Restricting Migrants to ‘Save’ Europe’s Future
As years pass, illegal migration to Europe continues to snowball. The continent now houses millions of refugees or migrants from neighbouring countries.
Why Do People Migrate to Europe?
Migration to Europe occurs for various reasons, which may differ according to an individual or family’s situation. Even if it costs their lives, they continue to brave the waters and join groups of different people on a crowded boat.
Some common motives that compel migrants to travel there despite the risks include:
Economic Opportunities
Europe is known for its relatively stable economies and employment opportunities, drawing people from less economically developed regions seeking better wages, working conditions and social benefits to pursue employment there. This brings Europe great popularity as an employment destination.
Education
Europe is home to numerous world-class universities and educational institutions, attracting students from all around the globe looking for higher education programs with quality academic courses.
Political Stability
Individuals and families fleeing countries characterized by political instability, civil conflict or human rights abuses often seek asylum or refuge in European nations where they hope for safety and a better quality of life.
Environmental Factors
Climate change, natural disasters and environmental degradation in their home countries may lead to migration to Europe in search of safer living conditions and a sustainable future.
Family Reunification
When traveling to Europe to reunite with family members already living there, many countries offer family reunification programs allowing citizens and residents to sponsor family members to come with them.
Human Trafficking and Smuggling
Unfortunately, some migrants to Europe are coerced or coercive into migrating through human trafficking or smuggling networks, often under dangerous and exploitative circumstances.
Escape From Persecution
Many individuals who suffer persecution due to their ethnicity, religion, political views or sexual orientation may seek asylum in Europe to escape from discrimination and oppression in their home countries.
Getting in the Way of Migrants
Lampedusa is an island in Italy that flourishes with migrants and is still getting more. So far, almost 126,000 migrants have arrived this year and over 7,000 landed this week.
On Sunday, Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni accompanied EU Chief Ursula von der Leyen to visit the tiny island. Von der Leyen considers a 10-point ”action plan” to alleviate pressure on Italy where a majority of migrants arrived from north Africa by boat.
“Irregular migration is a European challenge and it needs a European response, we are in this together. You can count on the EU,” said the EU Chief in Italian.
Saving Europe’s Future
According to Italian PM Giorgia Meloni, the migration crisis can’t be settled within Italian borders. She said that European countries should cooperate to avert migration from Africa and immediately deport declined asylum-seekers that could put Europe’s future at risk.
“If anyone thinks that this crisis we are facing could be just resolved within Italian borders, it would be a very big mistake, because this problem involves everyone and needs to be tackled by everyone. I continue to say that we will never resolve it by talking only about redistribution [of migrants] – the only way to resolve it is to stop departures,” said Meloni.
The latest migration crisis has stoked a debate over the splitting of responsibility among EU members. Moreover, it probed about the possibility of deals with North African countries.
Meloni pushed the EU migration pact but is supported by the rest of Europe, where the migration crisis is a critical issue in elections. Her election pledge was to abolish illegal immigration and hoped the agreement with Tunisia could deliver a solution.
