Actually Pro Immigration- Hear Me Out?

[n4mech4ng3r]

I have always been, and will always be, pro immigrant, pro asylum seeker, and pro refugee. It saddens me that I seem to be in the vast minority these days, the lack of empathy from the general population of the UK in 2025 is disgraceful imo.

I chose as part of my career to support refugees, and it has opened my eyes even more every day. The tragedies these young people have gone through are unimaginable for anyone here, and the treatment they get when they arrive is appalling.

When illegal immigration is brought up in a political context, it is always devoid of humanity, vulnerable people spoken about like an invasive species. I implore anyone so far removed from the realities of ‘illegal’ immigrants, especially those who risked their lives to be here, to volunteer for a refugee charity.

These are children, overjoyed to learn simple words so they can make friends with our children in the playground. Teenagers, completely overwhelmed by food they’ve never seen before (like fish fingers!). Young families, so grateful to a country that wants them to ‘go back to where they come from’ even if they die there.

It’s heartbreaking, and it makes me sick. Every time I see the Reform lot, racists, and other bigots treating immigrants as the scapegoat, I can’t help but think of my little students, their families, and the stories they’ve told me of life before they arrived.

It baffles me how people can go on about ‘British values’ while showing absolutely no kindness to the people who need it most. What’s the point of this national pride if it’s built on cruelty and exclusion? I see so much ‘we need to look after our own first’ rhetoric, but why can’t we do both? Why does helping people fleeing war and persecution make you angry? Why is that your line in the sand?

If anyone else is feeling like this, works in this area, or has something to add I’d love to hear it. If you’re going to try and change my opinion, please save your energy ❤️

Changed my username for this one because I’m discussing my professional life and opinions rather than my family life. Long time user over several accounts. Thanks for reading, sorry if it’s a rant.

I agree. Get him out, get him to Australia or somewhere which isn't on the tracks to 3rd world status.

@ThingsThatMakeYouGoHmmmmmmmmm yep that’s where he’s going his step mum is an Aussie. It’ll be tough but I’m not having him stay here in the 3rd world state we are experiencing totally fucking depressing

I think many more people will leave. I won't be one of them although I could, as I don't want to desert the UK. But I do think the only way for things to change is if there's the political will. Labour won't change anything. They are too stuffed with people like the OP and that way is hell. Ideally I'd like to vote Conservative but they caused the main problems now and did nothing to stop it. So unfortunately it's going to have to be Reform.

It blows my mind that we have let this happen. Why on earth have successive governments permitted this? In answer to the “we are a nation of immigrants” well yes but never anywhere near this scale. I heard a podcaster give the actual statistics and it was terrifying. Smaller groups would come and assimilate successfully in the past. This is not that.

The conservatives and labour for all their faults are not daft and surely have the country’s best interests at heart so I genuinely don’t understand this.

The Conservatives did cause this, @Quirkswork but I think it happened quite quickly and they didn't see it coming. Sunak started addressing it with the changes for dependents - which has started to make a significant difference. Badenoch has launched a review into ECHR exit- I like that she's looking it properly, rather than making ideological or knee-jerk policy as the other parties would.

I'm really, really hoping that the Conservatives manage to pull together sensible policies around this, and get themselves together. I think they could achieve a proper change if so, and it would be far less messy - with less unintended consequences, damage and financial loss - than if Reform get in.

Everyone on this thread should email their MP and inform them that they want the immigration controlled or that they are voting Reform if they are considering it. I'm going to do it now.
https://members.parliament.uk/FindYourMP
Dear
I am writing to inform you that I will be voting Reform at the next election given the opportunity of a Reform candidate in this constituency as I am disgusted by the number of immigrants being allowed into this country, changing and dividing our population,
Yours,

Include your postcode and address to prove you are a constituent.

