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AIBU?

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AIBU to be deeply concerned about the recent influx of 30k+ undocumented arrivals in Spain?

736 replies

ChirpyUmberBiscuit · 31/07/2026 13:17

AIBU to feel really unsettled by the recent news coming out of Spain and Ceuta? Reports are showing that tens of thousands of undocumented migrants have crossed over in such a short window, completely overwhelming local infrastructure, reception centers, and security forces.

I know migration is always a sensitive and compassionate topic, but looking at these numbers practically, I don't see how any European border region can absorb 30,000 to 50,000 arrivals almost overnight without severe strain on public resources, local housing, and emergency services.

What worries me even more is the precedent it sets for the rest of Europe and the UK down the line. Surely there has to be a firm balance between humanitarian support and actual, enforceable border control?

Am I being completely unreasonable to view this as a serious policy and security crisis, or are others feeling equally concerned about where this leads?

Would love to hear honest thoughts on how this should actually be handled!

OP posts:
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randomchap · 01/08/2026 15:10

ShautyMels · 01/08/2026 15:05

Ok? And? That's a completely irrelevant to the question.

She commissioned a big review headed up by Lord David Wolfson KC. He'll know more than any of us.

Edited

Shouldn't she do the review first to see if it's possible before announcing the policy?

Seems amateurish

ShautyMels · 01/08/2026 15:05

nomas · 01/08/2026 14:44

And their leader is someone who lied about being offered a scholarship to Stanford.

I wouldn’t place my hopes on their collective legal brains.

Ok? And? That's a completely irrelevant to the question.

She commissioned a big review headed up by Lord David Wolfson KC. He'll know more than any of us.

BeanNaGealai · 01/08/2026 15:05

Violetdeparma · 01/08/2026 14:28

Who said it was simple ?

However we are unable to be flexible in accordance with what we as a country need and it's clear the ehcr is the one standing in our way

So in other words, as was done with Brexit, throw NI under the bus and try to tear up the GFA.

Puzzledandpissedoff · 01/08/2026 15:04

Batrat · 01/08/2026 12:43

As far as I’m concerned, these people are putting our children’s future at risk by supporting uncontrolled and undocumented immigration . I’ve yet to hear a coherent justification for it.

You're unlikely to hear any justification, because clearly there isn't one

And on the howls of "Who said it??" you're unlikely to hear anyone say "I support uncontrolled/undocumented migration" either, because it's couched in other terms such as:

"If you don't make other countries equal folk will come somewhere richer"
"You ignored climate change so now they'll have no choice but to leave"
"We colonised their countries and this is payback"
"I'm involved in supporting refugees" - which too often translates as advising irregular migrants which lies to tell and even providing scripts

Naturally they insist this is completely different from supporting a lack of control, but the instant that control's actually attempted they're all off again with cries about "inhumanity", "racism", "concentration camps" and all the rest

BeanNaGealai · 01/08/2026 15:03

ShautyMels · 01/08/2026 14:45

Do you not think experts in law have ideas and knowledge far above randoms on MN?

None of those experts seemed to be particularly vocal wrt the impact of a hard brexit on the GFA, so no, I wouldn’t have much faith in them

BeanNaGealai · 01/08/2026 15:02

Greenleavesandsunshine · 01/08/2026 14:21

The Danish government centre left in every way leading a tiny country of 6 million defends its culture and that’s right wing? Does that mean you don’t agree with it and you’re left wing.
If they are left wing in every conceivable way any policy that you perceive, in your country, as right wing - they must be a right wing government. Or are they a country looking to perpetuate its very successful culture?
It’s like people on the left who call the, very obviously, not on the right JK Rowling right wing because she doesn’t agree with them on one policy.
It’s divisive, simplistic and dangerous.

I did not say Denmark have a right wing government. I said they have a left wing government in terms of social and fiscal policies but that their policies wrt immigration are right wing. The left wing parties pivoted in terms of immigration to prevent the rise of right wing parties.

Personally, I believe labelling people/parties as left/right wing because of a single belief is ridiculously simplistic. Many of my leanings are mildly left wing, particularly in terms of fiscal and social policy. I have been labelled right wing due to my position on the trans issue. I believe women’s spaces should be protected but that trans people are perfectly entitled to live their lives as they wish so long as women’s rights are not trampled on.

