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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

To say that most people in the UK want illegal immigration to stop

1000 replies

Sleepysleepycoffeecoffee · 06/12/2025 10:12

I recently commented on a Facebook post to say the majority of British people are against illegal immigration. I was asked by several other users what survey I based that opinion on. I responded with the question ‘do you think most people want illegal immigration to continue then? Because if not, then surely they want it to stop?’ I didn’t receive any responses to that.
Without getting into any political arguments or name calling and giving no ifs, buts or reasons for your view, please vote as follows.

YABU - I want illegal immigration to continue.
YANBU - I don’t want illegal immigration to continue.

OP posts:
Thread gallery
19
Northerngirl821 · 06/12/2025 11:45

It is legal to claim asylum in any country you want so your post is inaccurate - the whole “first safe country” bit doesn’t apply now we are not in the EU. Countries like Turkey take massively more refugees than us anyway.

I agree that illegal immigration should stop - that is, people coming here by illegal methods and NOT claiming asylum, or people remaining here after their asylum claim has failed or their visa has expired. Tens of thousands of people in this country are deported every year though, so I’m not sure what more you think should be done.

If we processed asylum claims more rapidly it would reduce the cost of housing refugees, most of which currently goes into the pockets of private hotel owners.

Please don’t forget that we are massively reliant on immigration to sustain services like the NHS, and these immigrants are paying taxes into our system just like everyone else.

Please also remember that our birth rate is falling below replacement rate and current forecasts show that our native population will start to reduce in number in around ten years time. We will struggle to support our aging population without immigration as there will not be enough tax payers in the system.

SerendipityJane · 06/12/2025 11:46

TempestTost · 06/12/2025 11:39

I don't think that is true, you will see people who think that all migration should be legal.

Or who simply ignore/won't admit that there are people who come fraudulently, and so believe all refugee claims are legitimate.

It's not a majority but it is a thing.

It was just a stupid question, but now ....

, you will see people who think that all migration should be legal.

Which has nothing to do with the specific question in the OP.

Everybody wants illegal immigration to end (hence it being a fucking stupid question).

Out of those some may want all migration to end. Which is fine - they are free to call for that in whatever way they think they can make it work.

And from the remainder some may be indifferent to migration (which at this point of the flowchart is axiomatically legal immigration).

And finally there will be a proportion of people who actively welcome immigration. Which again for the dim, is legal immigration.

Samrutha · 06/12/2025 11:47

Who here (with DDs) would be happy to host a male refugee or asylum seeker under their roof?

SomedayIllBeSaturdayNight · 06/12/2025 11:48

Samrutha · 06/12/2025 11:47

Who here (with DDs) would be happy to host a male refugee or asylum seeker under their roof?

What's the point of this post? Are you trying to say that I can't have an opinion unless I would personally house an unknown male with my young DD?

Northerngirl821 · 06/12/2025 11:48

Samrutha · 06/12/2025 11:47

Who here (with DDs) would be happy to host a male refugee or asylum seeker under their roof?

This is a ridiculous statement. People are legally allowed to claim asylum here and the government provides accommodation whilst their claims are processed.

Nobody is being asked to provide accommodation for refugees so why on earth are you asking?

SerendipityJane · 06/12/2025 11:48

Samrutha · 06/12/2025 11:47

Who here (with DDs) would be happy to host a male refugee or asylum seeker under their roof?

Who here would be willing to go out and fight fires ? Or pick litter ?

And yet we have a fire brigade. And road sweepers.

EasternStandard · 06/12/2025 11:49

Hibernatingtilspring · 06/12/2025 11:37

I think the OP is one of a depressingly large number of people who think that anyone who claims to care about others are just doing so to be nice and look good, and that everyone secretly doesn't like foreigners, everyone wishes there were less disabled people everyone thinks workhouses were a good idea really and that we're all just too polite to admit it. A bit like the men on the internet who think that any decent man doesn't really value woman and they're all deep down, a misogynistic like they are.

