Please or to access all these features

AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

So what can in practical terms fully halt illegal immigration?

662 replies

Wellwhatnowbellaboo · 09/05/2026 10:06

Reform has won by a landslide .... immigration is probably by the look of it the biggest issue. What can realistically without breaking laws be done to really halt this with a big impact ? What would Farage actually do ? Would and should we as a country break some laws to get this done and speak to what people really feel is an issue ? (Many countries do). This is not in labour's dna so I doubt anything will come if it now ... but if you've thought about it or you have solutions what are they ?
And if you are opposed- why and what's the answer ?

OP posts:
Thread gallery
16
summershere99 · 10/05/2026 18:49

Winter2020 · 09/05/2026 23:30

Population of
Syria: 26 million
Afganistan: 45 million
Sudan: 53 million

...and you think it is fine for them to all head on over? They are big numbers. You think it is understandable that people in these countries want to leave for a better life, and it might be, but we can't save the world.

As I said most of them aren’t coming here, they’re going to Lebanon, Uganda, Germany or Jordan. We can’t save the world, no, but we can help some of them.

Winter2020 · 10/05/2026 18:36

MandingoAteMyBaby · 10/05/2026 18:29

Crime is linked to poverty far more than it is to culture.

Different countries have different crime patterns. Were the people that swindled the biggest benefit fraud that Britain has ever had pushed into it by their poverty?

https://www.google.com/amp/s/www.birminghammail.co.uk/news/uk-news/dwp-laughed-at-benefit-cheats-29256250.amp

Culture impacts massively on crime patterns and there are countries where entire call centres/industries are functioning from romance fraud/ financial scams/ sextortion/ industrial level shoplifting /drugs etc. Plenty of people living in poverty don't do these things.

DWP 'laughed at' by benefit cheats who falsely claimed £54m in Universal Credit

The crime was uncovered by a Bulgarian detective who saw a small town transformed by the influx of falsely-claimed benefits cash as thousands of residents received £2,500 a month in Universal Credit

https://www.google.com/amp/s/www.birminghammail.co.uk/news/uk-news/dwp-laughed-at-benefit-cheats-29256250.amp

MandingoAteMyBaby · 10/05/2026 18:29

Winter2020 · 10/05/2026 18:25

No because men from some countries are much more likely to be involved in violent and sexual crime. The fact the government won't gather or share the data is proof enough of that. If the government could get data that showed men from Afganistan or Syria were less criminal than British men they would be waving it from the rooftops.
Why do you think they won't gather or share this data? Because it would be inflammatory to race relations. Why would it be inflammatory do you think?

You can find data from Sweden that gives some idea of the crime patterns of different ethnicities if you look. They started to have a problem with gangs bombing houses after a lot of immigration from Syria - it wasn't a coincidence!

One of these rapist men in the BBC news article was already on the hook for murder in Egypt. Hardly your average fella.

Crime is linked to poverty far more than it is to culture.

Winter2020 · 10/05/2026 18:25

MandingoAteMyBaby · 10/05/2026 18:16

You can point to anecdotal and tragic evidence all you want, the fact is that the vast majority of these crimes are committed by local men.

You might as well say that if all men were locked up Holly & Jessica would still be alive.

It’s emotive and manipulative to focus exclusively on migrant crime when the issue is far bigger than that. As I said earlier, they’re a convenient scapegoat allowing us to point exclusively at their crimes while ignoring the bigger issues.

No because men from some countries are much more likely to be involved in violent and sexual crime. The fact the government won't gather or share the data is proof enough of that. If the government could get data that showed men from Afganistan or Syria were less criminal than British men they would be waving it from the rooftops.
Why do you think they won't gather or share this data? Because it would be inflammatory to race relations. Why would it be inflammatory do you think?

You can find data from Sweden that gives some idea of the crime patterns of different ethnicities if you look. They started to have a problem with gangs bombing houses after a lot of immigration from Syria - it wasn't a coincidence!

One of these rapist men in the BBC news article was already on the hook for murder in Egypt. Hardly your average fella.

