As Afghanistan crisis worsens, Europe adopts less welcoming stance towards refugees

London — Amid scenes of frantic Afghans clinging to airplanes to try to escape the Taliban, some European leaders said this week that they would work to prevent migrants and refugees from journeying to the continent without permission.

Europe "should not wait until people stand at our external border. We need to help them before that," European Union Home Affairs Commissioner Ylva Johansson said Wednesday, adding that some people in immediate danger should be resettled within the EU, but "it's important that we can help these people in Afghanistan, when possible, to return to their homes. We also need to help neighboring countries and support Afghanis and these neighboring countries in the region." Johannsson also said that Afghans whose asylum claims are rejected in Europe should not be deported back to their country right now.