Pope Francis Warns Nations Not to Take in More Refugees Than They Can Assimilate, Warns It Can Lead to "Ghettoization"

Pope Francis Warns Nations Not to Take in More Refugees Than They Can Assimilate

In an unusually nuanced discourse, Pope Francis has seemed to walk back earlier statements encouraging European nations to open their doors to migrants and refugees, suggesting that harboring unassimilated migrants can lead to a dangerous “ghettoization.” 

During the short papal press conference on the return flight from Sweden to Rome Tuesday, the Pope expressed his belief that people’s hearts should be open to migrants and refugees, but that political authorities need to exercise prudence so as not to allow more migrants into the country than can be reasonably assimilated. 

While praising Sweden’s history of welcoming, including many from South America, the Pope said that welcoming isn’t enough—integration is essential. 

“What is the danger when a refugee or migrant is not integrated?” Francis asked. “He is ghettoized, that is, he enters a ghetto. And a culture that does not develop in relation with another culture, that is dangerous,” he said. 

The Pope was likely referring to a problem in Sweden due to rising numbers of mostly Islamic immigrants, which has resulted in the development of Muslim-controlled “no-go zones” where law enforcement fears to enter. 

Sweden is often referred to as the “world’s capital of asylum seekers” and some 17 percent of Swedes are now foreign-born. 

In certain parts of Sweden, police say that up to 25 percent of their time and resources are spent on incidents involving migrants, and last month the Swedish government allocated a further two billion Swedish Krona for policing to 2020.

AND THEN THERE'S THIS:

ARCHBISHOP OF CANTERBURY: STOP SAYING ISIS HAS NOTHING TO DO WITH ISLAM

Claims that the atrocities of the Islamic State have “nothing to do with Islam” are harming efforts to confront and combat extremism, the Archbishop of Canterbury has insisted.  

Religious leaders of all varieties must “stand up and take responsibility” for the actions of extremists who profess to follow their faith, the Most Rev Justin Welby said. 

He argued that unless people recognise and attempt to understand the motivation of terrorists they will never be able to combat their ideology effectively.

Do you think this might be the result of Trump's election combined with Brexit and the pushback Merkel is receiving from her own citizens?

I think so.