Illegal immigration - what to do?

Anya As I see it, we can't look after our own youth and haven't been able to for some years. There are no skills programmes for apprentices for one thing. We can't even look after ourselves from cradle to grave anymore. Each time I go to Tesco, I put something in the Food Bank box. Why does this rich, affluent country have such poverty levels? No wonder so many indigenous are moving to other countries to live, apart from better health care. Funny really. All those fighting to get here against those choosing to leave. Not sure of the law in this country - but do we intermarry within the same family as is expected by other cultures. (Silly me. Just read back what I had typed. The monarch and her consort are blood relatives - aren't they?) I did say I was having a senior moment when I wandered off topic re the Ghurkas - different religion even.

These illegals have no right to asylum in Britain,as they have all passed through other EU countries.
Perhaps Australia has the best solution?

It is desperately sad that so many people are fleeing from terrible conditions. Gaddafi was terrible but the situation was contained. He once said he could turn Europe Black. This is what is happening. These poor people need help. Their countries are in a terrible mess and there is hardship everywhere. The people traffickers are wicked

Italy is having a terrible time trying to cope and daily fishing people out of the water and then all the issues about the people when they are in times of austerity themselves. Time and time again I read in Italian forums how individuals remind each other of the terrible times Italians have had themselves as immigrants in poverty in other countries, and as a result there is a lot of charitable stuff going on. Maybe on of the issues for us on this crowded little island is that we are not a nation in exodus fleeing from poverty or oppression

Please don't lecture me on concentration camps, grannyonce, my point was merely to recommend scrupulous accuracy regarding the Konzentratonslager of Nazi Germany. It is too easy to use emotive language, categorising all camps as extermination camps, in a "Nazis bad, British good" oversimplification.
My knowledge of what went on in the Boer Wars comes from a study of history, and my reference was indeed from a history of South Africa. We have all heard of the infamous death camps you refer to, but there were hundreds of all sizes all over Germany and its conquered territories, some of which I have visited. The Nazis may have taken the system to new iniquitous depths, but did not invent it nor were they unique in the practice -look at the Gulag camps of Russia from the 1920s to the 60's. Or maybe also Guantanamo Bay.
My point? That man's inhumanity to man can be found among all races and religions. It is only when we start treating people with humanity that we can hope to accomplish anything. Calling them "illegals" is not going to be the place to start.

Why is it always France and the UK that 'need' to deal with them.... as Igranma says, they have passed through other EU countries, they get through them somehow, they are not 'teleported' to Calais, they don't suddenly appear from thin air !

If you read the thread on the Italian island, you will see that some are given a six month travel pass to anywhere in Europe.
This thread is about illegal immigrants, not asylum seekers or refugees.
Illegal immigrants usually want to be in England because they have family here, or have been told it's a better place to live.
Asylum seekers and refugees are supposed to declare themselves at their first port of call, but often do not, particularly if they want to get away from traffickers.

what is the difference between calling them 'illegals' or 'immigrants', the name doesn't make a difference. Im totally confused about this subject anyway so I read with interest all the comments.

There are legal and illegal immigrants, ethel. Of course it makes a difference.

soutra
I was not lecturing you and since when do you have the monopoly of knowing all about 'camps'
I was quoting the BBC history website and a dictionary definition.
I too know about history.
I do like facts to be accurate which is why I check if at all possible.
I did not like the bracketing of camps for 'illegal immigrants' with the 'death camps' which we all know about in Nazi Germany during WW2 which were set up with the express intention of exterminating millions of Jews and other ethnic groups.
clear enough?

durhamjen, language is also part of the issue. Most youngsters speak English these days- and few Italian for instance, and French is limited to old French colonies.

You're right, granjura. i think that was said earlier or on a similar thread.

I wonder if those from Spanish speaking countries go to Spain?
Haven't noticed anything about Spanish immigrants or refugees, but I suppose there must be some.

I once posted some time ago that in the mid-70s I worked in a private hotel. All restaurant waiters were Italian. One of them told me he had been here since 1950-ish and boasted that he never paid any tax. (I was paying 33% under the Labour gov.) He boasted about his very nice detached house in an affluent part of the area. His wife didn't have to work either. He came to this country because of the oppression in his. What the Italian maitre'd used to do and say is another story. They both said this was a land of opportunity. My DS recently went to Sicily where DIL had relatives by marriage. They thought it funny that the locals were running their electricity from the grid system into their houses so they didn't have to pay anything. (Wonder if there are any Italian leckies here!). Same in Spain, France and Greece. Of course we are a land of opportunity - an untapped source of electricity from the national grid perhaps. Actually, I saw this happening on a building site in Cyprus last year, too. And these are Europeans with their culture and similar religions. We are a moderate, tolerant country - but ... only so far and no further. Also heard on Sky News the other day that even though Germany and France are much, much larger countries, we have to take the same number of immigrants as they do - all being equal partners, etc.

Did anyone else see the news footage of the boat people the other week. It was full of young males. Those at the front getting on the rescue ship were fist hitting in the head and face of those behind them. The hate and anger on the faces of the beaters was shocking to see.

Soutra good post esp last para.

Nannygoat12345 They largely come to the UK because we speak English. Almost every other country in the world speaks English as their second language, (often far better than most Brits can speak any second language that they ever learnt), therefore it's easiest to get by here. That is quite understandable.
English is now used in almost all international dealings. At one time in Europe it used to French. Hence "lingua franca"

Thank you petallus, I wish I had a solution, but if I did I would probably be Secretary -General of the United Nations !

The majority of Africans, such as Somalis and Sudanese, who feel that they can longer live in their native countries – and who can blame them – have settled in other African countries. They are not heading to the rich pastures of Europe.

There are a lot of Somali/Sudanese immigrants in certain areas of the UK.

Just look at Leicester communities for a starter.

durhamjen, my apologies, I wasn't thinking properly last night. I do know the difference between illegals and immigrants.
I do think that the rumours about sending the immigrants who work in the nhs, back to where they come from, is worrying. In my recent stay in hospital there were almost 50/50, british and foreign workers. The nhs would be in trouble if they all went back.

Thanks, ethel.

absent, the small former cotton town I live in, like other similar towns in this area has been designated an umbrella town for African asylum seekers. We have an increasing African population from Somalia, Sundan, Angola, Congo etc. They seem to be settling in well, children mixing well with the others at local schools. There aren't many jobs though….

Iam64 Of course some African asylum seekers have sort refuge in Britain. Nevertheless, the majority of displaced people from African countries have gone to other African countries.

absent -I wasn't suggesting African families who have been given asylum are illegal immigrants. We do have a growing population of African people who are here illegally though - I don't have figures but my work experience was that 5 of the 5 families I worked with a couple of years ago were from Africa and here under the radar. I entirely understand why they'd rather be here than in their country of origin. I'm in the confused corner about the OP, what to do about illegal immigrants. Given the conflict in Africa and the Middle East it's not a problem that will go away over night but it is a problem, no matter how much we wish it wasn't.

Perfectly loud and clear thank you , grannyonce
<Whispers especially , "loud">