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Migrants from other parts of the continent are being blamed for the lack of jobs available to South Africans and the rise in crime throughout the country.

Generally, theres a narrative that is always attached to us, as Africans or as Blacks when other people demonstrate theyre not welcoming the foreigners, its not said theyre xenophobic. As you know, theres an ongoing problem in Europe wherein the refugees that are coming, countries say they cannot come in, they dont want them but nobody says theyre xenophobic. Its like when there is something wrong with Africans, its corruption, if its done NOT by us, its collusion.

-South African President Jacob Zuma

Africans are being attacked in the streets, their homes and businesses burned to the ground. Many believe these attacks are not xenophobia, but an Afrophobia discrimination synonymous with apartheid, reserved for other Africans.

CGTNs Yolisa Njamela reports.

Countries all over the African continent played a huge rule in South Africas successful fight against apartheid. Are those countries still considered allies in the fight against xenophobia and discrimination, or unwelcome troublemakers?

I want to insist that the majority of immigrants in South Africa have no criminal intentions. There are those few who may have criminal intentions, who engage in criminal acts. As the department of Home Affairs charged with the responsibility of managing international migration, we wish to see a South Africa in which those who commit crime and corruption are not profiled according to nationality but are dealt with as criminals by the agencies of the state mandated to deal with that area. It cannot be the responsibility of vigilantes, it cannot be the responsibility of anybody taking the law into their own hands.

Malusi Gigaba, South African Minister Home Affairs

For more on the situation in South Africa:

The Heat: Migrant Crisis in South Africa Pt 1

The Heat: Migrant Crisis in South Africa Pt 2

Read the original:
The Heat: Migrant Crisis in South Africa - CGTN America (blog)

While the statistics show a resounding success, the EU is now effectively held "over a barrel" according to critics, with President Racep Erdogan clashing with member states and Brussels chiefs on domestic as well as international issues.

Critics have long feared the deal gives Turkey far too much political power over the EU, acting as an effective Sword of Damocles over eurocrats heads.

In the latest feud Turkey has been enraged by the decision of a number of European governments, especially the Netherlands, to prohibit pro-Erdogan rallies ahead of a referendum back home on expanding his powers.

There are four million ethnic Turks living in Europe all of whom have a vote on the constitutional changes, which could help tilt the knife-edge contest in the presidents favour.

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But Ukip MEP Jane Collins said the agreement had been a political disaster for Brussels and has left it totally powerless to challenge President Erdogan on his repeated human rights breaches.

She told Express.co.uk: "Turkey has the EU over a barrel over this issue of migration because the EU is a magnet for illegal migration from Africa and the Middle East.

"The EU has not solved the migrant crisis of previous summers and with the fighting in Syria, Iraq and Yemen and people still looking for a better life in the EU - particularly in the UK - there is every reason to think that we will simply have another summer where the traffickers are in control.

"That means problems at ports, threats to drivers, criminal gangs raking in millions to fund terrorism and the inevitable tragic deaths in the Mediterranean."

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She added: "There needs to be a strong message sent out that we will be turning back boats from whence they came, that we will not be permitting huge numbers of migrants travelling from Turkey into EU countries in order to travel through to other richer countries.

The Socialist and Democrats (S&D) group in the EU parliament, led by the Italian MEP Gianni Pitella, is calling on Brussels to freeze the accession talks with Ankara saying it is not suitable for EU membership.

But such a move would almost certainly kill off the migrant pact and Manfred Weber, chairman of the centre-right EPP grouping, said it should be kept in place.

Asked about the vulnerable position it puts the EU in, he added: In my talks I have no indication that they will use this as a leverage.

It is for the moment for both sides a win-win situation to implement the agreement and nobody has an interest in the smugglers and the mafia winning back control of the refugee flows.

And this week Turkeys foreign minister Mevlut Cavusoglu once again suggested Ankara is ready to cancel the agreement following a series of scrapes with Brussels.

But in purely statistical terms the agreement, which was formally sealed between the EU and Ankara on March 18 last year, has been a resounding success.

