Immigrants but legal ones?

[Tiktakmam]

I’ve been living in the UK for 16 years, have two children, and work full-time. I consider myself integrated, living according to British values, and respecting this country. I look after myself and my home, and I try to contribute positively to the community.

Yet, many of us — especially from Eastern Europe — don’t feel entirely safe with the ongoing issues around illegal migrant boats. Even though we are legal residents, I’ve noticed growing dissatisfaction from some neighbours. When I mention that I’m from Eastern Europe, I often hear comments like, “Of course you are…” — basically implying I’m not British.

This makes me feel like I’ve somehow “brought these boats” here, as if I’m just another part of the immigrant problem. Seeing flags and attitudes that suggest “immigrants go home” is disheartening.

I also feel somewhat less confident around British people, especially in areas with mostly locals and fewer immigrants. For example, when I travel to campsites or smaller towns, I sometimes feel looked at as untrustworthy. Luckily, in London I feel much less like this.

Post-Brexit, it feels like the country has changed in ways that make life less secure, not just for immigrants but for everyone. It’s heartbreaking that all migrants, legal or not, are often dropped into one pot and judged as a single group.

I keep wondering — after so many years of people from other countries contributing to making the UK a brighter, more vibrant place, why does it feel like the country has been going downhill over time?

I feel so heartbroken, because I understand that the UK will never truly be my home, as I was not born here. Yet it hurts to realize that, with every passing year, it feels more and more like I will never be fully welcome.

Why has it gone so wrong on a broader scale? How can we have a healthier, safer society for everyone, while respecting the law and supporting integration?

I hope we can have a conversation about this that goes beyond fear and politics, and focuses on community, fairness, and safety for all residents.
Im just curious, in this era of migrant boats and heightened tension around immigration, how do you perceive or feel about other immigrants, even those who are legal residents? Does this climate affect the way you interact with them or how you feel about other immigrants, especially in less multicultural towns? What does your family of friends say?

I'm so sorry you feel like this. I am British, born to British parents, and I hate what is happening here as do many, many people like me. I think it is a small but vocal minority who behave in this disgusting way.

I feel the same as you. I've been here 28 years and if you spoke to me, you wouldn't know I'm not British. The Brexit referendum brought out all the xenophobia that was there all along, I'm afraid. My DC were told to fuck off back to where they were born at school the day after the referendum (that would be Cambridge, which my youngest told them). The British have always been an insular nation, suspicious of foreigners. And certain political actors, aided by a right wing media, have whipped that up very effectively.

I think it’s a common feeling.

I know many. British black and brown people are worried and feeling targetted by these movements.

Remember the Brexit vote was about EE going home, it’s just shifted to asylum seekers now and much more vocalised in general.

The language is coded and used interchangeably as dog whistles - to some basically anyone who isn’t white British are seen as invaders.

I'm sorry you feel this way, OP. Just wanted to say that these people don't speak for all of us. I am deeply saddened - and fearful - of what seems to be happening in this country right now.

My parents came to the UK when they were children and I was born here and feel British (I have olive skin and do nt look white), but I do not feel welcome here either anymore, although I've not yet directly experienced any racism since I was a teenager, due to all the stuff in the media at the moment. It's very sad. I worry for my child too.

I get what you're saying, but it's not just Britain that is like this. Scratch the surface and all countries are xenophobic and think that their native born citizens are superior to others and have additional rights that others do not. I've lived in three other countries and in all of them I was always seen as a foreigner. In one western European country, when trying to open a bank account, something I was legally allowed to do, I was told that I couldn't because I was 'an unknown person', despite having all the correct documentation and the right to live, work, etc in that country. It was because I wasn't from that country, pure and simple and the bank teller wasn't afraid to be xenophobic to my face about it. In Scotland, I had 'fucking English' said to me in a very vicious tone of voice at a bus stop, and England and Scotland are part of the same nation!

Why haven’t you applied for citizenship?

Because some countries won't allow dual citizenship. Mine is one of those. And frankly, given the way the UK public are behaving, I want to hang on to that beautiful burgundy passport so that if necessary, I can sell up and get the hell out of here. Which will be a shame for the UK as they will miss my tax contributions, but such is life.

I'm so sorry for any who feel this way, it is shameful 😞

Most countries are like this, especially UK and Europe, who openly hate those who aren’t originally from that country eg Scotland and most of Europe hate England and there’s lots of xenophobia. I’m mixed race and British born and I’ve experienced racism from people from different countries.

My home country doesn’t support dual nationality, so I would lose my original citizenship by birth. Even if I had British citizenship, my accent would still give me away. And even if I said I had a British passport, the next question would always be: “Where are you from originally?”

I’m not even sure this question is really relevant, though.
Does it matter what my passport states?

Do you think that would make a difference to a random racist in the street? She’s hardly going to whip her British passport out to prove she is truly British is she?