I could also be labelled right wing in terms of immigration as I do believe in controls on immigration and a managed process. I also believe genuine refugees should be protected but economic migration should be managed in a sustainable way. I also believe there are concerns that need to be addressed in terms of the impact of migration on housing, education, health etc.

I used the term right wing in the way it is generally used these days wrt migration. The terminology was much easier in the past when left/right referred to economics rather than its current usage which emphasises cultural issues.

I also think that hysteria over any issue involving migrants helps nobody.

randomchap · 01/08/2026 14:56

ShautyMels · 01/08/2026 14:45

Do you not think experts in law have ideas and knowledge far above randoms on MN?

Why are you promoting a policy without understanding the drawbacks of it? Why aren't the Tories and Reform explaining how they will deal with the GFA with no EHCR? It's a very important question. It makes them look like they have no clue. And are just pushing populist bollocks

ShautyMels · 01/08/2026 14:45

randomchap · 01/08/2026 14:34

So you don't have a clue then. Thanks for clearing that up

Do you not think experts in law have ideas and knowledge far above randoms on MN?

nomas · 01/08/2026 14:44

ShautyMels · 01/08/2026 14:41

How? Do you deny there are people in the conservative party that are highly well read and intelligent and knowledgeable about complex pieces of law?

Sir Geoffrey Cox (former AG) is a King's counsel. He's a very intelligent man.

And their leader is someone who lied about being offered a scholarship to Stanford.

I wouldn’t place my hopes on their collective legal brains.

ShautyMels · 01/08/2026 14:41

nomas · 01/08/2026 14:31

Legal heavyweights in the conservative party

Bit of an oxymoron.

How? Do you deny there are people in the conservative party that are highly well read and intelligent and knowledgeable about complex pieces of law?

Sir Geoffrey Cox (former AG) is a King's counsel. He's a very intelligent man.

randomchap · 01/08/2026 14:34

ShautyMels · 01/08/2026 14:29

Legal heavyweights in the conservative party have ideas. They are probably more experience than us and have their ideas.

We definitely need to secure our borders and deport any non citizen we see fit.

So you don't have a clue then. Thanks for clearing that up

nomas · 01/08/2026 14:31

ShautyMels · 01/08/2026 14:29

Legal heavyweights in the conservative party have ideas. They are probably more experience than us and have their ideas.

We definitely need to secure our borders and deport any non citizen we see fit.

Legal heavyweights in the conservative party

Bit of an oxymoron.

ShautyMels · 01/08/2026 14:29

nomas · 01/08/2026 14:25

I’m talking about the number sexual assaults recorded by the police.

You’ve got yourself confused there.

Yeah and? Where is your 80k from. You ignore all the per capita data from here and from Europe. My danish data was clear as well.

ShautyMels · 01/08/2026 14:29

randomchap · 01/08/2026 14:19

So what's your plan for dealing with the Good Friday Agreement that relies on us having the ECHR?

Populist politicians are pushing the leave the ECHR position but aren't explaining how it will effect the country. Immigration is a very complex issue and any politician pushing a simple solution is bullshitting.

Legal heavyweights in the conservative party have ideas. They are probably more experience than us and have their ideas.

We definitely need to secure our borders and deport any non citizen we see fit.

Violetdeparma · 01/08/2026 14:28

randomchap · 01/08/2026 14:19

So what's your plan for dealing with the Good Friday Agreement that relies on us having the ECHR?

Populist politicians are pushing the leave the ECHR position but aren't explaining how it will effect the country. Immigration is a very complex issue and any politician pushing a simple solution is bullshitting.

Who said it was simple ?

However we are unable to be flexible in accordance with what we as a country need and it's clear the ehcr is the one standing in our way

nomas · 01/08/2026 14:25

ShautyMels · 01/08/2026 14:14

The pure data shows that only 4,458 people of all races and nationalities combined were even prosecuted for sexual offences in the entire country.

I’m talking about the number sexual assaults recorded by the police.

You’ve got yourself confused there.

