The migrants' harrowing journey

Neither sea nor border patrol will stop these men, women, and children

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Refugees and Migrants aboard a fishing boat driven by smugglers reach the Greek Island coast of Lesbos
Migrants warm themselves next to a fire as they wait to cross the border into Slovenia on Oct. 19.
(Image credit: (REUTERS/Antonio Bronic)Relentless rain, meager supplies, scant shelter, and aggressive border patrols are just a few of the hardships these men, women, and children face on their journey. Ev)

Smugglers, refugees, and migrants aboard a fishing boat reach the Greek island of Lesbos after crossing the Aegean sea from Turkey on Oct. 11.
(Image credit: (Antonio Masiello/NurPhoto))

A migrant sleeps at the feet of his fellow travelers as their train moves across Macedonia on July 31.
(Image credit: (REUTERS/Ognen Teofilovski))

Migrants and refugees beg Macedonian police to allow them to cross the border from Greece during a rainstorm on Sept. 10.
(Image credit: (REUTERS/Yannis Behrakis))

A Kosovo man carries his baby as he illegally crosses the Hungarian-Serbian border on Feb. 6.
(Image credit: (REUTERS/Laszlo Balogh))

A staggering number of migrants are escorted by police in Brezice, Slovenia, on Oct. 20.
(Image credit: (REUTERS/Srdjan Zivulovic))

Migrants run after crossing a fence as they attempt to access the Channel Tunnel in Frethun, France, on Aug. 4.
(Image credit: (REUTERS/Juan Medina))

Refugees are smuggled through fields and forests in an attempt to evade the Hungarian police close to the Serbian border on Sept. 8, in Roszke, Hungary.
(Image credit: (Dan Kitwood/Getty Images))

Migrants protect themselves from the weather with emergency blankets as they huddle on the seawall at the Saint Ludovic border crossing between Italy and France on June 14.
(Image credit: (REUTERS/Jean-Pierre Amet))

A man jumps down from a bridge, as he and other migrants try to pass police blockades in Gevgelija, Macedonia, on Sept. 10.
(Image credit: (REUTERS/Tomislav Georgiev))

Blanket-covered migrants walk through a field close to the border with Croatia in Serbia, on Oct. 19.
(Image credit: (REUTERS/Marko Djurica))

A migrant carrying a child waits to cross the border with Croatia in Serbia on Oct. 19.
(Image credit: (REUTERS/Marko Djurica))

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Lauren Hansen
Lauren Hansen

Lauren Hansen produces The Week’s podcasts and videos and edits the photo blog, Captured. She also manages the production of the magazine's iPad app. A graduate of Kenyon College and Northwestern University, she previously worked at the BBC and Frontline. She knows a thing or two about pretty pictures and cute puppies, both of which she tweets about @mylaurenhansen.