And given plenty of 3rd gen black and Asian immigrants are also being told to “fuck off home”, I don’t think it actually matters what passport she has.

You are most welcome here and this nation would be utterly broken financially without all the legal migrants who have made it grow and contributed. You have just as much of a legal right to be here then these people. We need to move to a contribution based system - that will shut all these losers up. Most of them simply don’t like the competition that overseas talent brings and simply cannot work out that our system only functions (just about) because of it.

Can I ask why you came here op?
If it was because you have a skill the country needs (doctor) then isn’t it sad that you have taken those skills it from your home country.
If it was for a better standard of living that implies the UK is giving you something,so you are taking from the UK.
Im not saying that now you don’t fully contribute, but there was a chance you might not. Does the country have the resources to offer that chance to unlimited amounts of people?

There's always been a deep strain of xenophobicness in British culture, English culture anyway, I realised that in early 90s. Whipped up now by QAnon type conspiracies that have spread widely and have a development process similar to how viruses swap new genes in and out, different parts of the conspiracy (story) theory get swapped in and out until the conspiracy (story) is especially contagious and makes people especially agitated.

"Protect the Children!" was being shouted by rt wing protesters at Gaza-related protests at our city hall the other day.

How does law define an "illegal" immigrant now? If everyone crossing on small boats or back of a lorry claims asylum... do they only reach "illegal" status in law when they are still resisting deportation after exhausted all appeals?

Am pretty sure the people using "illegal immigrant" language view every single small boat or other "irregular" arrival as "illegal", isn't that what Farage said, they are all "illegal" but those are personal opinions not opinions with legal status. Then there must be some indigenous-born people who view all migrants as 2nd class. I imagine a hierarchy like...

illegal(?) < asylum seeker < legal immigrant < nonwhite citizen < white citizen

You are so right. I’m Eastern European myself although I never refer to myself as that as I come from an actual country in EE and it’s not one homogenous group of Eastern Europeans. And one of the reasons I’ve left my country was the xenophobia I experienced there. And it’s not improved in the past 20 years.
Ironically, I feel safer in my home country than some parts of England I go to. I have never experienced any negative comments though, but that might have been just luck.

Sadly, lots of countries are moving in this direction. The rise of right wing nationalism is not just a UK problem.

I’m British.

after Brexit (which I did not vote for) I went back through my family tree to try to see if in any way I was eligible for an EU passport. I wasn’t. My family have been east Anglian peasants for centuries.

i understand that the current anti migrant sentiment is not just a British phenomenon. It’s also in America, and in European countries as well.

people see that state services are creaking and that it’s hard to get jobs and it’s easy to blame migrants. It’s well known it’s hard to get GP appointments, and in my small town it’s because lots of new houses have been built and many of the people who live in them are not locals.

and by local I mean from the county that I live in.

hell, they don’t count me as local and I come from the next county along.

rural Britain has always been suspicious of incomers and that includes anyone who hasn’t lived in the village or town for the last seventy years.

She didn’t say that she hasn’t.

But if she has EU settled status there aren’t that many advantages to getting citizenship, so it’s a reasonable decision to avoid the (very large) costs of applying.

I am similar to OP and have spent most of my adult working life in the UK.
However, I am fully integrated into UK society- DH is as British as they come!

I don't feel ostracised or uncomfortable because I am an legal economic migrant. That could be because of my skin colour or the fact that I am fluent in English.
Many of my friends and work colleagues all have very different backgrounds, and yes, some are migrants that are associated with illegal immigration simply by their shin colour.

So yes, I agree, the tide has turned for many people who are legally living in this country. It's sad, especially for people who hold a British passport.

So sorry to hear tha you are experiencing this op. I am the granddaughter of an immigrant and my grandmother experienced some very unpleasant and xenophobic comments when she moved here in the 1950's. I think it is upsetting to hear that attitudes of some people haven't changed. I am genuinely baffled about why someone would take a dislike or mistrust someone because of their nationality or skin colour. I actually blame the media for stirring up hatred towards anyone who is not British. They only report the negative stories about something an immigrant has done. What about all the immigrants working in NHS hospitals saving lives or caring for elderly people in nursing homes

Well I am white British but, as I sit here having my dialysis I am being looked after by staff none of whom were born in the UK. I am extremely grateful that they are here with their skills, knowledge and compassion; If they weren’t, who would be doing the job?

By your logic nobody should ever leave the country they were born in.

And how do you define 'fully contribute'? People who come here as adults and start working immediately (as I did) have had all their schooling and healthcare in their country of birth - and so go straight into paying tax and contributing. Probably more than British people of the same age and in the same jobs.

And people don't always move because they want to 'take' something - I moved here because the man I wanted to marry was here. Back home I would be paid a great deal better for what I do (data analysis in the NHS). But I've put down roots here so unless Reform get in, I'm staying.

Your post exudes the xenophobia I mentioned earlier.

Do you ask British people moving abroad the same question?