 | Lots more than the few key points here. Grab a cup of coffee and curl up in a comfortable chair, dear Reader — there’s much to ponder and links to read even more. |
[GatestoneInstitute] - Current conditions in Hungary are ripe for a repeat of the migration crisis in 2015 and... the country is now in a "state of crisis".... More than 100,000 migrants are now gathered in the Western Balkans and although "the situation is still under control," it is "beginning to look like the big crisis in 2015." — Szilárd Németh, a senior official at Hungary's Defense Ministry, December 1, 2019.
- Illegal immigration throughout Europe continues unabated. In France, for instance, nearly 20,000 migrants have been arrested so far in 2019, according to the police website France Bleu, which also reported that 189 people smugglers have been arrested since January 1.
- In Britain, The Telegraph newspaper reported that Albanian people smugglers were posting advertisements on social media platforms, including Facebook, promoting their ability to get people into Europe. The ads are accompanied by TripAdvisor-style feedback comments from "satisfied" customers.... people smuggling gangs generate profits of up to £6 billion (€7 billion; $8 billion) a year, with migrants often paying more than £10,000 ($13,000) .
- The light sentences reflect the leniency of the Spanish justice system, which appears to encourage, rather than deter, people smuggling gangs.
- Hungarian police recently discovered two tunnels used to smuggle migrants into Hungary from Serbia. The tunnels were found at the same time that Hungarian police reported a five-fold increase in the number of migrants attempting to enter Hungary.
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