The irrational fear of migrants carries a deadly price for Europe | Daniel Trilling

When people rescued from the Mediterranean reach a European port, once they have been screened for security threats and communicable diseases, their own medical needs are at last attended to. For those who have fled Libya, a typical list of health problems might include: cuts and bruises from being beaten; skin burns from the sun or from engine oil in the smuggler’s boat they were crammed into; respiratory infections and stomach conditions from overcrowded and filthy living conditions; complications arising from pregnancy or sexual assault; leg and foot injuries consistent with being thrown from buildings; or severe psychological trauma. These have the same effects on the body and the mind regardless of whether the person experiencing them made their journey because of war, or because they were duped into it by traffickers, or because