LibDem's amnesty on illegal immigrants

webdude, if someone has been here ilegally for that long the govt probably dont konw anything about them - the chance of them being caught is slim. afaik if you have children and have integrated into the community, not commited crimes then you would have a good chance of staying anyway.
i suppose it would depend on what the penalty for not declaring yourself at the amnesty was.

To know that you would not be expelled at some point, perhaps, nancy75. After all, an amnesty is a "last chance" with penalties for anyone who doesn't apply for it.

If someone has built their life around being here, have children in school or awaiting higher education, or just feel happy to live here (and if not happy, one can question why they stay!) then hopefully, they understand it will be a legitimate way to continue to be here without risk of deportation (in spite of length of time living here) they'd surely consider it carefully.

and we coped fine without them for a long time before that as well!

This is quite an interesting idea by the lib dems, i know boris has also mentioned an amnesty in london. personally i think its a good idea to get as many people as possible paying tax - we need the money, but i do wonder how many people would actually come forward, after all if you had managed to avoid paying tax for the last 10+ years why would you want to start now?

in response to the poster who mentioned the analogy of having a burglar in your house and making sure they have enough to eat... well don't we do this with burglars in prison?!

(If burglars go to prison anymore, that is)

Good to see even The Guardian likes the Lib Dems, because of the erosion of civil liberties.

We've coped well enough for 50+ years without the need for ID cards, and I'd hope we could go another 50 without them being mandatory!

These are people you are talking about

Well yes I would prefer the ID cards be made compulsary as they are in Germany and Malta to name a couple.

I can see we are diametrically opposed if ID cards get your OK, StrictlyKatty. Out of interest, were you aware that the Labour party claimed there would be no "compulsory ID card" which makes the "no card, get out" plan fail.

Out of interest, who would pay for homeless people to have ID cards? If they would be issued free, why not for people with low incomes, too? Just something which had been bugging me, as someone who is required to buy a damn Passport to be able to get my Credit Reference Agency report, because I have no driving licence (don't drive) and was initially told by a pensions firm that they would not accept a change of address without photo ID. Too Big Brother for me already!

Of course, the problem started in the late 90s when the exit count was abandoned, as it meant there was no monitoring of who had exceeded their stay in the UK. Wonder which party did it?

Or.... we change the system now without rewarding a million plus criminals. Heaven forbid right.

Because there's no point having several amnesties. You have one and then change the system at the same time, as Ewe says.

This is why I want ID cards... if you haven't got a card you shouldn't be here. Easy way to find and deport them.

I prefer the option where the government makes a bit more effort to find them, and then deports them!

You can't deport them as you don't know where they are! That isn't one of the options we have here.

The options are to have an amnesty and bring them into tax/employment system.

Other option is keep them hiding, working illegally and contributing nothing to country.

I prefer first option followed by immigration reform.

HOW DO WE KNOW IT'S A ONE OFF?! How can we ever believe that it 20 years it won't be a 2 off????

And yes I would deport them. Anyone here illegally. No chance.

Onegar you are right. It's not a good start. Imo if you have a good case you have no need to be illegal which means the people are illegal would most likely be those we wouldn't want anyway!

It wouldn't be repeated. It's a ONE-OFF (wonders if Sophable has flat head from banging her head against wall over this yesterday).

So you'd deport them?

I can't believe anyone would seriously consider rewarding people for managing to evade the law for a decade! It's not a good thing, you shouldn't get a prize.

What message does it send? Anyone who thinks it would be a one off is really a fool. Once the numbers built up again it would be repeated... and then repeated.

It is without doubt, the single WORST policy I have ever heard.

As I see it, there are three options:

1. Have them stay on in the black economy

2. Give them an amnesty (I would actually make it sooner than 10 years if it were me)

3. Deport them.

so what would you do about them?

I would definitely like to put a stop to gangmaster/intimidation/blackmail problems. I don't like that kind of thing going on at all.

Having said that. It's a bit like making sure that the burglar who broke in and is still hiding in your cellar is getting enough to eat. They shouldn't be here and wouldn't be in that situation if they hadn't broken our laws to get here. Not a good start if they wanted to be members of our society.

oagar - One problem is that the counting of people leaving was scrapped (definitely not caused by the Lib Dems) some years ago, which means we have lost track of those (mainly Australian) people who have stayed on after they should.

Probably much less "bother" from authorities if (a) you are white and (b) speak English and (c) have a job. Getting into a job easier in some areas if you speak English, I'd expect, so some people can blend in more easily or be "lost in the crowd" in big cities.

As for "can we take them" crystal - it's not as if the idea would be to accept even more people but to take account of a portion of the people here already.

'Regularising' their status would bring money into the tax system, and break some of the gangmaster problems, as well as reducing blackmail or poor wages simply under threat of "you'll be reported to immigration".

(PS Nick Griffin was corrected on radio as their manifesto has a claim of UK being the most crowded in Europe was incorrect.)

An amnesty only makes sense if you really do put a stop to new illegal immigrants. If you just do the first part it makes matters worse.

People seem to just stroll in now after several claims that things have been tightened up. How about they tighten them up first and then discuss the amnesty.

I'm not even sure how I'd make immigration controls more effective if it were up to me. Maybe a policy that illegal means you go back no matter how good your case is? That your excuses won't even be listened to if you come in illegally. If you have the amnesty it could just give hope that there will be another and so encourage more illegals.

Anyone can suggesst an amnesty, but shouldn't the British people decide if we have one? Roll on.....referendums for the people!