MandingoAteMyBaby · 10/05/2026 18:16

Winter2020 · 10/05/2026 18:13

Would Rhiannon Whyte be alive if we had a tough line on asylum seekers- yes she would! Would Wayne Broadhurst be alive if we had a tough line on asylum seekers - yes he would.

Would this anonymous woman have been raped that night if we had a tough line on asylum seekers - no she wouldn't. There was no need for any of those unsafe men to be in our country or moving freely about and the British people are bearing the consequences of that.

You can point to anecdotal and tragic evidence all you want, the fact is that the vast majority of these crimes are committed by local men.

You might as well say that if all men were locked up Holly & Jessica would still be alive.

It’s emotive and manipulative to focus exclusively on migrant crime when the issue is far bigger than that. As I said earlier, they’re a convenient scapegoat allowing us to point exclusively at their crimes while ignoring the bigger issues.

Winter2020 · 10/05/2026 18:13

MandingoAteMyBaby · 10/05/2026 18:07

Most attacks on women are carried out by the white British men they know. This is a male problem. In a population of asylum seekers which is mainly young men it’s bound to be slightly higher. But it doesn’t mean asylum seekers are “a problem”. It means men are a problem.

Would Rhiannon Whyte be alive if we had a tough line on asylum seekers- yes she would! Would Wayne Broadhurst be alive if we had a tough line on asylum seekers - yes he would.

Would this anonymous woman have been raped that night if we had a tough line on asylum seekers - no she wouldn't. There was no need for any of those unsafe men to be in our country or moving freely about and the British people are bearing the consequences of that.

ilovesleep6 · 10/05/2026 18:08

Allseeingallknowing · 10/05/2026 16:43

That was different, they weren’t an unknown quantity.

It would be cheaper and save the government money in hotels and HMOs

It would help migrants integrate into society, rather than grouping them all together with other migrant men in big hotels

It would give the ‘refugees welcome’ crew a chance to really welcome them and earn a bit of money

It would more evenly distribute migrants across the country, including in leafy affluent villages which currently are miles from any migrant hotel

Voluntary schemes would be available for all to come forward, with more money available in the areas who vote Green.

MandingoAteMyBaby · 10/05/2026 18:07

Cheesipuff · 10/05/2026 18:02

The average annual cost of housing and supporting an asylum seeker has risen by £24,000 per person in the past four years as the Home Office becomes increasingly reliant on more expensive hotel accommodation, according to a new report into asylum expenditure.
Analysts at the Institute for Public Policy Research (IPPR) have found that the bill for supporting each asylum seeker has risen from £17,000 on average in the financial year 2019/20, to approximately £41,000 in 2023/24. Both of these figures are adjusted to 2023/24 prices to eliminate the impacts of inflation.

And you think that isn't a problem for a skint nation, Mandingo?

https://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/home-news/migrant-asylum-seeker-home-office-housing-hotel-b2634213.html

Edited

You have to ask yourself why one of the richest nations in the world is “skint” in the first place.

Nothing to do with asylum seekers.

MandingoAteMyBaby · 10/05/2026 18:07

Winter2020 · 10/05/2026 18:05

They were a problem for Rhiannon Whyte. They were a problem for Wayne Broadhurst.
They were a problem for the woman raped by three of them on Brighton beach
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/cvg090pe65vo

I find your post offensive.

Edited

Most attacks on women are carried out by the white British men they know. This is a male problem. In a population of asylum seekers which is mainly young men it’s bound to be slightly higher. But it doesn’t mean asylum seekers are “a problem”. It means men are a problem.

Winter2020 · 10/05/2026 18:05

MandingoAteMyBaby · 10/05/2026 17:59

The fact is that asylum seekers are hardly a real problem at all. It’s just a convenient way to blame those least able to defend themselves for issues which have real causes that are too politically controversial to address.

They were a problem for Rhiannon Whyte. They were a problem for Wayne Broadhurst.
They were a problem for the woman raped by three of them on Brighton beach
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/cvg090pe65vo

I find your post offensive.

Three pictures of men's faces up close. They all have brown eyes.

