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The Migrant Crisis Continues in 2017
The problem on the exodus of migrants from countries experiencing turmoil has been among the major concerns of different countries across the globe in 2016. This problem is still unresolved, and it is expected to continue this 2017.
Majority of illegal migrants are from Syria. The Syrian Civil War that started in 2011 has caused almost 5 million Syrians to flee their country in 2016. Over 13.5 million Syrians remain displaced and in need of humanitarian aid. These circumstances trigger more Syrians to seek asylum in other countries which will contribute to the immigration of refugees this year.
Next to Syria is Afghanistan where refugees try to escape the longstanding Afghan conflict that started in 1978. Afghans initially sought asylum in nearby places like Iraq and Pakistan. However, recently, the political problems and terrorism in those countries made Afghan migrants target farther yet more stable places like European countries and the U.S. Other migrants come from Nigeria, Eritrea, and other parts of Africa that are experiencing famine and extreme poverty.
Statistics reveal that in 2016, there were around 800,000 to 1 million asylum requests from illegal migrants in Europe alone. Most of these applications were requests to legally enter Germany, a country that has an open door policy for migrants. German Chancellor Angela Merkel announced late in 2015 that her country welcomes refugees, especially those from Syria. This triggered an upsurge in refugees seeking asylum in Germany in 2016. Since the open door policy will not change this year, experts believe that more refugees will target Germany this year.
In the U.S., more than 10,000 Syrian refugees were allowed to legally resettle in 2016. The country has strict conditions on welcoming refugees which may be the reason why it does not accept as many migrants as European countries do. Migrants need to go through a process that involves in-depth background checks before they can enter the U.S.
Under the Obama administration, the number of refugees that were offered legal status increased. With U.S. President Donald Trump now assuming office, many are worried that U.S. immigration policies will place a greater burden on European countries to do something about the exodus of migrants. If this happens, experts say that the migrant crisis experienced around the world may get worse than it ever was.
1. Why are there more refugees trying to enter Europe than refugees trying to enter the U.S.?
2. Why is Germany receiving a lot of migrant applications?
3. What may happen to the immigration policies of the U.S. now that Donald Trump is the president?
exodus 탈출
turmoil 혼란
flee 달아나다
displaced 난민의
asylum 망명
famine 기근, 기아
upsurge 급증
resettle 재정착하다
