EU Sees Significant Increase in Illegal Immigration

The European Union faced more illegal immigration in 2023 than it has in any year since 2016, according to a Wednesday report from Germany’s Federal Criminal Police Office (bka).

Why it matters: A new migrant crisis would be detrimental to Europe—increasing crime and national debt, housing shortages, and fueling resentment among established populations. If illegal immigration continues to worsen, European voters may respond by empowering radical leaders.

Details: The number of unauthorized crossings through the external borders of the Schengen passport-free zone rose from 326,300 to 380,200.

Germany was the top destination, recording 226,224 attempts to cross illegally—a 33.4 percent increase from 2022. The federal police apprehended most of the culprits, the bka said. Most of the immigrants were from:

• Syria: 54,207 (to learn why this is especially significant, click here)
• Turkey: 35,732
• Afghanistan: 35,370

Human smugglers reportedly helped many of these would-be immigrants.

Bible prophecy: The Bible prophesies that Europe’s turn to the right—largely in response to immigration—will result in the crowning of a radical ruler. Watch for factors like immigration to rattle Europeans, culminating in the appointment of this figure.

Learn more: Read A Strong German Leader Is Imminent.