Chaotic Ad Hoc Deals See E.U. Haggle After Each Sea Rescue
Germany has agreed to take in some migrants rescued in the Mediterranean. The move highlights the new ad hoc deals being struck with each rescue at sea. Italy wrote letters to all E.U. member states appealing for help in receiving rescued migrants. Some states like the Czech Republic refused outright, others like France and Malta appear willing on a case by case basis.
“Germany and Italy have agreed that, in view of the ongoing talks on closer bilateral cooperation on asylum, Germany is ready to accept 50 people in this case,” a spokeswoman said. Italy later said it would also take an unspecified number of those rescued.
A Deeper Look
Here are the 23 “Objectives’ of the Global Compact on Migration” just agreed: Looks like a careful balance of opportunities for migrants and strict control of illegality.
Real Aim of Trump Administration is to ‘Change Character of Country’
Outrage at family separations at the U.S. border has disguised a broader immigration crackdown. Doris Meissner, a Clinton era immigration official, said people were missing “a bigger ultimate aim, which is to significantly reduce immigration of all kinds to the United States over the longer term, and in the process, the real desire is to change the character of the country.” She said the administration was seeking to lock up families indefinitely, expand detention space and tighten asylum rules and apply more scrutiny to green card applications.
German Foreign Minister Reminds World of Historic Failure to Protect Jewish Refugees
Germany’s foreign minister reminded Europeans of the world’s failure to take in Jewish refugees. Heiko Maas said the 1951 Geneva Refugee Convention was the “was the response to this failure and remains the binding measure of our humanity.”
Maas’ comments come as many of Europe’s leaders, including cabinet colleagues in Germany, compete with each other to reject those seeking refuge.
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“The demise of the program was just the latest rollback under President Trump of an Obama-era humanitarian relief initiative. The current administration has abruptly ended programs including the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals and a case management program meant to keep asylum-seeking families out of detention.”
- Reuters: ‘We are always missing you’: Torn apart by violence, Rohingya families connect through letters
“I’ve been imprisoned for three years. Please don’t worry for me,” one letter from a Myanmar jail reads. “We’re always missing you very much, and I know you’re also missing us,” reads another one sent from the camps in Bangladesh to a Myanmar jail. “Please send a picture of everybody. I would be so happy to see you all. Give news of the children.”
“Todd Miller, who has written a new book called, “Storming the Wall: Climate Change, Migration, and Homeland Security,” says climate change is a key factor forcing families to flee from Central America and Mexico — and deadly droughts, hurricanes, floods and mudslides are projected to intensify further in the region as global warming increases, which will hit small farmers especially hard.”