Asylum seekers - what should be done?

[Epona]

Britain also tends to lock people up in detention centres - when they have committed no crime other than try to move to a different country. People are treated apallingly, sometimes locked up next to hardened criminals. (And yet Pinochet, in his attempted flight from justice, was allowed to remain here for a while under 'house arrest' in a rather nice mansion.)

If people don't report themselves to the authorities on arrival (at which point they may be locked up) they are deemed illegal and will be deported with no rights to apply for leave to remain in the country.

If people are released from the detention camps while their applications are being considered they are stigmatised - they are not allowed to get jobs, and are given vouchers for food - not money. The vouchers stigmatise people, and being seen carrying vouchers can result in being beaten up by racists - who are whipped up into a bigotted frenzy by the media reports of floods of illegal immigrants. The vouchers can only be used for food items, they cannot for example be used to buy childrens clothes, so if your child has no shoes, or no coat there is no way, other than working illegally in a sweatshop, that necessary items can be purchased. If you work illegally you may have your application thrown out and be deported.

This is inhumane. Whatever your views on border controls, surely this treatment of a fellow human being is unacceptable.

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Time is an illusion. Lunchtime doubly so.

Epona of The Laughing Hyenas

[Donut]

Originally posted by Epona: Britain also tends to lock people up in detention centres - when they have committed no crime other than try to move to a different country. People are treated apallingly, sometimes locked up next to hardened criminals. (And yet Pinochet, in his attempted flight from justice, was allowed to remain here for a while under 'house arrest' in a rather nice mansion.) If people don't report themselves to the authorities on arrival (at which point they may be locked up) they are deemed illegal and will be deported with no rights to apply for leave to remain in the country. If people are released from the detention camps while their applications are being considered they are stigmatised - they are not allowed to get jobs, and are given vouchers for food - not money. The vouchers stigmatise people, and being seen carrying vouchers can result in being beaten up by racists - who are whipped up into a bigotted frenzy by the media reports of floods of illegal immigrants. The vouchers can only be used for food items, they cannot for example be used to buy childrens clothes, so if your child has no shoes, or no coat there is no way, other than working illegally in a sweatshop, that necessary items can be purchased. If you work illegally you may have your application thrown out and be deported. This is inhumane. Whatever your views on border controls, surely this treatment of a fellow human being is unacceptable.

The key word was 'mandatory' I accept that about 1,800 asylum seekers are held in detention centres and prisons whilst their appeals against deportation are dealt with, not suprisingly few asylum seekers who have had their applications refused return for their appeals if they are not detained. Over 80,000 asylum seekers are in Britain having their applications processed.

Plans are being made to abolish the voucher system which stigmatizes asylum seekers and alerts others to their refugee status. Shops accepting vouchers do not give change if the amount of the voucher is more than the cost of the purchase. Plans are also being made to allow them to perform some kind of work, especially if they have skills that are in short supply. Asylum seeking doctors are already being allowed to do this and there are approximately 2,000 doctors going through the system.

Britain has a declining and ageing population and at some stage the amount raised from taxpayers will not be enough to fund the health care needs of our population. It is madness to stop asylum seekers working whilst their applications are processed. Let them work legally and collect the tax. It is also incorrect that there are not enough jobs. There are plenty of jobs but they are low paid or dirty jobs that others don't want to do.


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Save Chip - Don't let Sarah win!
Official Titterer of the Laughing Hyenas

[Epona]

Originally posted by Donut: Plans are being made to abolish the voucher system which stigmatizes asylum seekers and alerts others to their refugee status.

Unfortunately it was announced (yesterday I think?) that the government will not abolish vouchers after all, as they can find 'no viable alternative'. Sick.

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Time is an illusion. Lunchtime doubly so.

Epona of The Laughing Hyenas

Originally posted by Donut: It is also incorrect that there are not enough jobs. There are plenty of jobs but they are low paid or dirty jobs that others don't want to do.