Op I'll happily send you to Rwanda in return for someone who comes here on a small boat. At least they've got a bit of ambition.

How far would you take this? Would you sign up to the charity where you could offer a room?

Audiprettier · 06/12/2025 11:49

Figgygal · 06/12/2025 11:42

Personally, I think this is a very complex issue in increasingly complex and unstable world. The people that scream about illegal immigration aren't interested in facts or figures or definitions and the difference between and illegal migrant or a refugee or an asylum seeker. They just see brown faces or someone getting something that they think means someone they think that is more worthy wont get it. Reform offer simple solutions to simple people, how the Tories can try to do the same given their utter failure over the years is shameful.

We are the SIXTH richest economy in the world, and we are nowhere near pulling our weight in helping refugees and doing our fair share.

Our constant whingeing about refugees is utterly, utterly shameful only 5% of migrants are asylum seekers.

If we want to see less illegal migration in the way that I believe you mean we need to sort out safe routes and vastly improve the processing times of asylum claims. It's Interesting to see the huge hiring campaign that's going on over in the government's new fair work agency which will deal with compliance and enforcement and fine employers to generate new money into the treasury but they can't do the same to recruit case handlers on the immigration side.

And I'm with a previous poster. Your question itself is stupid because no one is going to be saying that they support illegal immigration. The question is why aren't people understanding why it's happening better without just screaming that they're coming for benefits which they can't claim any anyway

What a crock of s*!
50 million to (for one) Pakistan!!!
Ridiculous when our hospitals have corridors full of people & are failing British people left right & centre!
An ECG performed in a toilet...
Errr! I don't think so!

EasternStandard · 06/12/2025 11:50

Op looks like majority votes are yanbu. I think most do want the situation to change.

EasternStandard · 06/12/2025 11:52

Samrutha · 06/12/2025 11:47

Who here (with DDs) would be happy to host a male refugee or asylum seeker under their roof?

You’ll get people bristling. Another question is how many would raise their hands for barracks nearby.

Hibernatingtilspring · 06/12/2025 11:52

@EasternStandard I genuinely never understand why people are so dumb that they think the only way you can support a refugee is to take them into your house.
I presume you care about our British elderly and sick, why haven't you turned your house into a nursing home? Why haven't you given your bed up to a homeless veteran with mental health issues? Shame on you!

LakieLady · 06/12/2025 11:54

Can't vote as the terms are not sufficiently defined.

I have absolutely no problem with people coming here to claim asylum, regardless of the means by which they get here, if that's what you mean. If so, you need to edit your opening post, because entering a country without permission for the purpose of claiming asylum is not illegal.

I think more should be done to make it harder for people who have come to the UK for a specific purpose to remain here when that that purpose no longer applies, eg students overstaying after they have completed their education, workers on temporary visas for specific jobs staying on when they are no longer doing those jobs etc.

EasternStandard · 06/12/2025 11:55

Hibernatingtilspring · 06/12/2025 11:52

@EasternStandard I genuinely never understand why people are so dumb that they think the only way you can support a refugee is to take them into your house.
I presume you care about our British elderly and sick, why haven't you turned your house into a nursing home? Why haven't you given your bed up to a homeless veteran with mental health issues? Shame on you!

Well that’s a typical answer there. Your post very much focused on the personal against the op and highlighted the ambition of someone arriving as a contrast.

If you really don’t want to offer charity how about a yes to barracks nearby?

Samrutha · 06/12/2025 11:56

To all those saying "it's legal to claim asylum anywhere" it doesn't change the fact it's most sensible to claim asylum in the first safe country. Even so, why risk the chance of a freezing death in the channel and not just stay in France.

PandoraSocks · 06/12/2025 11:57

Samrutha · 06/12/2025 11:47

Who here (with DDs) would be happy to host a male refugee or asylum seeker under their roof?

This is such a tired old "gotcha". I am slightly embarrassed for you.

