Istanbul’s Esenyurt under spotlight amid restrictions on foreign residence permits

Esenyurt has become a diverse crucible for many foreigners escaping war elsewhere in the world or for those who have made Istanbul their home over the years.

A working-class district on the far west of Istanbul's European side and home to 300,000 immigrants, Esenyurt has been under the spotlight in recent days after restrictions authorities imposed on residence permit applications made by foreign nationals who have established a variegated enclave there and in another Istanbul district.

Several neighborhoods in Esenyurt, which is more crowded than 58 provinces in Turkey with its inhabitants reaching 1 million, have become ghettos hosting immigrants from many countries such as Syria, Iran, Uganda and Afghanistan, according to local authorities in the district.

The restrictions come against a backdrop of anti-migrant sentiment and xenophobia in Turkey, which hosts more than 4 million refugees from Syria as well as many others fleeing conflict and instability in their countries.

"Foreign nationals are our guests, but there is a limit that a settlement can bear. When the population grows, it brings different problems," said Esenyurt Mayor Kemal Deniz Bozkurt, welcoming the latest decision of the Directorate General of Migration Management.

The restriction will cover the Fatih district besides Esenyurt, and international students with some special conditions will be exempt from the decision.

'Little Syria'

According to last year's official figures, 127,000 Syrians were registered as residing in Esenyurt, but the actual numbers are estimated to be higher than the official figures.

Known as "Little Syria" by the locals, Bağlarçeşme is the neighborhood with the highest Syrian population in the...