The Truth About Hungary & The Refugee/Migrant Crisis

The last time I witnessed a massive wave of refugees like this was during the late 1990s in South Sudan.

This large number of migrants, the so-called "newcomers," are stressing this tiny East European nation. But I haven't found their handling poorly managed, or them being mistreated as reported by members of the international media.

Let's look at some facts that may be overlooked by politicians and some members of the press corps: 5,809 crossed the border yesterday here in Rozke. But are they refugees, or migrants?

Usually a refugee is someone who flees war, political upheaval, or mistreatment and crosses the border of their own country to the safety of a neighboring one. While some of these newcomers were refugees in Jordan, Lebanon, or Turkey, they have left those safe havens for economic opportunity and a better life in Western Europe.


The U.N. considers them refugees because they're seeking asylum in Europe. But Hungarians refer to them as migrants because in actuality, that's what they are--they've already found--and lived in a safe place. Many of them are illegal migrants because they have not entered Europe legally. One man told me he paid a smuggler $1,200 to help transport him across the sea from Turkey to Greece.

He told me he was fleeing Daesh (ISIS) and said he had lived and worked for the past two years as a refugee in Turkey. But ISIS did not exist two years ago. It was only in early 2014 that the group organized as the Islamic State. He may have fled war in Syria, but not ISIS.

Let's not be misled. His situation and that of many other migrants is not a matter of life and death.

These migrants are leaving their safe havens for opportunity, and the time is right as Germany and Sweden have put the word out they'll welcome any Syrian who makes it across their borders. But some Middle East migrants already in Sweden have warned the government to enact measures to check the identities and backgrounds of the newcomers to determine if they have fought as jihadists in Syria or Iraq.

Many of those coming across the border here are young Muslim men. They could easily be radicalized by ISIS and other militants once they arrive in Sweden and other places in Western Europe.

Also, is Hungary mistreating the migrants? The Austrian chancellor said the Hungarian response was reminiscent of the Nazis deportation of Jews during the Holocaust. Really Mr. Chancellor? I don't see a comparison.

The migrants I met indicated they did not want to remain in Hungary but desired to join relatives, or find jobs in Western Europe.

I witnessed the orderly loading of migrants onto buses arranged by the Hungarian government. The migrants were taken to processing centers, as required by E.U. law. I saw border police carefully and compassionately assisting the elderly and children as they boarded buses. No one was mistreated.

Yes, these migrants are deserving of our compassion and help. But let's not demonize a tiny country that is doing its best to protect its nation and Europe from chaos and unmanageable consequences.