Three men guilty of 'callous' Brighton beach rape

The men, who are all asylum seekers, had denied targeting the woman in the early hours of October 4.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/cvg090pe65vo

Cheesipuff · 10/05/2026 18:02

The average annual cost of housing and supporting an asylum seeker has risen by £24,000 per person in the past four years as the Home Office becomes increasingly reliant on more expensive hotel accommodation, according to a new report into asylum expenditure.
Analysts at the Institute for Public Policy Research (IPPR) have found that the bill for supporting each asylum seeker has risen from £17,000 on average in the financial year 2019/20, to approximately £41,000 in 2023/24. Both of these figures are adjusted to 2023/24 prices to eliminate the impacts of inflation.

And you think that isn't a problem for a skint nation, Mandingo?

https://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/home-news/migrant-asylum-seeker-home-office-housing-hotel-b2634213.html

Institute for Public Policy Research | The Independent

The latest breaking news, comment and features from The Independent.

https://www.independent.co.uk/topic/institute-for-public-policy-research

MandingoAteMyBaby · 10/05/2026 17:59

The fact is that asylum seekers are hardly a real problem at all. It’s just a convenient way to blame those least able to defend themselves for issues which have real causes that are too politically controversial to address.

Winter2020 · 10/05/2026 17:57

Allseeingallknowing · 10/05/2026 16:37

Can you imagine the problems this might cause?

Yes the same problems that unsafe men cause in the country I expect. So the people that want them here can be responsible for them.

Winter2020 · 10/05/2026 17:49

ElfAndSafetyBored · 10/05/2026 14:47

How do Australia do it? Do they not have to try so much because they are harder to reach?

Why doesn’t the world condemn them for not letting more people in?

Why isn’t there more discussion about why people want to come here and addressing that?

What do people think Reform can do about it?

Why can’t we employ more people to shift the back log. We find money for all sorts of crap f we want to.

Id like to see a cross party working group, including proper professions from relevant backgrounds and with proper knowledge (not CEOs who are really figureheads) sit down to discuss what to do for the best of everyone, ourselves and those who decide they need to migrate here.

But what is best for the people of Britain is not going to align with what is best for the people who want to migrate here. E.g. we want to deport someone who is a criminal while they want to stay because their child likes British chicken nuggets. The problem is the people in charge believe that the person should stay if their child likes a British chicken nugget.

https://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/home-news/klevis-disha-ehrc-chicken-nuggets-appeal-b2942605.html

Human rights boss defends chicken nugget deportation case ruling

The young boy’s aversion to eating ‘the type of chicken nuggets that are available abroad’ was listed in court documents

https://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/home-news/klevis-disha-ehrc-chicken-nuggets-appeal-b2942605.html

WilfredsPies · 10/05/2026 17:12

likelysuspect · 10/05/2026 16:41

We work very closely with the HO and immigration, I dont know why you're determined to claim something that isnt true. It does make it harder to get your claim processed, it makes it longer.

Because you don’t work for the HO or immigration. You don’t conduct those interviews and you don’t make decisions on their claims. And you are not privy to the reasons why some claims are decided quicker than others. I understand why you might think this is the case but, respectfully, you are mistaken.

Allseeingallknowing · 10/05/2026 16:43

ilovesleep6 · 10/05/2026 16:40

I’m not saying it would be mandatory, but voluntary. Lots of people signed up to take in Ukrainians.

That was different, they weren’t an unknown quantity.

likelysuspect · 10/05/2026 16:41

WilfredsPies · 10/05/2026 12:18

It’s not the difference at all. You may sit in on those interviews but you are very clearly not privy to what goes on behind the scenes. You have seen one thing and another thing, you’ve put them together and have drawn incorrect conclusions to why one person might have their claim decided very quickly and why another person’s claim might take longer.

We work very closely with the HO and immigration, I dont know why you're determined to claim something that isnt true. It does make it harder to get your claim processed, it makes it longer.

ilovesleep6 · 10/05/2026 16:40

Allseeingallknowing · 10/05/2026 16:37

Can you imagine the problems this might cause?

I’m not saying it would be mandatory, but voluntary. Lots of people signed up to take in Ukrainians.

Allseeingallknowing · 10/05/2026 16:37

ilovesleep6 · 10/05/2026 16:33

Maybe there could be something similar to the Ukraine scheme, when households were given some money to take refugees into their homes? Lots of people signed up for it.