This would explain why much of the north of England has been unemployed or at least not in anything close to permanent work since the last recession? I have worked in London and yes there are lots of jobs there, but in places in the NW like Lancaster/Preston etc there is massive unemployment still. Because housing is cheap in these areas then its easy to get on the property ladder (ideal to house Asylum seekers) but without the jobs its a bit pointless

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Holy Avenger of the OHF and part time Pinguindiebjäger

[This message has been edited by Sir_Tainly (edited 08-30-2001).]

[Donut]

Originally posted by Sir_Tainly: This would explain why much of the north of England has been unemployed or at least not in anything close to permanent work since the last recession? I have worked in London and yes there are lots of jobs there, but in places in the NW like Lancaster/Preston etc there is massive unemployment still. Because housing is cheap in these areas then its easy to get on the property ladder (ideal to house Asylum seekers) but without the jobs its a bit pointless

I think unemployment in Britain is about 3.5% (not sure), unemployment in Preston is 4.5%. Where I work (in Islington, Inner London) it is about 7.5% and next door in Hackney (where Epona lives) it's 9.3%. Being unemployed is no fun, I did it myself for a while. Also the unemployed in the North comprises a high number of skilled workers from industries which have declined.

The point I'm making is that even with levels of unemployment this high there are still posters up everywhere offering jobs (in London). The problem is that these jobs are poorly paid and mind numbingly boring. The type of things I mean are working for MacDonalds or stacking shelves overnight at Sainsburys. You can't blame people for not wanting to take these jobs but refugees would jump at the chance to earn some money.

BTW if you know any out of work Bus Drivers or Train Drivers up north please direct them to Enfield because the transport system is shit because of the lack of skilled drivers.


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Save Chip - Don't let Sarah win!
Official Titterer of the Laughing Hyenas

[Lord of Alcohol]

A little bit about the tidal wave of Mexicans/Central Americans who have flooded this country. It is mostly the people whos jobs are not affected that like to say this immigration is ok. Its not YOUR jobs they are taking. Its MINE. I run a framing crew in North Carolina. That means construction. Its become ridiculous trying to get new work. There are too many legal and illegal workers in this country. It may not affect those in white collar jobs but try to think of who's job it IS affecting before you roll out the welcome mat.

[Elif Godson]

It is a sad state of affairs no matter how you look at it.
I am a manager at a fine dining establishment, and half of
my crew are immigrants working on visa and a few illegal's.
Some of them bust there hump to get the job done while other's have the attitude that I owe them a favor . My real complaint (and this may seem paultry)
is that if you are going to come to the US for whatever reason, at least know how to understand if not speak the language. There is nothing more agrivating
than when you tell someone something and they give you the blank stair
of not comprehending what it is that you said. In Florida we get all
walks of life, some rich, mostly poor, some educated, well you get the point.

As fate has it some places are hot spots for job's of all area's and
some barely have any economy whatsoever.

Life is hard, people are angry and the economy sucks if you are living from paycheck to paycheck trying to pay the bill's. I know everyone need's a home.
We all deserve a fare peace of the pie.

Point Taken Donut

I just get a bit upetty on this one because unemployment has been a big problem in my family, my dad has been out of all work since 1998 or so and out of permanent work since the early nineties, and also he was out of work for 2 years in the Thatcherite boom. When he did was in work it was in Portsmouth and we lived in Yorkshire; and it wrecked the family

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Holy Avenger of the OHF and part time Pinguindiebjäger

[Elif Godson]

My appoligies if what I stated has offended any-one.

Austrialia fears to take the refugees beacsue they fear being seen as a soft touch and being swamped by migrants. Asylem seekers also revive a "them an us" tribal attitude. The jobs taken by illegal immigrants are mostly jobs no-one else wants to take .The amounts raised from tax payers could be vastly increased and eaisly cover almost anything if the british goverment raised the higher rate of income tax, Britain could eaisily help these people, that we cant is a myth spread by the hand of the predominently right wing british media.

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Where ever the journey will take us all
Be sure that our nature will reign