Illegal Immigrants in Greece

Greece is a favorite point of entry for immigrants seeking to begin new lives in Europe. About 100,000 arrive per year from Iran, Syria, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Afghanistan and Africa – far more than attempt to cross borders in central European states like Germany. The immigrants are unpopular in the troubled economy, and Greece is stepping up security and border patrols. With so many willing to invest their life savings to relocate, smuggling is a profitable business. Often refugees die on the way – from the elements, in conflicts with police and soldiers, or at the hands of smugglers. A bleak future awaits many, with no official route of integration into European culture. Instead, immigrants are viewed as unwanted guests and more competition for few jobs. Immigrants find themselves earning no more wages than they had earned in their home countries. With opportunities lacking and the ongoing debt crisis, governments of Europe’s border states feel no obligation to extend a welcome. – YaleGlobal