That way they wouldn’t need to use hotels or find houses, they can utilise people’s spare rooms. The families taking them in can also help to integrate them into society. They did it for Ukrainians.

Can you imagine the problems this might cause?

Gcol · 10/05/2026 16:36

All these posters who suggest we need more people to clear the backlog.

Question. Do you want to do this? I certainly don’t.

It’s like people suggesting that more people should be working in retail. People are leaving retail and not looking at jobs in retail as they are fed up with the rude customers

ilovesleep6 · 10/05/2026 16:33

Wearenotborg · 10/05/2026 16:23

Those adults who say they welcome all refugees could take some into their homes and be responsible for housing, feeding and supporting. Sorted. They get to welcome refugees, the refugees get a home and support and minimal cost to taxpayers. Everybody wins. Unless of course those people saying all refugees welcome mean, “but not in my house”.

Maybe there could be something similar to the Ukraine scheme, when households were given some money to take refugees into their homes? Lots of people signed up for it.

That way they wouldn’t need to use hotels or find houses, they can utilise people’s spare rooms. The families taking them in can also help to integrate them into society. They did it for Ukrainians.

Wearenotborg · 10/05/2026 16:23

ElfAndSafetyBored · 10/05/2026 15:11

I just read the Reform policy on small boats and while I can see ‘No more free housing’ will attract voters, there’s no obvious plan behind that. What will they do with asylum seekers? Just leave them out in a back yard?

’No more benefits’ - fine but how will we clothe and feed them? Let them starve in the clothes they arrived in?

I know something needs to be done but Reform are not the answer.

There must be some adults somewhere who can figure this out with compassion.

Those adults who say they welcome all refugees could take some into their homes and be responsible for housing, feeding and supporting. Sorted. They get to welcome refugees, the refugees get a home and support and minimal cost to taxpayers. Everybody wins. Unless of course those people saying all refugees welcome mean, “but not in my house”.

WilfredsPies · 10/05/2026 16:22

Allisnotlost1 · 10/05/2026 15:53

The only person picking a fight here is you. It was a minor point that you’ve now quoted me on three times. I can understand why you chose to say 2018, but if you cite something that immediately contradicts you, you’re not going to persuade people who don’t know/agree. Hopefully you can calm down and understand why facts are important on a subject where many don’t grasp them. 2018 is not factual.

Do you use that tactic often? Using ‘calm down’ in the knowledge that 99% of the time, it will irritate whoever you’re talking to? I have tea, I have biscuits. I’m calm. If you think otherwise you’ve misinterpreted my tone. But that’s ok, I understand that tone isn’t always clear when it’s not verbal. But just to be very clear, you responded to me. Not the other way around. All I’ve done is reply to you.

I repeat, I’m not interested in bickering with you over your refusal to understand my justification for not mentioning the handful of arrivals prior to 2018. Yes, ‘some’ people arrived by boat prior to 2018. Happy now? But if you really need to feel like you’ve had the last word, then fine. Take it. Have it on me… And then take your minor point and have a lovely afternoon with it.

HobGobblynne · 10/05/2026 16:16

IAmBeaIDrinkTea · 10/05/2026 15:39

I read a post online saying "With luck we will wake up on Friday with Nigel Farage in number 10.'
Surely they were trolling?! That's just too depressing to think otherwise 😭😂

There’s someone INCREDIBLY vocal in my local fb group who has been posting non stop about the elections for months. Today he posted “the people have been scammed - only 16 seats were fought and Labour still have overall control despite reform winning 10 seats.”

how on earth can you be so vocal and so passionate about something you’ve completely failed to understand 😭

EasternStandard · 10/05/2026 16:00

Allisnotlost1 · 10/05/2026 15:53

The only person picking a fight here is you. It was a minor point that you’ve now quoted me on three times. I can understand why you chose to say 2018, but if you cite something that immediately contradicts you, you’re not going to persuade people who don’t know/agree. Hopefully you can calm down and understand why facts are important on a subject where many don’t grasp them. 2018 is not factual.

It doesn’t matter.