More immigrants crossing the Channel

Economic migrants (mostly men). Not fleeing anything. France is perfectly safe ... duh!

Can we all stop holidaying in France please? The French hate us, they want our fish and they won't stop the immigrants from leaving Calais. Why spend our hard earned money over there? Let's hit them where it hurts - in their pocket. Boycott France.

Not economic immigrants at all. You are very ill informed but then this us splitting down partisan lines. Conservatives, no understanding or sympathy, simply don’t want them here under any circumstances and those more socially aware are prepared to see them as people in dire straights,

End of.

As they are ILLEGAL immigrants they should be in prison. Or what about a redundant cruise ship? Hold them all on one. All care and attention whilst being processed.

Word would get around and these young men would Facebook each other and stop coming.

Have to get away from this. It’s toxic.

Stop clutching your pearls Furret when it suits.

Furret, Before I moved to my present location, I lived in a city area for ten years, where many refugees and asylum seekers were settled by the authorities. I never met a scrounger or a crook among the many I got to know. They were keen to work hard, and to contribute to Britain and their local community. They were often naively optimistic about British society, and were shocked to discover how much racism they encountered, and the bureaucratic barriers facing them. But they believed even with that, and the hoops they had to jump through, that life at the bottom of society here was better than starvation, rape, war, imprisonment and/or torture in their birth country.

I’m ashamed that so many of my fellow-citizens see ‘a problem’ or worse ‘a crisis’ instead of fellow human beings in desperation.

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Maybe our government should do something to make working under the radar more difficult? Oh no, that would mean employing more factory, health and safety inspectors, police officers etc, all those departments they’ve cut to the bone or handed out private contracts to their cronies who haven’t a clue,

Urmstongran, asylum seekers are legal: The Refugee Council website says ‘There is no such thing as an ‘illegal’ or ‘bogus’ asylum seeker. Under international law, anyone has the right to apply for asylum in any country that has signed the 1951 Convention and to remain there until the authorities have assessed their claim.’

mummyfeo

France does not want these migrants, they don't want to be in France. The French Navy has been seen guiding immigrant vessels into UK waters

Seen by Nigel Farage. This is the government's response:

The government also claimed the French Navy had been following international law, saying: "It would be illegal to intervene with the boat. Instead, the navy is committed by law to save lives at sea, and consequently shadows boats that are at risk."

So "shadowing" not "guiding".

I won’t boycott France it’s a great country, lovely food, wine, weather, better roads. Loads of Brits there.

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geekesse

*Urmstongran*, asylum seekers are legal: The Refugee Council website says ‘There is no such thing as an ‘illegal’ or ‘bogus’ asylum seeker. Under international law, anyone has the right to apply for asylum in any country that has signed the 1951 Convention and to remain there until the authorities have assessed their claim.’

To be fair, there are immigrants without permission to be in the UK, but most of them didn't come to the UK on a dinghy.

Some did manage to sneak in undetected, but most came on tourist or student visas, which have expired. The government does not keep records of people leaving the country, so it doesn't know whether tourists with temporary visas have left.

It's a separate issue.

A whole family often puts all they have into the pot so one of their members can make the monstrously dangerous journey. They often choose a young, fit male because a women or child or older person is more likely to die en route. Also, young men are at greater risk of imprisonment and torture, or conscription into a war in their own country. How many mothers here on GN wouldn’t be willing to help their son escape under those conditions?

‘Economic migrant’ is just a nasty way of saying ‘a person who is trying to escape starvation and disease’.

growstuff, you are absolutely right. There are many illegal immigrants who overstay visas etc. Asylum seekers are not illegal immigrants. Some are granted refugee status, which gives them a legal right to be in the U.K., and some do not get refugee status and are repatriated.

Urmstongran Legally, there is no such thing as an economic migrant. It's emotive language, used by the tabloid press.

The majority of prospective immigrants come from Eritrea. The reason they want to leave the country is because males in Eritrea are forced to do military service until they are in their 40s. They are sent away from their families. Most of them are single. Extended families pay for young men to leave the country.

Pritti Patel has appointed a former Royal Marine, Dan O’Mahoney, as clandestine Channel threat commander. O’Mahoney takes up the role having served since 2019 as director of the UK’s Joint Maritime Security Centre.

The Home Office said O’Mahoney would urgently explore tougher action in France, including stronger enforcement measures, interceptions at sea and the direct return of boats.

Incidentally, English is a commonly-used language in Eritrea, so most can speak it in addition to whatever language they speak at home.

Well if you’re not an asylum seeker what term should be used growstuff? Maybe just an illegal migrant.

If rules aren’t followed why bother having any restrictions and rules in the first place? Surely they are put in place for a reason?

English is the second language of choice for many. It’s spoken in Canada, the USA, Australia, New Zealand etc. It makes sense to learn it.

Dan O'Mahoney's appointment sounds like more grandstanding and hot air from Priti Patel. I wonder what stronger enforcement measures he's going to introduce.

A boat intercepted at sea in British waters can't be "turned round" under international law and can't be returned to France. It has to be accompanied into a British port.

Urmstongran

English is the second language of choice for many. It’s spoken in Canada, the USA, Australia, New Zealand etc. It makes sense to learn it.

How is that relevant?

The point is that they would prefer to come to the UK than another European country. I can't see them making it to the US, Australia or NZ on a dinghy!

The U.K. is so shambolically run that once a migrant is here, whether in the back of a lorry, on a small dinghy or just overstaying a visa, they know that they won’t be found or sent back, can work cash in hand and the likelihood of getting found out is zero.

It’s a problem for all Western countries, as the whole of the world seems to be on the move now, people escaping war zones, and others escaping poverty and some escaping political injustice.They are all moving for differing reasons, but the overwhelming majority are the ones trying to escape to make a better more affluent life.These will find it hard to prove that they are in need of ‘asylum’ and will be the ones who are sent back to their country of origin.Which, to the host country, is only fair.

Until 31 December 2020 the Brexit Transitional Period is still in place.

Which means that until then the migrants in Calais are a French responsibility and the UK has a legal right to return to France any who try and cross the channel and enter this country illegally.

For even if they're asylum seekers they should be making their claims in France.