Europe's Migrant Crisis- Nicole Chatham 6th period

With the Presidential race heating up lately, many Americans have been interested in the topic of the US-Mexico Border regarding immigrants and border enforcement. However, according to CNN news, the world’s largest migrant crisis is actually not located in the United States. The crisis is happening with the European Union, as there have been many deaths by land and by sea. The Mediterranean Sea is known to be “the world’s deadliest border” yet the solution from Europe is moving at a very slow pace. The reasons for migration range from those fleeing poverty, to those fleeing war and persecution, and generally the migrants are from Africa and the Arabian Peninsula.

More than 300,000 refugees and migrants have crossed the Mediterranean Sea this year, and the results are consistently deadly. The Mediterranean passage, in just the first nine months of last year alone, was responsible for approximately 75% of all migrant deaths, equivalent to 3,072 deaths. Although the European Commission has scheduled a meeting with important African countries in November to help solve this problem, other member states aren’t in a hurry to help. Also, the difference between a “migrant” and a “refugee” is highly important in how the European countries receive new people. Migrants and refugees have different laws relating to what rights they have and how they are handled. However, in situations like this, the lines tend to be a bit blurred as “migrants” can also be considered to as “refugees”. Overall, this migrant crisis with the European Union is quite complex and is in serious need of help.

Analysis- Upon reading this article I felt very surprised! As an American, a lot of our media focuses around US news, and I wasn’t aware of the magnitude of this problem going on with the European Union. I also felt very empathetic toward the migrants trying to find shelter in a different country, willing to make the journey, and even risk their lives in hopes of a better chance at freedom and greater opportunity. Lastly, I felt very disappointed to know that this problem is taking longer to solve because help is not being given by other member states. I feel that this issue relates back in US history to when the Pilgrims and Puritans made the decision to escape persecution and flee to the New World filled with hopes of a better life and fresh start. Both the journeys of the English colonists and the journeys of those migrating today across the Mediterranean Sea, have been anything but smooth sailing.  Both groups are similar in the amount of courage they displayed by being willing to leave their old lives behind, along with the plan of settling somewhere new.

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