Anti-Immigrant Sentiment and Policies on the Rise in Europe

LONDON (AP) — A growing hostility towards immigrants and people of immigrant descent is taking hold in the United Kingdom and across Europe. This shift coincides with immigration becoming a more central political issue and the increasing popularity of right-wing political parties.

In the past year, demonstrations featuring anti-immigrant chants like “send them home!” have occurred in London. A British lawmaker voiced concerns about the number of non-white individuals on television. Furthermore, some senior politicians have advocated for deporting long-term U.K. residents who were born abroad.

Several European political parties are gaining traction by promoting mass deportations and portraying immigration as a threat to national identity. These include Reform U.K., the Alliance for Germany, and France’s National Rally, all of which are performing strongly in opinion polls.

Europe is experiencing a growing sense of division, and this trend appears to be emboldened by figures like former U.S. President Donald Trump. Trump has used harsh language to describe immigrants, such as calling Somali immigrants in the U.S. “garbage.” His national security strategy has also depicted European countries as being threatened by immigration.

As tensions rise, mainstream European parties are adopting stricter stances on immigration, sometimes employing divisive language regarding race. According to Kieran Connell, a lecturer in British history at Queen’s University Belfast, ideas once considered extreme within far-right politics are now becoming central to political discourse.

Immigration rates have increased significantly in some European countries over the last decade, partly due to m