Illegal immigration - what to do?

I'm assuming that quietmajority's post is an extreme proposal to incite debate. Well, I'm not joining.

#floggingadeadhorse

I don't think our cruising grans would approve of mining the Med!

A bit extreme I would have thought!

That is a dreadful post quietmajority. Absolutely ridiculous!

soutra love your response.

where on earth did 'quietmajority' suddenly come from? I am hesitating to report the post - perhaps it is best to ignore totally.

In fact, haveing re-read it- I have reported it. Suggesting that blowing up or shooting on sight is the solution, is really inciting hatred, and murder- and goes way beyond the acceptable for a public forum. Hope others do to.

It's his view (yes, I think a man). Nothing against forum rules. I don't think.

I think the majority of these men are fleeing from violent regimes. They probably just want to work and live a decent life. But how can Europe accommodate the whole population of Africa?

I cannot see a realistic answer. Apart from the one that would probably cause the destruction of the whole world.

Well yes, I don't think Forum rules anticipating members suggesting murdering vast numbers without trial would happen here.

Must be a man - women tend not to advocate machine-gunning economic migrants.

I'd leave the post up - so it can be scorned at

It would cost too much and spoil the areas of natural beauty but on the plus side in fifty years time the watch towers would become desirable residences and be on property tv shows.
I don't know if the population shift during WWII is comparable to this population shift from Africa but it seems to have settled down somewhat( Jewish people to Israel,Berlin wall down) we've muddled through.

What if the next disaster is in silentmajority's area and he has to get out and go elsewhere? Will he take his weaponry with him and blast his way in?

Sorry, substitute quiet for silent, though I don't hear him as all that quiet (even less as silent)

Ignore it. It's just meant as a provocation.

True.

The OP asked about:
1) sending illegals back to where they came from* Not an option - they fled from there. Also it is NOT illegal to seek asylum*
2) ringfencing national borders with steel* Come on - logistically impossible*
3) denying illegals i.e. refugees access to all but the minimum help necessary to maintain health and safety.* That's pretty much all that many of us get, but to really keep them in need is against human rights*
4) denying illegals i.e. refugees access to benefits* Civilised countries don't let people starve*
5) setting up secure and humane holding areas where illegals can be detained. Detained for how long? and IF these places ARE humane: the Australian offshore processing proves they often are not
6) carrying out continuous and robust internal identity checks * what - make us ALL suspect?*
7) actively liaising and working with other countries facing similar problems*This is happening*
8) encouraging the illegal's i.e. refugee's countries of origin to get their act together so as to discourage emigration (very difficult, that one)* Yes - virtually impossible, at least in the short term*
And finally
9)making it obligatory for everybody to carry proper ID*Sounds reasonable but too Stasi-like for most of us*

Something has to happen as the problem is reaching critical mass. Politicians know they lose votes by helping refugees. They think they'll get more votes by lying about them, calling them illegal, and treating them like sub-humans. Perhaps it is time for politicians to lead not follow. Time to find a safe haven, where they can be helped to integrate, taught the language and customs of the country giving them refuge, and their skills evaluated and respected.

Who knows - perhaps the results of humane treatment will cost less politically than is commonly believed.

Certainly Australia did not suffer when they let the boat people come, after the fall on Saigon in the mid 1970s. My DiL is the offspring of such a family, and is a brilliant, beautiful, kind, loving Chinese/Australian, who is a hospital scientist.

Sorry - I tried to highlight my comments, to separate them from the original, but it didn't usually work.

So we just let absolutely everyone that want to move here for whatever reason and happily pay for them and obediently queue behind them at the Drs, the job centre and put up with a massive reduction in available housing? It can't realistically be done. America has its green card scheme, you need working visas for Oz and we have our own rules for immigrants. I bet those people trapped at Calais were all told how wonderful and easy it would be. I wonder if they contact their families back home and tell them how they've been duped by people smugglers

Screening of some kind - yes.
Greeting them all with a round of gunfire and letting in no-one - no.

I don't think anyone is saying any such thing Jane10 but that mining the coast and installing machine guns is not the solution!

Just an observation: by an accident of birth most of us on this board were born in a civilized, calm and functioning country - some people are not so lucky.

I truly hope that the UK is not hit by some terrible natural disaster e.g. earthquake and my sons and grandchildren are not forced to scramble for shelter somewhere in the world - and if that did happen I'd be desperate to know that they are not treated as savages and vermin and left to rot at the dockside.

The mothers and grandmothers of those young men who cling onto lorries and hide in the landing gear of planes must be worried sick.,

I never saw the objectionable posting which apparently mentioned machine gunning etc. It was rightly removed. My point is that what are we supposed to do? Welcome all comers and sink under the social and financial implications? We can't! Traffickers must be prevented from their evil conscience free trade and the countries people are trying to leave should be encouraged to develop in such a way that their residents don't want to leave. Almost impossible! What exactly do you suggest?

Excellent post Riverwalk. About mothers and grandmothers of those young men- if you do get a chance to see the French film 'welcome' it is amazingly moving- and makes you realise that these young men are just that, the sons of mothers and grandmothers somewhere- just like ours.

I have no idea what the answer is. It's clear that Europe, especially the 2 favourite 'target' countries, the UK and Switzerland- just cannot absorb all the misery and suffering of the world. Switzerland btw has a much higher % of immigrants than the uk- and it is a tiny country- with a large part taken up my inhabitable places, mountains and lakes.

But suggesting all migrants should be blown up and shot on sight is just pure racist fashism and should not be allowed on a public forum- I've re-read the forum rules, and it clearly is racist.

We tend to forget as well how many of us come from economic migrant parents, grand and grand-grand parents- be it from Ireland or Italy, etc. And vast numbers of our relatives over generations have been economic migrants to elsewhere in the past. In the 30s- my father's 2 older sisters and 2 older brothers, with about 20 youngster from our small Swiss village were given 100£, and a one-way ticket to Le Havre and a second class ticket to New York- as the family couldn't feed them. My OH's parents came to UK to escape Apartheid, but also to find better work, education and prospects. They did require help at first- but all have done amazingly well and paid back to the UK 10000s of times via their work and taxes, etc.

What do you think of this?

email.change.org/mpss/c/ygA/3CE/t.1o5/77DZxmIOT2qTWI-4pF-gGQ/h3/KLcqj6mm2DNwtPZFTP391kz8XlAzuP-2FhFrHwxEd2ZWcsERWR9NQTn9M14VhvF4kho-2BHwTSntoAwJ7fU-2B-2F-2F9OMOZS00ZAvOF3ufLV-2BnFabkntKcI5ZZiMuYMMw7Hmo8MStnDbUTZOQk1XJby-2Fv7R-2FBan4gksI2LGENSCRu5mSn5KZVLeKhiZlwcr-2Fr-2BkpbSNi9QsRhgobCy9gmW3jzvWq199jc9o4hfJjj5g2cxmtQVshWB-2FCMA64pJSR-2F5lGzQSegJ3p8YZmNzDIsUCRayqbpAS1ef8XC0Oo2p-2BuDaqJ99g-3D

The woman concerned is going to be sent to Syria from Yarls Wood detention centre.
I hope some of you sign it.

Actually to Saudi Arabia, but her husband is Syrian.
Please read, those of you who think people should be sent back home, and pass on on facebook.
She could be sent back tomorrow, so it's urgent.