Refugees Protest Against Lack of Shelter in Greece
Hundreds of refugees blocked a highway in northern Greece as part of protests against the lack of adequate shelter as growing numbers cross from Turkey by land.
More than 200 mostly Kurdish refugees have been protesting against severe overcrowding at the Diavata camp, which was built for 750 people but is currently housing 1,850, forcing newcomers to sleep in tents or in the open air.
Greece recently announced plans to expand refugee camps on the mainland in response to a spike in numbers crossing the Evros river, overwhelming facilities in northern Greece.
Trump Administration Nominates Hard-liner for Migration Post
The Trump administration has nominated an immigration hard-liner to lead the Bureau of Population, Refugees and Migration.
Ronald Mortensen, a former foreign service officer, will need confirmation by the United States Senate before taking up the position of assistant secretary of state at the State Department.
Mortensen is a fellow at the Center for Immigration Studies, a right-wing think-tank that has exercised substantial influence over the administration’s immigration and refugee policies.
Egypt Prosecutes Suspected Trafficking Ring
Egypt prosecuted 40 people suspected of participating in a human trafficking and smuggling network. They face charges including bribery, forging official documents, facilitating illegal immigration and sex trafficking. The penalty could be up to 15 years in jail.
Egypt has cracked down on refugee boats leaving the country and launched a series of large trials against suspected traffickers.
Recommended Reads
- Voice of America: Uncertainty Strains Ethiopian Refugees in a Kenya Camp
- The Guardian: Salim Fled Genocide to Find Safety. He Lost His Life in the Most Tragic Way
- The Houston Chronicle: Immigrant Families Separated at Border Struggle to Find Each Other
- The Washington Post: The Group Least Likely to Think the U.S. Has a Responsibility to Accept Refugees? Evangelicals.