Some people keep throwing out the term "economic migrants" and that clearly shows what kind of media and parties are they following. Because in the real world the term refugee or asylum seeker is very clearly defined in the international treaties. You can use whatever word helps your conscience or bigotry, but you can't change the reality. Also, asylum is granted based on some clear criteria. And you can't obtain asylum in Europe unless you're already on European soil because the law is made purposely stupid. But don't let laws and common sense stop your hate.
What you say is true but you're assuming all the migrants are fleeing from humanitarian crisis such as war, genocide, religious persecution, etc which is not true. Yes, Syrians are refugees and are fleeing from that. They should be allowed in as asylum seekers obviously and I personally support that. They are not merely migrants/economic migrants. However they're not the only people trying to get into Europe, there are people from parts of Africa as an example that has no humanitarian crisis, no war, no genocide, no persecution, just bad economy.
How is it fair to everyone in economic hardships to give an easy pass to certain migrants just because it's easier for them to get to Europe? What makes them special that they needn't go through the same channels to migrate as others?
I'm in South Africa right now as a German, I have seen the poverty affecting some people. No one from South Africa is leaving to Europe because of the impossible journey, nor do they have a reason other than economics. It is relatively peaceful here. This is the same for many other African countries. You leave for economic opportunities. Guess what there are billions upon this Earth in countries across the planet that are can GREATLY benefit from European opportunities. Leaving a country for better economic conditions does not make you a refugee. The amount of Syrians for example are fleeing due to civil war, ISIS, etc, not because of the economy. They are refugees. I get your point though and I understand that racists would use economic migrants against refugees and I agree with you when people use it against them it's bigotry, but economic migrants do exist and they're not refugees and they do not have any right than any other person this planet to a country, they're not asylum seekers, they need to get into a country just like if an American is lookibg for European opportunities or anyone else - it doesn't matter. If a South African is looking for a better opportunity, they need to go through proper channels because there's no other way, they don't have the privilege (in a sense) to cross the ocean others can.
I feel you are confusing thinking everyone trying to get into Europe are refugees. That's not true, yes a lot of them are and right now there is a difference between economic migrants and refugees, especially
when some economic migrants are using fake Syrian passports to get asylum status thus negatively affecting actual Syrian refugees... http://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-34150408
German customs officers have seized packages containing Syrian passports and police suspect they are being sold illegally to asylum seekers.
A finance ministry official said both genuine and forged passports were in the packets intercepted in the post. Germany is letting Syrians register for asylum regardless of where they entered the EU. As refugees from the Syrian civil war, most have a right to asylum.
The passports can help fraudulent claimants to get asylum, the EU says. The ministry official declined to say how many Syrian passports had been found in the customs checks. The German police are now investigating. The EU border agency Frontex says trafficking in fake Syrian passports has increased, notably in Turkey.
A Frontex official, Fabrice Leggeri, told French radio station Europe 1 that "people who use these fake passports mostly speak Arabic. "They may come from North Africa, the Middle East, but they have the profile of economic migrants," he said.
Germany has by far the highest number of asylum applicants in the EU, many of them Syrians and Afghans, but many also from the western Balkan countries. Turkey is a major transit country for refugees and other migrants heading for the EU, and is also housing more than two million Syrian refugees in camps.
So here we have people looking for economic opportunities, affecting Syrian refugees by using fake Syrian passports to get asylum status which is limited to Syrians only and limiting Syrians getting asylum status. Saying economic migrants is just another word for bigotry etc is a bit naive. I also blame the media for using migrants and refugees interchangeably. FWIW I support economic migrants but I believe refugees/asylum seekers should be given priority right now and if need be economic migrants turned away. I wish it was easier to get into many countries legally but unfortunately that's not the case for most of the world. Right now Europe can focus on refugees whom are more important. I've met multiple people in South Africa black, white and Indian that would like to leave the economy here for European opportunities but they can't because they can't do that journey and also must do it through proper means. How are their wants for better economic opportunities any different from more Northern Africans? Why should certain people looking for economic opportunities be given easier access? That's not right. There's a big difference between refugee and migrant.
