What has caused the shift in thinking that has hundreds of thousands of migrants from both middle eastern, and for the last few years more and more people from all parts of Africa making the long, expensive and dangerous journey to Europe. The countries of Europe were for the most part tolerant of small groups of what was supposed to be refugees seeking relief from war, corruption, and famine in their home countries. They now feel that their individual cultural identities are being threatened. The African migrants have suffered the most because of racial and cultural differences they are exposed to once they reach the shores of Europe. After a long and dangerous journey, they face disappointment and despair. They are not accepted where they are and they cannot return to the places they once called home. They also face the challenge of not being able to find employment to support themselves and their families back home.
There is the problem of people who have lived in the United States for long periods of time who are not citizens but have deep social, family, and business ties to this country who are now living in constant fear of deportation due to the directives of the Trump administration to deport anyone who cannot prove that they have the right to live here. America is no longer willing to accept people of color who are for the most part poor and uneducated. This is occurring at a time in history where there are hundreds of thousands of people on both sides of the Atlantic Ocean desperately searching for a place to call home. For our generation, this is the paradigm shift. What society does about it is another matter for discussion.