I don’t think the government have the best interest of the Uk people at all now. If you listen to Thatchers speeches from decades ago she talks a lot about this. What is so awful is my son is a grandson of immigrants from India they are Hindu live a peaceful life and productive for decades in the UK these new lot are not peaceful or productive. They actively mean us harm - I won’t leave either at the moment I am here. Look at Starmers face with Trump this week everyone is agreeing with Trump he can’t stand it. There are too many liberal lefties thinking all these new people can be here breaking news they can’t

@Strawberrri even better get a meeting with your Mp. I have another one next week my MP is a typical wet liberal leftie thinking and he’s a dr ! I probably get on his nerves and next week my meeting will be about immigration again!

Here are graphs showing how both legal migration and asylum seekers shot up over the ladt 5 years.

Now what matters is how our government meets that challenge. They need to act fast, since with these numbers, every month counts.

Unlike policies which can just be reversed by a future government, once people are in they're in forever. We need Labour to act now. Otherwise huge, irreversible changes to the UK will have happened by the time of the next general election.

Wishful thinking there strawberry!! You’re right, they need to act now, literally today and say enough is enough, but they won’t. It doesn’t directly affect them, their neighbourhoods aren’t changing so ignorance is bliss. As soon as they got in they scrapped the Rwanda scheme. I’m not saying it was perfect but it was some deterrent.

Another 4 years of them in power ‘soft touch Britain’ though tbf, the tories weren’t much better.

I actually agree with Trump on this, the governments are ruining this country by ‘being kind’, at the expense of their own citizens. It will backfire because they’ll be out and Reform will be in.

How can the country act against judges?

A judge - Yip I think their name was if anyone wants to verify - has ruled that “family” has no official definition and means different things to different cultures and does not solely mean blood family - and with her ruling permitted an Afghan man to bring in 22 people.

You change the law to say that asylum seekers can't bring over dependents. The judges implement UK law.

And importantly, you give different rights to bring dependents between those UK citizens who were born with UK nationality and those who acquired it, in order to prevent a cascade of immigration. Most other European countries make that distinction. It's not hard or particularly controversial (although I'm sure our self-hating Liberal Left will complain)

I just think it’s all too late. I saw someone refer to the “Balkanisation” of the UK, and I think in time it will be thus.

The problem is no one wants to do anything, they (those in charge) don’t seem to care. If there is no will then nothing will change and we’ll be in the same boat (excuse the pun!) in 3 years… They could easily say dependants are wife and children that’s it. That’s more than a reasonable suggestion.

The asylum hotels situation is ridiculous. Some people are making millions out of this. In the hotel in The Barbican, the Britannia I think, the rack rate can be £400 a night at peak times. I hope the govt isn’t paying this but I’m sure if isn’t far off plus all meals and allowances.

Hotel accommodation must be stopped immediately and migrants held in camps. We need to cease being a draw. That’s the only way to solve things.

But as a pp said there are increasing numbers of people making a very fine living out of unchecked immigration.

Exactly- it’s no wonder the public’s blood boils when they hear of the figures involved. Yes, definitely some people (the owners a of these luxury hotels and company CEO’s) are benefiting, meanwhile the average person can’t even find a house to rent, never mind get a mortgage.
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The Telegraph showed some footage yesterday of four poster beds and gorgeous hotel rooms (presumably to debunk the myth that all asylum seekers are kept in squalor). Whether it's true I don't know, but it's not a good look.

The Greek authorities have announced that anyone arriving from Africa or Asia by boat will never be considered for asylum, and will be taken direct to a mainland camp for deportation. I suspect the UK will have to take similar steps.

That would be too much of a sensible idea so they won’t do that…!

Where do they plan to deport them to, do you know?

Are we actually obliged to take the dependents of aslylum seekers? There will be howls of upset if we don’t as the usual suspects will tell us that this means that the vulnerable will have to make the crossing and this makes it much more dangerous, but I think it’s at least possible that it would put people off sending young fit men ahead.

Do we have to award citizenship or just temporary shelter, renewable at (5?) yearly intervals to anyone who is seeking or has been granted asylum in the past decade?

We are (ECHR I believe)

If someone has been granted asylum, the whole family can be allowed, no need of proof or job or income
https://freemovement.org.uk/refugee-family-reunion-a-users-guide/

We're a sovereign country. We can withdraw from that agreement.