The number of refugees living in Europe is staggering. While many countries welcome the continued flow of asylum seekers, their presence has put a strain on resources that are available to them. In Germany, Syrian refugees have begun embarking on “reverse migration” back to Syria since the government put a cap on family members allowed to enter the country. Many families have been torn apart since the start of conflict in Syria, and refugees are now making the dangerous trek back to their country to reunite with family members. Facing challenges at Turkey’s border, many are finding illegal means of leaving the safety of Germany to return to war-torn Syria.
German Chancellor Angela Merkel faced criticism over her immigrant and refugee policies that allowed steady flows of mostly young males to enter the country. She finally relented and began addressing concerns German citizens were voicing. The family reunification program was previously suspended. German lawmakers voted to lift the suspension, putting the cap at 1,000 family members per month. It hasn’t been made clear how they will choose, and they aren’t obligated to let in 1,000 refugees per month.
Fleeing war-torn countries like Afghanistan, Iraq, and Syria, many refugees used the now-blocked Balkan Route. The route offered refugees passage to Germany and other parts of Europe that welcomed refugees. Countries along the Balkan Route assisted the migrants along the way to their destinations before the route was shut down. This took business away from human smugglers. Now, Syrians living in Germany are resorting to paying hundreds of Euros to hire traffickers to smuggle them into Turkey so they can make it home to Syria.
Many male refugees made passage alone, leaving family members behind in Syria or in refugee camps in other locations. The perilous journey left refugees no guarantees about their future, and many family members opted to stay behind, especially those with small children. Caught in the bureaucracy, families depend on German policy to support entry. They find the process is long and tedious, some having been waiting in Germany for years without family members. Luckily, technology offers a connection for refugees living apart. Communication by phone calls, video chatting, and text messaging allows for family members to stay in touch on a daily basis. As conflict in Syria continues, those who fled the Assad regime are now choosing to return and face uncertainty just to be with family members.