SomedayIllBeSaturdayNight · 06/12/2025 11:57

Samrutha · 06/12/2025 11:56

To all those saying "it's legal to claim asylum anywhere" it doesn't change the fact it's most sensible to claim asylum in the first safe country. Even so, why risk the chance of a freezing death in the channel and not just stay in France.

That's exactly what the vast vast majority of people do.

user2848502016 · 06/12/2025 11:58

Depends what you mean by “illegal” really. Coming here by any means and claiming asylum is not illegal and I think we need a better system
of processing asylum claims quickly and tracking failed asylum seekers so we know they have left the country. I think we should be working with other European countries to take our fair share of these people. Travelling through other safe countries to get here is understandable in some cases when they speak English or have friends or relatives here.

What I am more concerned about are people who stay here after their visa has expired, so usually students who came here legally then stay, or people coming on a holiday visa to visit family then never leaving and working illegally.

So yes I suppose I am concerned about illegal immigration and migration in general actually- I would rather see money spent on training our own young people to do jobs we need people for rather than allowing people to come here from other countries.
I think “stopping the boats” is massively oversimplifying the issue though - the only way to actually stop them is to process asylum claims in Europe then bringing people in via safe routes either to finish their claim or already with refugee status.
Asylum seekers are a tiny percentage of migrants so we should be looking at immigration as a whole.

EasternStandard · 06/12/2025 11:59

PandoraSocks · 06/12/2025 11:57

This is such a tired old "gotcha". I am slightly embarrassed for you.

Edited

Not really, it’s just not what people will answer. Are you ok with barracks nearby?

Timebudda · 06/12/2025 11:59

We have an increasing number of Vietnamese and thai people in our town.
And tbvvvh I like it.

dynamiccactus · 06/12/2025 11:59

Yes I want it to stop. Because I am not keen on young men of a certain background coming into this country. There's no way they all have benign intent or intention to integrate and respect women (at least to the extent women are respected in the UK).

However, while they are here having their claims assessed, they should be working and then they can't cause trouble. Find out what they are good at, and get them to do it, rather than letting them hang around hotels and street corners.

I have no problem with people coming who will integrate and who have a skillset we need.

And I hope they get on with the youth mobility scheme with the EU.

Not all immigration is equal.

SerendipityJane · 06/12/2025 12:00

EasternStandard · 06/12/2025 11:50

Op looks like majority votes are yanbu. I think most do want the situation to change.

Which is odd (but says a lot) because who here actually wants illegal immigration.

I certainly don't

LlynTegid · 06/12/2025 12:00

On the question of overstaying visas, if we had not called almost all post 18 degree study institutions 'universities', and given how this has turned out, I think this would be less of an issue. I don't think the dependence on overseas students for income helps either.

Bambamhoohoo · 06/12/2025 12:00

Hibernatingtilspring · 06/12/2025 11:37

I think the OP is one of a depressingly large number of people who think that anyone who claims to care about others are just doing so to be nice and look good, and that everyone secretly doesn't like foreigners, everyone wishes there were less disabled people everyone thinks workhouses were a good idea really and that we're all just too polite to admit it. A bit like the men on the internet who think that any decent man doesn't really value woman and they're all deep down, a misogynistic like they are.

Op I'll happily send you to Rwanda in return for someone who comes here on a small boat. At least they've got a bit of ambition.

Exactly this.

the fact that caring about people is the basis for common insult is a clear indication of our society descending into fascism.

the person waiting behind garage and trump is our generations hitler.

let’s see how safe your DDs are then 🙄

Bambamhoohoo · 06/12/2025 12:01

LlynTegid · 06/12/2025 12:00

On the question of overstaying visas, if we had not called almost all post 18 degree study institutions 'universities', and given how this has turned out, I think this would be less of an issue. I don't think the dependence on overseas students for income helps either.

New universities were adopted in 1992 😭 what’s that got to do with anything?

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