Europe has a moral responsibility to do better for those who need us the most

Sue Jex, Care4Calais

At the beginning of 2016 Europe was facing an increasingly untenable migration crisis, with more than a million asylum seekers having arrived the year before and many member states at breaking point.

Desperate to stem the flow of people and assuage increasingly restless voters back home, the 28 EU member states stitched together a pact with Turkey, the launchpad for most migrants to Europe.

Under the terms of the deal Ankara agreed to take back all undocumented migrants arriving in Greece, with Europe then taking one genuine Syrian refugee for every person sent back.

In return Turkey received 2.6 billion to help it cope with the three million refugees living in camps on its territory, as well as a pledge to re-energise its accession talks with Brussels.

Statistics from the United Nations refugee agency (UNCHR) show that the number of new arrivals in Greece has plummeted by 98 per cent year-on-year since the agreement was signed.

In the first three months of 2016 a massive 151,452 people made it to Greece on rafts from Turkey, but by the same period this year that number had dropped to just 2,813.

As a result, the number of refugees dying on the perilous Mediterranean crossing has also almost halved, from 272 dead and 152 missing in November 2015, to 146 dead and 51 missing in November last year.

Eurocrats have insisted that the figures show the deal is working, with EU Commission chief spokesman Margaritis Schinas telling reporters on Thursday Brussels remains fully behind its implementation.

His deputy, Alexander Winterstein, answered further questions about the deal the next day and pointed to the number of lives - "real people, real fathers, mothers, children who are being saved" - that have not been lost at sea as a result of a million fewer people attempting the dangerous trip by sea.

Aside from the political ramifications, critics have long argued the EU-Turkey deal breaches various international laws and customs on the treatment of migrants and refugees.

There have been tales of asylum seekers spending months on the Greek islands in summer tents not designed for the harsh winter, and with little access to basic sanitation and legal advice.

But despite this eurocrats are now actively pushing for the signing of a similar deal with war-torn Libya which would prevent a fresh influx of people into Europe via Italy.

Sue Jex, the head of UK operations at the refugee support charity Care4Calais, said humanitarian organisations would strongly oppose such a move because the North African state is not safe.

UNICEF

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A migrant gestures from behind the bars of a cell at a detention centre in Libya

She told Express.co.uk: "We do not believe that forcibly returning people to unsafe zones can ever be a morally acceptable policy. Seeing the suffering and uncertainty of those trapped in Greece does little to recommend this deal as a civilised option.

Over the last year we have watched desperate and vulnerable people pushed to take ever more dangerous routes across the Balkans. The stories we hear of children being beaten by the police, and of women being robbed and subjected to violence, do not indicate that current policies are in any way effective.

Europe's policies on migration are based on a belief in pull factors, when it is so much more important to consider the horrific trials and tribulations that refugees are fleeing from.

Care4Calais would firmly oppose any similar deal between Italy and Libya. Europe has a moral responsibility to do better for those who need us the most.

Her remarks were echoed by Philippe Dam, a co-president of Human Rights Watch who said that Turkey, let alone Libya, was not a safe country to return migrants to.

He said: There are now almost 13,000 asylum seekers stranded on the Greek islands in the context of this deal, to face immense suffering and despair.

The deal set a very dangerous precedent and its implementation led to unacceptable and unjustified sufferings.

The month long and sometimes year-long containment and sufferings on the Greek islands are the best argument why replicating these policies would be a definite blueprint for abuse.

A year on from its implementation, critics and supporters of the EU-Turkey deal remain divided between a moral vision of Europes duties, and a political necessity to reduce levels of immigration.

But with relations between Brussels and Ankara deteriorating at an unprecedented and alarming rate, few would bet that the agreement will survive the next 12 months of its rocky life.

Originally posted here:
EU-Turkey migrant deal one year on: Erdogan has EU 'over a barrel' with 'inhumane' policy - Express.co.uk

REUTERS

Emmanuel Macron, a centrist and liberal, is the pollsters favourite to win in the French elections in May - coming just ahead of Front National leader Marine Le Pen.

But during a televised presidential debate on Monday night, he was attacked by his rival over a visit he made to Germany this week in which he heaped praise on Chancellor Angela Merkel.

