These are refugees on the run from war
No, these are migrants, many thanks of whom claim to be refugees on the run from war because that puts you at an advantage at gaining access to the desirable EU countries.
Not everyone who claims asylum is a genuine refugee. Which is why we don't rely on the "honour system" you mocked yourself.
People sent their children on that perilous journey because it was safer than what they were leaving behind.
Again, no. It is massively simplistic to presume that every migrant travelled for the same reason and faced the same risks.
The awful reality of the world is that life in some places in the world is so insecure abd awful that moving to wealthy countries with welfare states and universal benefits is worth the risk of that journey.
That does not mean everyone willing (and able) to make the journey qualifies as a refugee.
Most refugees are living in massive camps in the countries bordering the warzones. This puts massive pressure on those, often poor and unstable themselves, countries.
The small number that make it into the EU use people smugglers to get here.
Every time we reward someone for making that journey by granting them the chance to settle in the UK as a fast track refugee just because they made it to Calais, we are responsible for the next wave of people taking suicidal risks to get here.
Allowing grown men to get in claiming to be minors is immoral.
It corrupts the (already pretty corrupt) system, it privileges the strong over the weak, it creates more business for traffickers, it reduces publuc support for asylum in the countries that need to provide it.
It's weird how some people's hearts only bleed for things that are happening near them.
They don't mind making a global situation wprse as long as they get a warm glow from helping one person.