The narrative about migrants is full of errors and riddled with lies, a premise to be reviewed in the International Immigration Day. With each new migration crisis, Europe trembles and responsibilities are poured into the proliferation of human trafficking mafias, making us believe that we have a wild card to put an end to them, toughening their persecution and repression at the borders. But like the war on drugs or terrorism, extreme measures to stop immigration only make the problem bigger.
The drama of immigration is that by manipulating its effects, we have not understood the principles on which a continent like ours should act. Subjected to rise of ultranationalist speeches, we have closed the door and put up fences so that no one can enter, while we blindly head towards failure. Only the influx of emigration can correct the progressive decline of our aging society that will be unable to maintain the welfare state in a very short time. In just two decades more than a third of our entire population will be over 67 years of age. Who will pay pensions? Who will maintain the public health system? Who the education? Faced with these dilemmas, a repeated lie continues to grow. A message that attracts voters fearful of losing their jobs and social benefits, to distract attention from real problems. From inequalities to economic security or global warming, the use of migrants as a problem is repeated. All the countries of Europe sing the requiem for them, when we need them more and more. But instead of a common immigration policy that would stop traffickers and set criteria for needs, fences are built and entry conditions are toughened, which only increases the profits of the criminal clans that bring them. Quite a mistake, because the reality is that without immigrants the requiem will be for us.