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Mr Fillon roasted his competitor over the hour-long meeting in Berlin, as he launched a brutal offensive on how Germany has tackled the migrant crisis.

And the former prime minister accused Mrs Merkels management of refugees as being the cause of huge problems that have faced Europe in recent months.

WHO WILL BE NEXT FRENCH PRESIDENT?

REUTERS

He said: "I completely disagree with Emmanuel Macron who praised the German chancellor when he was in Berlin for (refugee) policies that turned out to be bad policies and which are now criticised by her own allies in Germany.

The way this crisis was handled has created an enormous problem for Europe.

Although Mr Fillon belongs to the same conservative party family as Mrs Merkel, he has not shied away from criticising her on a range of issues - slamming sanctions on Moscow as "totally ineffective".

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The way this [migrant] crisis was handled has created an enormous problem for Europe

Francois Fillon

The comments come as the top candidates in France's presidential election went head-to-head as polls showed centrist Emmanuel Macron and far-right leader Marine Le Pen pulling away from the pack five weeks before the first round.

Mr Fillon has seen his support slide since being accused of using hundreds of thousands of euros in public money to pay his wife for work she may have not done.

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It is expected he will fail to make it into the second round runoff.

The debate, the first between the five main candidates, may be crucial in helping viewers make up their minds in a bizarre election campaign that has seen major twists and turns.

Opinion polls show almost 40 percent of voters are not sure who to back in the election, which will be held over two rounds on April 23 and May 7.

Original post:
'It created an enormous problem' Fillon blasts Macron for praising Merkel's migrant policy - Express.co.uk

Los Angeles went a step further than the rest of the country Tuesday in shielding illegal immigrants from immigration officials: It passed a directive forbidding firefighters and airport police from cooperating with federal immigration agents.

The directive was yet another attempt by the city to rebuff the Trump administrations immigration crackdown. The Los Angeles Police Department already prohibits police from even asking a suspects legal status even withprobable cause.

It follows a wave of similar measures across the country by cities and states that are vowing to not only resist the presidents tough immigration measures but outright defy it.

DHS NAMES LOCAL JAILS THAT WON'T HOLD ILLEGAL IMMIGRANTS

In Los Angeles, we don't separate people from their families because it's inhumane, Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti said Tuesday. In Los Angeles, we don't demonize our hardworking neighbors just because they speak another language or come from another country. That's un-American.

There are about 300 jurisdictions that don't cooperate with Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) to turn over illegal immigrants.

President Trump has threatened to withhold federal funds from these so-called sanctuary cities. The administration has refused to tell Fox News if, when or how they plan to do so.

But while states like New York and California are pushing to defy the presidents immigration policies, others are embracing them.

WHITE HOUSE BLAMES MD. SCHOOL RAPE ON LAX BORDER, SANCTUARY POLICIES

Several states are attempting to leverage the power of the purse to force more liberal cities to cooperate with ICE. Lawmakers in Florida, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Pennsylvania, Virginia, Wisconsin and Texas introduced bills to penalize sanctuary cities. On Tuesday, Mississippi became the first state to approve such a bill. The governor has vowed to sign it.

By contrast, lawmakers in California are close to passing legislation that would prohibit police or jails from even talking to ICE, a move critics say is a clear violation of federal law.

That proposal is opposed by several sheriffs who oversee jails, including LA Sheriff Jim McDonnell.

"We look to be able tostrike that balance between public safety and trust," saidMcDonnell, who oversees the nation's largest jail.

"We do a better job because we work together than we otherwise would; counter-terrorism is a great example."

McDonnell is one of the few politicians opposing thebill because it would prohibit jail officials fromeven identifying violent criminal aliens for deportation.

"We can allow ICE access to those individuals. That's a system that by and large works very well for us atthis point and one of the main reasons I lookat Senate Bill54 as something that is unnecessary."

McDonnell also told the Los Angeles Timesthat the proposal before state lawmakers would hurt immigrants not help them. He told the Times that if immigration officials cannot go to the jails to pick up illegal immigrants then they will fan out through the streets to find them.

