Is threatening illegal immigrants going to stop them coming?

[LadyGAgain]

Channel migrants face lifetime ban on returning to UK www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-64848101

I read this with horror. I know we are a tiny island with limited resources but this legislation seems callous and cruel. These people are risking their very existence getting on these small boats and to then be locked up and shipped off again to who knows where. Plus the cost to us as tax payers. AIBU to suggest that I don't have a solution but this one seems extreme.

I suggest you read the whole thread. This has been addressed several times.

I think they underestimate voter pressure. I put figures below - which are probably higher now as boat crossings have increased since. This will only increase as the world gets more volatile with climate change.

No. I find the blatant xenophobia being deployed by the UK government very upsetting.

And the fact that so many of the public share that xenophobia is equally upsetting 🙁

IClaudine - Oh give over.

Well that’s the million dollar question isn’t it? There are some weak excuses on here, have a read and imagine if you would leave your children in a war zone for the same ‘reasons’.

It’s quite embarrassing watching people try to defend it.

The fact is the men have been cowardly and value the lives of women and children less than their own.

I understand you find it difficult, I am sure you have valid reasons for feeling the way you do, but honestly the channel is deadly. People are going to die in their thousands if this racket is allowed to continue.

We need to recognise most British people ARE very welcoming but we can’t care for the people that are here already. It’s a gross violation of their rights. People say ‘just let them work’ but it’s not as simple as that. They don’t have deposits or references, bank accounts etc even if they could find a house to rent.
We need to settle the millions still waiting in bedsits.

What do you mean by that? That I should shut up about this?

DuncinToffee - Who said anything about the Brexit Arms? I was just observing the fact that there are some regular posters on the Brexit board who seem to have flocked over to this thread, so I thought you must be bored.

So you are on the side of the traffickers then?

It’s a good question. If you don’t want to prevent people smuggling then clearly you are supporting the trafficking and the terrible abuse that goes with it.

Rape, murder, robbery are common place.

I understand you find it difficult, I am sure you have valid reasons for feeling the way you do, but honestly the channel is deadly. People are going to die in their thousands if this racket is allowed to continue

So the answer is to demonise the people coming across?

This is an act of desperation by a failed government which is scrabbling around, trying to garner support via populist policy proposals that will never come to fruition.

It's the other way around.

Large numbers of voters have concerns

The political establishment, which is generally in favour of increasing immigration, is scrabbling for ways to appear to be "doing something about it" without acting to change things.

Opportunists from both ends of the political spectrum are seeking to exploit the situation by either sowing xenophobia to get panicked people supporting them, or suggesting all concerned people are xenophobes, again to get panicked people supporting

Any way to try and stop smugglers is going to feel tough.

So it’s down to should they be stopped or not. If yes then it’s going to be something like this or Aus.

Why not provide safe routes as the UK used to do?

How do you think Ukrainian, Afghans etc got here for heavens sake???

Yes, that's a good idea.

It’s not demonising, it is protecting their lives.

It will, just give Boris long enough to Get Brexit Done.

The UK has already said yes to up to 2.9million people moving here from HK.

By some people, do you mean Rishi Sunak and his government?

Apparently Sweden and Italy are going to copy us and have far right governments.

@Moonicorn have we established yet why those fleeing the war in Ukraine can start their application in other countries and travel by plane to the UK, whereas those fleeing the war in Syria, Afganistan or Ethiopia can not?

We don’t have a far right government thank goodness. We don’t even have a viable far right party.

So much wrong with this post. The problem is the backlog of refugees here who cannot work and are kept in limbo. What we need is better systems, a relentless focus on the criminal gangs and a reinstatement of the reciprocal returns arrangements we had pre Brexit. This empty rhetoric from the government will do nothing, it's all been said before. It's just to appease the rabid Right wing press.