I assume this will affect U.S. travelers as well

But note: "The measures will be discussed at an EU summit of prime minsters on June 24 and would also have to pass through the European Parliament where there is likely to be resistance. " It's not clear how temporary the "temporary" closure was, and whether people with passports were allowed through. Could be disconcerting if you were staying in Nice and had gone to visit Italy for the day, though! (Another reason for keeping your passport in your money belt and not your hotel room.)

Denmark is also discussing doing the same thing unilaterally.

"I'm sure the tourists who keep their passports in their hotel are smart enough to travel with it across a border if "staying in Nice and had gone to visit Italy for the day"..." Right now you don't need a passport to cross the border between France and Italy - that's the point of Schengen.

From the BBC site (17 April): "Authorities in France temporarily blocked trains from Italy in an attempt to stop north African migrants from entering the country. Trains were stopped at the border for hours - prompting Italy to launch an official complaint with France. Services were later resumed. Italy has angered France by giving temporary resident permits to thousands of Tunisian migrants. The permits allow them to travel freely in many European countries. "

Am I the only one who would be okay with getting my passport stamped every time I cross a border. After trips to France, Italy and Spain my passport shows only stamps for Frankfurt, a city where I've never left the airport!

Ruth, you're not the only one who's ok with getting your passport stamped
for each country. We always lament the fact that doesn't happen anymore b/c our passports look so empty. It was fun having a passport filled with stamps from everywhere we've been.

Hey Ruth, next time you are in Frankfurt, take some time and leave the airport. The city is only a quick 11 minutes away. You might be surprised by what Frankfurt offers in the way of history, etc.

Would you seriously want to go through the hassle of immigration control at every single border just to get a stamp? No thanks. I thought everyone said that Europeans were so much more enlightened, understanding, and compassionate compared to the unclean Americans. You mean to tell me that they're also a bunch of xenophobes who don't like immigrants? Who would have guessed?

As of a few weeks ago they were stopping many trains from Italy going into France. It was on the BBC. They would unload everyone, then detain the North African (Tunisian, Libyan, etc.) peoples. The aid groups were at the Italian border passing out food and water to those stranded there. It didn't say what happened to the other nationalities travelling. The trains were stopped, so who knows if they eventually continued.

Maybe its just Amsterdam but they stamped my passport both ways. Both when I entered the Schengen area en route to Spain (which made since as it was technically the point I passed customs to enter the EU) and when I exited the Schengen area en route to my flight back to the US. This was no new thing either, as they had customs booths set up at both points.

@ Michael in Des Moines - your quote "I thought everyone said that Europeans were so much more enlightened, understanding, and compassionate compared to the unclean Americans. You mean to tell me that they're also a bunch of xenophobes who don't like immigrants? Who would have guessed?" Please refrain from generalizing, both about people who live in Europe, which happens to be many different countries with many different cultures, as well as about Americans. What is the purpose of such a comment? There is a huge difference between massive waves of immigrants escaping a war zone in Africa and Mexicans crossing the border in the US to find work. It has nothing to do with being xenophobic.

"Maybe its just Amsterdam but they stamped my passport both ways" That's the way it is everywhere in the Schengen zone, and that's been the arrangement since the agreement took effect. You get a stamp showing when and where you entered and a corresponding stamp when you leave.

"There is a huge difference between massive waves of immigrants escaping a war zone in Africa and Mexicans crossing the border in the US to find work." What is the difference?

There isn't a difference; that's why it's wrong to make generalizations. We Americans really have no room to call anyone else xenophobic.