Immigrants Bused from Hungary to Austria

The BBC reported that between 10,000 and 13,000 immigrants walked to the Austrian border on September 19, 2015 after being dropped off near there, in busloads, by the Hungarian government. Claiming "bitter rows among EU nations on how to handle the growing crisis" of immigrants, the BBC directly linked the sudden influx to the 20,000 refugee and economic-motivated "migrants" that first knocked on Croatia's door from Serbia on Wednesday of this week, Overwhelmed, Croatian Prime Minister Zoran Milanovic admittedly transported them to Hungary, much to the objection of Hungarian Foreign Minister Peter Szijjarto, who, in turn, delivered about half of them to Austria's doorstep. As the majority of people try to make their way to Germany, arguments between countries over international law and set quotas are expected to be handled by a meeting of the Interior ministers this Tuesday, followed by a European Union summit on Wednesday.

Reading the BBC article, one couldn't help but be reminded of America's immigration issues. Not unlike the information disseminated via Univision, Primer Impacto, Al Rojo Vivo and Honduran television stations that encouraged the arrival of tens of thousands of illegal immigrants in America in 2014, Germany's August 25th announcement that it would give asylum to any refugee fleeing Syria, no matter their country of entry, has no doubt prompted record movement to European countries. One main difference in the European situation is that many of the immigrants are believed to be running from the well-documented terrorism and oppression in their Syrian homeland, giving them generally truer refugee status than those that flocked to America. Also, opposite the U.S. government's refusal to effectively patrol the border in 2014, Hungary's receipt of over four thousand people on September 12th spurred the enforcement of strong border control in their country, including the threat of criminal prosecution, as well as the beginning of the building of an additional sharp wire wall along Slovenia and Croatia, That move, along with Germany's recent imposition of border controls in conjunction with Austria on September 13th, demonstrates a concern for national order and protection similar to that of U.S. politicians and citizens that did, and still do, advocate for U.S. strength at its border.

Amanda Zgonina

http://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-34305086