Syrian Refugees In Germany Harassed In Light Of Recent Terrorist Attacks

By Roemart Tamayo | Dec 08, 2015 06:20 AM EST

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Syrian refugees in Germany have been under scrutiny lately, due in part to the latest round of terror attacks all around the world.

In an article by the International Business Times, with an influx of asylum seekers in Germany, the country has witnessed a wave of racial-related crimes or xenophobic violence against the said refugees and immigrants, with among the targeted places include attacks on shelters and homes.

Many refugees flocked the country when Germany volunteered to take the highest number of people from Syria compared to other countries in the European Union. Expecting between 800,000 to 1 million asylum seekers, most from the war-riddled Middle East before the end of the year.

According to reports, at least 222 refugee homes were lit on fire since January, citing an investigation in a local newspaper Die Zeit. Of those attacks, which 104 people were wounded, four people were prosecuted for their involvement.

And including arson attacks, it was found out in an investigation that at least 747 crimes had been perpetrated against Syrian refugees in the country since the beginning of the year.

Timo Reinfrank, a program director at the Amadeu Antonio Foundation said that despite the huge number of crimes perpetrated, no death has been reported so far, in which he attributed to "plain luck."

But apart from hate crimes against them, refugees also have another problem to deal with — getting a job.

As reported by the New Yorker, an organization called "Refugee Voices" was created to help immigrants find a job to make a living, despite their legal ineligibility and to raise awareness of the diversity and experiences within the community.

The organization was created by Lorna Cannon, a British tour guide and activist.

Due to the mentioned issues above, finding a job as an "outsider" to a foreign country can be quite difficult. What's ironic is that with the combination of low birth rate and high life expectancy, Germany now has a need for young workers, in which most immigrants are.

Another issue is, according to a researcher at the Berlin Institute for Population and Development, they still have the lack of knowledge regarding the qualifications and skill that the Syrian refugees can provide.

However, he did acknowledge that they need to make a living for themselves or there will be problems.

It's not only in Germany that immigrants from Syria is having problems. In the U.S., 21 refugees from the Middle East have been contested to gain entry in the state of Texas.

Fortunately for them, NBC reported that Texas eased up in its legal fight against the resettlement agencies and the federal government so immigrants now can settle with their family members who are already there.

However, it sure is going to leave a sour taste in the mouths of residents of Texas.

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