On Tuesday hundreds of migrants were kicked out of their makeshift homes in Paris, France.

Located near the famous Sacre Coeur Basilica and the Gare du Nord train station, the tent camp had become home to migrants fleeing East Africa. For some, this was a pit stop on the way to countries like Germany, Britain, and the Nordic countries. Others had planned to remain there until their applications for asylum were processed.

Regardless, after a long and dangerous journey, this was not the European experience they expected: sleeping outside, unable to find work, with little hope of being granted asylum.

Police arrived at the camp to enforce the evacuation, while specialists spoke with the migrants, encouraging them to leave. The residents of the tent camp were divided into two groups- those hoping to obtain asylum, and those intending to move elsewhere. The former were taken to housing by city social services, as is customary with asylum seekers. The latter were “redirected” to overcrowded emergency housing.

As more and more migrants flood into European countries, locals are growing angry and worried. The Associated Press reports that “Paris police chief Bernard Boucault said the action was taken because of the health risks the migrants faced, including scabies, dysentery, and parasite infection.” I’m sure that’s true, but I’m also sure that the fact that the tent camp was located near a major tourist attraction also had something to do with it.

In France in particular, where political parties are collectively moving towards the right, many people are fearful that the influx of migrants will overwhelm the country. Parties like the National Front and the recently renamed Republican Party (formerly known as the Union for a Popular Movement)  both take a hard stance on immigration (which I would argue borders on xenophobic).

It’s understandable that locals are concerned about the growing number of migrants entering their cities. What’s not understandable is shutting the doors on vulnerable people in need of help. European leaders must find a way to accommodate the new arrivals in such a way that considers their safety and respects their dignity, while also meeting the needs of locals. One suggestion is dividing the migrants evenly amongst all 28 EU nations so that no country is left with most of the burden. Whatever the decision, as global citizens we must look past our differences and remember that we’re all people first and foremost.