Syrian Refugee Crisis Needs Our Attention

Ava Young, Contributing Opinion Writer

In 2017 the issue of immigration, especially in our political climate, is extremely divisive. Immigration, especially through the political lens, is the source of much debate. Although this issue is widely discussed, the human side of immigration is often overlooked.

There are currently 6.9 million displaced Syrian refugees. Most of these refugees are women and children who are facing dangerous and inhumane conditions. In refugee camps, Syrian refugees face shortages of food, shelter, water, and sanitation. The Idomeni Camo on Greece’s border with Macedonia was meant for 2,500 people, but it currently houses 12,000 refugees. At this camp, families face wet, cold, and muddy conditions.

Finding safe refuge as a Syrian refugee is becoming increasingly difficult. Macedonia, Croatia, and Slovenia have sealed their borders to refugees. Hungary closed its border by building a razor wire barrier. With the resources the U.S has, is pledging to take more than 10,000 refugees unrealistic? There are currently one million Syrians suffering in refugee camps, yet the U.S. has pledged to take only a small fraction of these people. Moving forward, the importance of helping refugees and immigrants is becoming increasingly important. Refugees are people — not just numbers.