Should we move to an open borders system?

[JonesTown]

Spain announced this week that it will allow half a million immigrants who arrived illegally to stay in the country. In the US, many on the left are calling for all immigration enforcement and deportations to be halted.

Here, the Greens support a world without borders and oppose action to prevent small boat crossings to the U.K.

Should we move to an open borders system where anyone who wants to is allowed to come to the U.K. and stay permanently?

I was giving examples of reasons why migrants might want to come to the UK, not reasons why we should let them in the UK. They are two entirely separate questions.

You sound very heated.

Op - thoughts? Thought not

But thats not open borders.
Open borders means anyone and everyone is free to move here at will from anywhere.
You really should learn about a subject before starting a thread prompting something that you don't actually agree with otherwise it makes you look like an idiot

Because I come from a background where most of us had little education or qualifications, where immigration suppressed wages for 20 years. Where social housing is at a premium and many are excluded. Where the primary school I went two now has to deal with kids unable to speak English when they start, despite being born in England

Plus those are the trite excuses brought out to justify mass migration to the UK and they need to be shut down.

Wonder what % of those illegals in Spain are men. High 90% I bet.

No.

No, open borders would be the end of our (already struggling) welfare state.

What are you talking about?

We have records of prior criminal convictions for people born here. We have medical records for people born here. We can submit a Clare’s Law request for people born here. We have the sex offenders register for people born here.

The relevant authorities very much do know the background of people born here, and we screen them for, for example, jobs as appropriate.

Bad news for you - by the time you have reached the UK on a small boat you are probably traumatised already.

Leaving your homeland, let alone wandering through half a dozen more countries as many have done, is unsettling at the very least. In addition, there are many countries it seems perfectly sensible to leave for many reasons. However, I notice that Iran (for example) is in the middle of a fairly serious uprising and I would suggest that it would be far more sensible for us to support freedom of conscience and religion in countries that seek it than to decide to turn a blind eye and then accommodate entire oppressed populations.

I agree with you about the lawyers getting rich!

There was a case a little while ago where an asylum seeker was awarded what looked like a huge amount but on slightly closer inspection, it transpired that the lawyer got most of it as fees.

I do think that these lawyers-the equivalent of ambulance chasers-are a blight.

Here is how I would fix it.

I would eliminate-totally and absolutely-legal aid for asylum seekers and refugees.

The lawyer could of course take on a case if they chose, on the strict understanding that they would not be receiving one penny from the public purse for doing so.

I'm not Mystic Meg but I foresee that if this simple policy-no legal aid, no not even expenses-were followed there would be a sharp fall in asylum seekers managing to delay their removal from this country.

Spain aren't having open borders but they recognize that there are many people living hete under the radar (I know 3 Brits that I stayed post Brexit ) so can only work cash in hand jobs. This move my Sinai is to recognize that there are lots here illegal, can't access health care etc and aren't paying tax.
It's only open for three months , so its basically an amnesty that gives people legal residency so they can work legally and add money to the economy instead of the black market. Makes absolute sense

@randomchap

The greens are against deporting those here illegally, don't want to stop channel crossings and support vague 'safe and legal routes'.

That is an open border policy.

Assume this is a purposely goady thread so all the anti-immigrants and reform voters get to froth a bit.

This attitude is exactly why people are turning away from the traditional parties. Instead of listening and understanding that people may have a different point of view that is legitimate based on their life experiences, they are written off as frothing bigots.

Do you support open borders?

Fundamentally- yes I believe in open borders.

Rationally - it cannot work because of different governments, different religions, different cultures. It would only work if the whole world was run the same way, same access to healthcare across the world, same moral beliefs, same attitudes to disability, sex, age, race etc. it cannot work because there are vast differences in these beliefs.

Interesting to see a film that celebrates protesters in Glasgow who prevented a raid to remove illegal immigrants being given an award.

www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/cdx47nrqgy5o

Oh The Guardian ! Say No More!!

We should always take in refugees, but having open borders for economic migrants would be a monumental challenge. People all over the world learn English as a second language, and if they are leaving their home country for whatever reason, it it is likely that they would choose to go to a country where they can at least get by in the language.

But where would they all live? What jobs would they do? How could we accommodate a huge increase in the numbers of people who need education, healthcare and other public services? The system is already unable to cope. Nobody wants to pay more tax.

There would come a point when it becomes untenable. What then?

Yes why not let everyone in starmer fannying around in Japan while UK is falling apart.
Its not getting better its getting worse.
When WW3 hits maybe some will start to listen.

If you are feeling brave OP get yourself on GB news. They like a heated debate.

I'll get the popcorn.

Problem solved? I think you would then have much bigger problems 😂

Yep

Shouldn’t this be updated now they have a new leader. What’s Polanski’s take on borders?

No. This island is already full, the economy has crashed, and it is by some measures the most nature depleted country in the world. Certainly one of.