - TUM's School of Life Sciences offers a robust urban planning program.
University of British Columbia (UBC), Canada - UBC's School of Community and Regional Planning has a community-centered focus.
TU Delft, Netherlands - The Department of Urbanism in the Faculty of Architecture and the Built Environment offers a rigorous program.
ETH Zurich, Switzerland - Known for its comprehensive and advanced teaching methods in urban planning.
University of Tokyo, Japan - The Graduate School of Frontier Sciences offers a unique perspective on urban planning.
Oh please! How is it possible to have MILLIONS of asylum seekers?! If they were truly asylum seekers, Biden would follow the rule of law in the USA. But since they're not, he just opened the borders.
If millions are fleeing their home country, then who is left in that country?
My concern is we provided help for FOUR PEOPLE ON AN EXPENSIVE JOY RIDE TO THE TITANIC WREAK were their lives more worthy than the Greece people????
Our immigration sucks!
Yes
That is Europes issue and they did not want them either.. Lesson learned the tragic and hard way.
America has its own immigration challenges its not taking care of. Take care of our own immigration problems should be our first priority
Need immigration reform!