Lesbos a Decade After the Migration Crisis: A Cautionary Tale of Open Borders and Its Consequences

In 2015, Lesbos, Greece became ground zero for what Europe called a humanitarian crisis but was in reality an uncontrolled invasion that exposed the vulnerabilities of open-border policies. Over one million migrants, fleeing war and poverty, arrived by sea, overwhelming local infrastructure and igniting political turmoil across the European Union.The island's residents initially responded with generosity—fishermen risking their lives to save drowning migrants and locals providing food and shelter. Yet beneath this surface compassion lay the consequences of lax border enforcement and immigration policies disconnected from national sovereignty and public safety.Amena Namjoyan’s story illustrates this complex legacy. Arriving as a...