Freezing in the Alps, migrants find warm hearts and comfort

By JOHN LEICESTER
Associated Press

MONTGENEVRE, France (AP) — As Europe erects ever more fearsome barriers against migration, volunteers along the Italy-France border are working to keep migrants from being killed or maimed by cold and mountain mishaps as they cross the high Alps. Networks of hundreds of volunteers run migrant shelters, clothe those in need for the hazardous border crossing and trek into the cold in search of those who need a guiding hand through the snow. Volunteers are driven by the simple creed that exiles from conflict zones and oppression of all kinds are people, first and foremost. They are a counter-weight to populist politicians with large followings in Europe who say migrants, particularly Muslims and Africans, are threatening European livelihoods and liberal traditions.