They are going to have no choice but to go into the communities and arrest not only the individual they are seeking but also people who are with that person, or other people in the area who are undocumented, McDonnell told the Times. That is something none of us want.

Original post:
Immigration: As LA rebuffs Trump's order, others embrace it - Fox News

I want to, first of all, state that I wholeheartedly believe that Christians are called to be compassionate and merciful toward immigrants (Exodus 22:21; Leviticus 19:3334; Matthew 25:35). I also believe that the United States should have a more compassionate and merciful immigration policy. However, that is not the question at hand. The question at hand concerns illegal immigration, whether it is wrong to violate a nations borders and transgress its immigration laws. This was the subject that we had discussed during a meeting with some men over coffee in Selma, so I decided to share this article, from my archives, that I had shared some years back. It seems appropriate and needed.

Romans 13:17 makes it abundantly clear that God expects us to obey the laws of the government. The only exception to this is when a law of the government forces us to disobey a command of God (Acts 5:29). Illegal immigration is the breaking of a governments law. There is nothing in Scripture that contradicts the idea of a sovereign nation having immigration laws. Therefore, it is rebellion against God to unlawfully enter another country. Illegal immigration is a sin.

Illegal immigration is definitely a controversial issue in the United States (and some other countries) today. Some argue that the immigration laws are unfair, unjust, and even discriminatory, thus giving individuals justification to immigrate illegally. However, Romans 13:17 does not give any permission to violate a law just because it is perceived as unjust.

Again, the issue is not the fairness of a law. The only biblical reason to violate a governments law is if that law violates God's Word. When Paul wrote the book of Romans, he was under the authority of the Roman Empire, led by Emperor Nero. Under that reign, there were many laws that were unfair, unjust, and/or blatantly evil. Still, Paul instructed Christians to submit to the government.

Are the immigration laws of the United States unfair or unjust? Some think so, but that is not the issue. All developed countries in the world have immigration laws, some more strict than the USAs, and some less strict, and all have to deal with illegal immigration. There is nothing in the Bible to prohibit a country from having completely open borders or to have completely closed borders. Romans 13:17 also gives the government the authority to punish lawbreakers. Whether the punishment is imprisonment, deportation, or even something more severe, it is within the rights of the government to determine.

Illegal immigration is a very complex issue. The vast majority of illegal immigrants in the United States have come for the purpose of having a better life, providing for their families, and escaping poverty. These are good goals and motivations. However, it is not biblical to violate a law to achieve a good that someone has determined to achieve. Caring for the poor, orphans, and widows is something the Bible commands us to do (Galatians 2:10; James 1:27; 2:215). However, the biblical fact that we are to care for the unfortunate does not mean we should violate the law in doing so. Supporting, enabling, and/or encouraging illegal immigration is, therefore, a violation of Gods Word. Those seeking to emigrate to another country should always obey the immigration laws of that country. While this may cause delays and frustrations, it is better than acting illegally. A frustrating law is still a law.

What is the biblical solution to illegal immigration? Simpledont do it; obey the laws. If disobedience is not a biblical option, what can be done in regards to an unjust immigration law? It is completely within the rights of citizens to seek to change immigration laws. If it is your conviction that an immigration law is unjust, do everything that is legally within your power to get the law changed: pray, petition, vote, peacefully protest, etc. As Christians, we should be the first to seek to change any law that is unjust. At the same time, we are also to demonstrate our submission to God by obeying the government He has placed in authority over us.

Be subject for the Lords sake to every human institution, whether it be to the emperor as supreme, or to governors as sent by him to punish those who do evil and to praise those who do good. For this is the will of God, that by doing good you should put to silence the ignorance of foolish people. Live as people who are free, not using your freedom as a cover-up for evil, but living as servants of God (1 Peter 2:1316).

Rafael Bastien-Herrera is a Selma resident and pastor/director of The Word Walk School of Ministry. He has a B.A. in Pastoral Ministry, and a M.DIV. in Theology. He is a Radio Bible Teacher on KGED AM 1680 in Fresno and KERI AM 1410 in Bakersfield. Please send questions to rbherrera@thewordwalk.org.

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The Word Walk: The Bible and illegal immigration - Hanford Sentinel