US, EUROPE COULD SEE WAVES OF REFUGEES
The potential collapse of an agreement for Turkey to shelter millions of Syrians and others from war-torn Middle East regions is raising fears that another wave of refugees could be heading for the U.S.
The monthslong deal between Turkey and the European Union hinges on Turkish officials’ calls for visa-free travel for its citizens, which they say should be granted by October.
If it isn’t, Turkish leaders say, their deal to absorb the flood of refugees from Syria and elsewhere is off, potentially complicating the hot-button immigration issue.
“I do know that (Turkish) President (Recep Tayyip) Erdogen has said that agreement is about to expire. So we need to be worried about that,” U.S. Rep. Stephen F. Lynch said yesterday when asked about his concerns
about U.S. exposure to terrorist attacks in the wake of weekend bombings in New York City and New Jersey.
“We’ve already stepped up the screening process. But here’s my concern: The agreement that we have in place with Turkey … that will end in October” without a compromise, Lynch said. “... The European countries (also) need to be worried about that. They’re directly in the path of that refugee network that Germany and France are dealing with right now.”
The potential for the deal’s demise comes as President Obama is expected today to urge world leaders to step up efforts in aiding refugees. But it also could reignite concerns that the flow of refugees could provide another avenue for terrorists to enter the United States and Europe, which has been especially marked by violent terrorist attacks.
The issue of accepting Syrian refugees exploded last fall, including in Massachusetts, where Gov. Charlie Baker had originally said he wouldn’t support welcoming a wave of refugees before getting assurances about the vetting process, opening himself to criticism from Democrats.
Fewer than 90 Syrian refugees ultimately resettled in Massachusetts in 2015, representing just a small fraction of the 1,911 refugees who arrived in the state that year, according to data.
But the end of the Turkey agreement could have major ramifications. Europe “needs Turkey badly,” said Boston College professor Westy Egmont, “and Turkey knows that.”
“If the negotiation with Turkey fails, it means pressure on all of the developed nations, many of whom have already stressed strong political resistance (to taking in refugees) because of a lack of internal support,” said Egmont, who is also director of the school’s Immigrant Integration Lab.
“I can only see pressure building on every developed nation to take in refugees if the abutting countries to Syria — Turkey particularly — can’t continue playing a vital role of providing the first asylum as a country.”