T en times the Syrian family of five tried to make it across the border to the west from Turkey. They tried via the land border to traverse the woods and make it into Bulgaria. They tried in flimsy rafts to reach Greece by sea.

Over five years residing in Turkey, they have paid thousands, perhaps tens of thousands of dollars, to smugglers, some of whom swindled them out of their money without helping them cross. Once they almost drowned at sea, another time they were held for days in a primitive holding cell with little food or running water.