The price of belonging: How Europe’s war on illegal migration traps legal immigrants
Despite a significant drop in asylum applications in 2024 and 2025, Germany remains the European leader in the number of asylum seekers. According to UNHCR representative Katharina Totte, Germany’s migration policy has international influence: if Germany closes its doors, it will send a signal to other countries. Portugal was slow, now it is slower According to official data, more than 1.5 million foreigners live in Portugal, and in 2025, a record 387,000 residence permits were issued .