Greenleavesandsunshine · 01/08/2026 14:21

BeanNaGealai · 01/08/2026 13:22

There are multiple shades of right in the same way there are multiple shades of left.

In Finland, all 4 parties in the coalition are at a minimum centrist (1 party who are pro immigration but who have had to swallow the anti immigration policies). Of the other 3, 2 are right wing and 1 is centre right.

in Denmark, the left parties have taken on right wing policies re immigration so they are a mix of left (fiscal, social) and right (immigration).

The Danish government centre left in every way leading a tiny country of 6 million defends its culture and that’s right wing? Does that mean you don’t agree with it and you’re left wing.
If they are left wing in every conceivable way any policy that you perceive, in your country, as right wing - they must be a right wing government. Or are they a country looking to perpetuate its very successful culture?
It’s like people on the left who call the, very obviously, not on the right JK Rowling right wing because she doesn’t agree with them on one policy.
It’s divisive, simplistic and dangerous.

randomchap · 01/08/2026 14:19

Violetdeparma · 01/08/2026 13:50

France is panicking now about their borders ,do you think they realise it's on mainland Africa as well ?

Anyway I hope we can leave the ehcr asap

So what's your plan for dealing with the Good Friday Agreement that relies on us having the ECHR?

Populist politicians are pushing the leave the ECHR position but aren't explaining how it will effect the country. Immigration is a very complex issue and any politician pushing a simple solution is bullshitting.

ShautyMels · 01/08/2026 14:18

Why is data from the UK and fellow European countries just ignored?

ShautyMels · 01/08/2026 14:14

You pulled 80k outta nowhere.

ShautyMels · 01/08/2026 14:14

nomas · 01/08/2026 13:34

Instead of a Chat GPT copy and paste, why don’t you actually look at the ONS website.

There were 210k sexual assaults last year. So not sure why you think my figure of 80k is too high? If anything, it’s low.

The pure data shows that only 4,458 people of all races and nationalities combined were even prosecuted for sexual offences in the entire country.

nomas · 01/08/2026 14:01

Batrat · 01/08/2026 13:58

You need to work on your googling a little bit, maybe start with the green party manifesto:

‘The Green Party wants to see a world without borders, until this happens the Green Party will implement a fair and humane system of managed immigration where people can move if they wish to do so.’

Maybe check out Zarahs video cheering on the reduction in white people in London and increase in immigrants.

Quite frankly, it’s quite odd you’re even attempting to claim this isn’t the result of left wing dogma. it’s as ridiculous as labelling 70% of the country racist and far right.

I think these people have done enormous damage to the future of my children and grandchildren and I’m going to vote at every opportunity to attempt to stop and maybe reverse it ..and hopefully see the people responsible punished, banished to live the rest of their life in a diverse street full of HMOs in Birmingham would do.

That quote says ‘managed immigration’ though. Which is the opposite of ‘uncontrolled immigration’.

My reading of that quote is that an ideal world may be one where we can all be nomads who can travel the world without borders, but that’s not the reality, so we need ‘managed immigration’.

Batrat · 01/08/2026 13:59

Violetdeparma · 01/08/2026 13:50

France is panicking now about their borders ,do you think they realise it's on mainland Africa as well ?

Anyway I hope we can leave the ehcr asap

Only left wing people truely understand geography, same as economics

Batrat · 01/08/2026 13:58

nomas · 01/08/2026 13:38

I’ve just googled it and can’t see an instance of any of those people calling for uncontrolled immigration.

I’d be interested to see a quote that shows they have, because I wouldn’t agree with that view.

You need to work on your googling a little bit, maybe start with the green party manifesto:

‘The Green Party wants to see a world without borders, until this happens the Green Party will implement a fair and humane system of managed immigration where people can move if they wish to do so.’

Maybe check out Zarahs video cheering on the reduction in white people in London and increase in immigrants.

Quite frankly, it’s quite odd you’re even attempting to claim this isn’t the result of left wing dogma. it’s as ridiculous as labelling 70% of the country racist and far right.

I think these people have done enormous damage to the future of my children and grandchildren and I’m going to vote at every opportunity to attempt to stop and maybe reverse it ..and hopefully see the people responsible punished, banished to live the rest of their life in a diverse street full of HMOs in Birmingham would do.

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