UK's Immigration Conundrum
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UK's Immigration Conundrum
Immigration is important to me because my parents are immigrants, as am I and my brothers. I was born in the U.S. but today we live in England, where immigration is a very divisive topic, especially the issue of illegal immigration, with more and more immigrants being smuggled across the English Channel by people smugglers. The latest controversy in politics is the Rwanda Bill, which states, some illegal immigrants seeking asylum could be sent to Rwanda, a country in Central Africa.
The government's reasoning behind this is that the Bill will deter illegal immigrants from making this dangerous journey. Some people pretend to be asylum seekers, so sending them to Rwanda would give time for their case to be heard. Coming through the legal immigration system requires immigrants that apply to have the right education and be sponsored by a company. As a result many economic migrants from poorer countries come illegally and when they reach the UK, they apply for asylum. There aren’t enough people to sort through all these cases resulting in them clogging up the system. This affects genuine asylum seekers who have to wait many years for their cases to be decided. People against the Rwanda Bill argue that the government could come up with a more efficient way than sending people 6,740 miles away.
But are immigrants such a bad thing? Immigrants bring new ideas, help the economy by working and paying taxes. Countries with declining birth rates need immigrants to support their economy and develop their population. So I am in favor of legal immigration. But what about illegal immigration? If they have stayed in a country for a while, they become part of the community. On the other hand, they could have gone through the legal system. It’s also true that immigration can put a strain on a community’s resources, for example education, healthcare and the housing system. But not letting genuine asylum seekers in is inhumane. If the government can build a more efficient and inclusive system, perhaps people will stop traveling across the English Channel illegally. In summary, I believe the government should build a stronger and more efficient asylum system to process these cases in a short time. Plus, we need a stronger system for economic migrants that allows a fair amount of immigrants to enter the country and give them a chance to improve their lives and strengthen the economy.
Comments (2)
What you said is true and sending people away might not help like the government think and can lead to people being mad at the government more than anything. Another point is that people who became asylum seekers legally will be made. This can lead to lots of people going on strike and hate the government because their loved ones and friends are being taken away unfairly. In summary, I believe that they shouldn't send them to Rwanda and. they also should fix the asylum system and make it more efficient.
Dear jolly_gazelle,
first of all I want to say, that I appreciate your standpoint, as it seems very sensible and politically informed. You keep an open mind and also ask more in depth questions, which is the only way that we can reach the crux of the situation as a society. I think immigration is an extensive topic, as it contains numerous facets that need to be addressed. Yes, immigration can aid and harm a society in several ways, socially, economically and politically. Immigrants can on one side enrich the culture they enter or it can collide with the existing culture, causing conflicts and hatred. Personally I believe that immigrants that try to engage in the culture, abide by the rules of the county and apply for a job are more than welcome in the country and shouldn’t face such a hard way to be accepted as a legal citizen. Concerning those who disturb the peace of the county and misbehave ( committing crimes), should under no circumstance be given an asylum. It is only human to aid another human in need, that is fleeing from war or something similar, but once you receive that aid, you should also exude gratitude and not ignore the countries laws.