Anti-immigration protests have surged in recent weeks, with some targeting hotels used to house asylum seekers, sparking violence and misleading claims.

Greece has begun enforcing a tough and controversial policy aimed at shutting down a long-standing route used by irregular migrants to reach Europe after crossing the Mediterranean and setting off from Greek territory.

Arab refugees, especially from Syria and Iraq, face shifting asylum policies in Europe amid ongoing Middle Eastern instability and rising deportations.

Syrian refugees have become a cornerstone of Germany’s economy, the largest in Europe, which has taken in over a million Syrians since 2014.

Several European countries have frozen asylum procedures for Syrians, despite Syria's highly uncertain future following the fall of Bashar Al-Assad's regime.