In Austria, there is now an attempt to better regulate the number of “family members” that immigrants who are already in the country can bring in under the family reunification program, given how much fraud there is in the system, with non-family members being falsely claimed as family. These family reunification programs are in place all over Europe, and even in the United States. These programs have been riddled with fraud; a great many of those claimed by migrants to be their family members turn out to be completely unrelated. They have paid their “anchor relative” to claim them as family members.
Now the Austrians are trying to crack down on this failed policy of “family reunification.” More on their efforts can be found here: “Austria will now use DNA tests to limit family reunification, but rival FPÖ party wants complete ban on chain migration,” by John Cody, Remix News, May 6, 2024:
Austrian Chancellor Karl Nehammer wants to curb the influx of migrants entering the country due to family reunification by utilizing DNA tests and other checks. However, the right-wing Freedom Party (FPÖ) of Austria is calling for far more stringent controls on family reunification, including setting the chain migration quota to zero.
DNA tests are the only sure way to determine if those claimed as blood relations are in fact what they claim. It is flabbergasting that they have not been required, and are about to be required only just now. But even though this is a step in the right direction, by ending most — though not all — fraud in the family reunification program, the Freedom Party (FPO) wants to go farther, and to end “chain migration” altogether. That would prevent migrants from being allowed to bring in even those who really are proven, by DNA, to be relatives. The quota of family members would be reduced to zero.
On Sunday [April 6] the head of Austria’s government announced the increased use of genetic tests to prove family relationships, a move that he announced in the run-up to the EU parliamentary elections as his government comes under enormous pressure due to record levels of immigration.
The Austrian chancellor belongs to the Austrian People’s Party (ÖVP), which is currently in a coalition with the Green party. The rival FPÖ has long attacked the ÖVP as being weak on migration, with the FPÖ promoting the Fortress Europe policy package. The FPÖ also wants a complete ban on family reunification, a move that would drastically reduce immigration to Austria and, if implemented throughout Europe, would not only curtail immigration but even lead to potentially millions of foreigners simply leaving EU nations.
If immigrants — and everyone understands perfectly that what is meant are Muslim migrants from the Middle East and North Africa — now in Europe can no longer count on eventually being reunited with family members, they may rethink the wisdom of remaining. Some will no doubt want to return to their extended families in their countries of origin, even if it means leaving Europe with all its economic benefits. Family ties can prove to have a stronger pull than financial ones.
In fact, just last month, the FPÖ, which is currently the most popular party in the country, called for ending family reunification entirely, with Lower Austrian FPÖ Asylum State Councilor Dr. Christoph Luisser stating: “We are setting the family reunification quota to zero.”
Austrian political parties have moved steadily rightward on the subject of immigration. In fact, the FPÖ has become the most popular party in the country thanks to only one thing: its relentless anti-immigrant position. It will likely ride that issue all the way to power at the national level.
“ÖVP Interior Minister Karner has not yet brought together a new settlement regulation. As a result, family reunifications are forced every month, which clearly contradicts the interests of Lower Austria,” added Luisser….
The FPÖ’s Asylum State Councillor has attacked its rival, the ÖVP, for having promised to crack down, using DNA tests, on fraudulent claims by migrants for family reunification, but so far has failed to do so. Is the imposition of DNA tests really so complicated? In any case, so far the family reunification policy, without the DNA test requirement, continues, to the great dismay of Austrians who were hoping for immediate results.
“Ultimately, there are enough legitimate family members for migrants to ensure a steady stream of immigrants through family reunification, while only curtailing egregious fraud, which was often already detected when documents were found to be suspect.”…
These Muslim migrants come from large extended families. Through family reunification programs, dozens, even hundreds, can come in as a result of having a single family member already admitted to Austria. The DNA tests will cut down on fraud, but the flow of those who are legitimately related will continue.
A decrease in family reunification fraud will not satisfy the alarmed Austrians. They want family reunification stopped, period. They find themselves overwhelmed with the flow of migrants. Particularly hard hit from the increased flow of migrants due to family reunification have been Austrian schools, deluged with immigrant children, who pose disciplinary problems in the classroom.They also require German-language classes. The educational system, especially in Vienna, is buckling under the pressure.
The Austrian Ministry of the Interior registered around 6,900 asylum applications in the first quarter of 2024. Of these, 45 percent were made by migrants who obtained an entry permit as part of family reunification. In 2023, this proportion was only 16 percent, signaling that more and more migrants are using chain migration to gain a foothold in Austria.
A year ago, only 16% of those applying for asylum in Austria had claimed to be related to migrants already in the country. Almost half — 45% — of the recent asylum applications have been from migrants who were allowed into Austria in the first place as part of the family reunification program. This chain migration is making possible many more asylum requests, and many more being granted. The only way to stop this is not to take the half-measures of ending fraud in the program, but in shutting down the program altogether. Will Muslim migrants who have been granted asylum in Austria be upset not to be reunited with their relatives? Of course. But why should Austrians care? Those migrants can always go home again.
tharmon says
“Refugees Welcome” means “We want more violent crime.”
jerry glenn says
And more Islamopandering.
Tony Rice says
The small boat immigrants are the fore-runner of the rest of their family, so sending them to Rwanda could put the families back home off the idea of following , hence the recent flood across the border in Ireland. Ain’t that just the Luck of the Irish !
somehistory says
Common sense is lacking in many areas at this time.
Common sense tells someone packing a suitcase that only a certain number of items can be included and still allow the case to close.
The same rule applies to the number of people who can crowd into a phone booth, a small car and a nation.
With a nation of people who are all related…due to the marriage of family members to other family members and rape…DNA is likely to include distant family…all those cousins who want to marry *legal* immigrants…and not just sons and daughters, or brothers and sisters.
When the suitcase is full, the rest of the garments must be left behind.
Ray Jarman says
Somehistory, You nailed it when you talked about inbreeding and claiming family relatives. Also when the members of the made up religion that advocates the killing of all none members, the Austrians will discover much to their horror the truth about Islam as will many other nations that accept this plight upon the earth.
somehistory says
thank you very much, Ray
Hank says
Austria can’t get enough of Islam.
40 rounds says
Remember, they hate us more than Muslims
࿗Infidel࿘ says
Memo to Vienna: there is a simpler way of reunifying families
Return them to their countries of origin!