What's your thoughts on asylum seekers?

[Lynds778]

I'm all for offering asylum to those genuinely in need but I've seen a lot of negative media recently around 'fake' asylum seekers; people pretending to be from war-torn countries etc to gain entry to the country. Also videos of men giving advice for future asylum seekers on where to say you're from so that you can get in.

Also seen a lot of uproar from local communities about asylum seekers behaving anti-socially, most recently hanging around outside a primary school in Deanshanger and it's got me worried.
I'm also wondering why the large majority of asylum seekers are men and there are less women and children?

So, what's your opinion?

Also, this isn't a racist post. I would have the exact same concerns if these were white asylum seekers from Germany for example. The worry is the system is being abused by some and that we are a bit too lax when it comes to documentation and monitoring of asylum seekers.

www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-14058597/Fake-asylum-seekers-conning-way-Britain-telling-Home-Office-war-torn-Eritrea-bragging-thousands-followers-TikTok.html

www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-14185169/amp/Four-asylum-seekers-costing-taxpayer-estimated-160-000-year-living-575-000-luxury-home-accused-faking-Afghan-nationalities-UK.html

Try providing sources that aren’t a notoriously racist, xenophobic tabloid rag?

Your source says all I need to know

I come from somewhere with a lot of asylum seekers. I haven't heard of any trouble with them. Antisocial behaviour is caused by locals.

It's lovely that you want to learn more, OP. Here is a source that addresses some of the myths you've touched on. You will likely find it helpful.
https://www.refugeecouncil.org.uk/information/refugee-asylum-facts/the-truth-about-asylum/

Please stop reading the Daily Mail!

Do you get all of your news from the Daily Mail op? Or maybe switch between that, the Sun and the Express?

I just don't understand why other wealthy countries like Dubai, Saudi Arabia etc dont take more in.

I have a problem with tarnishing an entire group of people with negative characteristics under one label.

let's face it - with the world as it is going, we are all more likely to become asylum seekers at some point. So think about how you'd like to be treated when you wear the label.

You could also get some useful information about the issues driving people to seek asylum by doing some reading on the Human Rights Watch or Am Etsy International websites.

Well said@Flibberdigibbit .

Maybe if we could offer a legitimate way to acess asylum in this country, people wouldn't have to chance it. They wouldn't have to travel half way round the globe and risk being robbed, abused and killed.

Maybe then, the press would stop scaremongering the general public...

You don't understand that....really!?

I can, and will, only speak of personal experience. They housed some in my small town, and they started plying the teen girls at the park with alcohol. This caused uproar and they got moved.

Not all are genuine, and frustratingly, these ones are making it more difficult for genuine ones, which annoys me immensely.

However, Daily Mail is the scum of the earth, and put in place to wind up people/divide so ignore them like plague generally.

Yeah ok I understand the reasons for seeking asylum and that the large majority are genuine. I'm questioning the current process we have which is clearly being abused by some (not all). Is the daily mail not a genuine source, is what they post not real?

I used have Afghan neighbours that came here as asylum seekers. Their six year old son had a large dent in his skull and brain damage where the taliban had attempted to murder him with a hammer to the head.

I'm very greatful to be born a British citizen and know that I'll never have to suffer such brutality as that family did.

My view is that I have no right to judge something I know nothing about

I enjoyed reading about the "30 year old" with a beard in the Y11 maths class a few years ago.

Like everything, people will try it on to improve their situation. Can't blame them for that but Government need to get their act together and not be such a soft touch.

There but for the grace of god/luck/fate go I.

Obviously there needs to be a mechanism to remove those who cause problems and commit crime, but in general the world needs to accept that people will seek asylum.

And as to why it's mainly men - if your family needed to make a dangerous, difficult journey, who would you send first? You with your children, or your husband?

The Daily Mail has had the most complaints about it upheld by the Independent Press Commission of all the newspapers. So yes, it's fair to say it often prints deliberately inflammatory or misleading shite.

As for "current process"- there is no current legal process for most asylum seekers to get to the UK. That's why they're forced to go to people smugglers.

I agree with you OP.

And I notice that none of the posters complaining about the newspaper sources have anything to say about your actual points - e.g. why is it all men (unlike say with Ukraine where it's the women and children fleeing).

It's just deflection you're going to get back because noone can deny your actual points.

The UK has created a lot of these asylum seekers by meddling in other countries.

We take in lots of asylum seekers through various schemes such as Afghanistan, Ukraine and Hong Kong.

I think your issue is people arriving by boat. Some of these immigrants are economic migrants, we had a lot of Albanians at first but they don't come anymore as we returned them.

The majority of those coming here by boat are from countries like Iran and Afghanistan. The journey across Europe to get here is long and fraught with danger especially for women. There are lots of predators along the way.

The idea is to establish themselves here and bring their family over. The majority are successful in their claims and receive refugee status.

I haven't seen much in the press about asylum seekers behaving badly. I have seen pictures in The Daily Heil of brown men talking and walking.

It's a shame some don't want to help others.

My in-laws were asylum seekers in the 70s. They were given opportunities and as a result have had good lives - they got decent jobs, bought a house, eventually paid off their mortgage. Because they were able to get jobs so quickly, they were not on benefits and have instead been paying tax in this country for 50 years.

Asylum seekers need to be offered help, not hate or prejudice. However, any country taking in too many at a time will make it impossible to help them so I'm not really sure what the answer is, apart from recognising the importance of helping them find work (to become tax payers and active members of society) as quickly as possible.

It's all men because it's easier for a man to travel by himself than it is for / with women and children. They get criticism if they put their kids on the boats and get criticism if the men come alone. Be thankful it's not a choice we need to make