The accusation has been around since private organizations (NGOs) have been saving boat people from drowning in the Mediterranean: their presence encourages more migrants to dare the dangerous crossing in smuggler boats. The NGOs are a “pull factor” with their ships, so they attract boat people with Europe as their destination. Right-wing politicians argue in this way particularly often, and NGOs are also under fire on social media as alleged culprits for the influx of refugees.
Study on sea rescue: No evidence for the pull factor thesis – politics
