ASYLUM SEEKERS

Page 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7
 

With an estimated 400,000 rejected asylum seekers still living in Britain, Home Office statistics show the backlog is being reduced at a rate of just 3,500 people per year, meaning the task will take 113 years. Home Secretary John Reid pledged in the House of Commons to clear the backlog of deportations 'within five years and hopefully sooner.' He later claimed he was referring only to failed asylum seekers 'who can be found' by immigration officers, a promise dismissed by critics as meaningless.

The Home Office dramatically increased its estimate of the number of failed asylum seekers still in the country after a trawl of old files uncovered an astonishing 200,000 forgotten cases, taking the total to 400,000 or more. At the current rate the last failed asylum seekers would be deported some time in the year 2119. In reality officials accept that many will probably never be tracked down or sent home. (Source: Mail on Sunday, Aug/06)

A rapist who claimed political asylum after attacking a young nanny may be allowed to stay in Britain after his jail term ends because no one knows where to send him. Judge Charles Byers said Oule Doucoure was a "significant risk" to the public and told him he must serve at least seven years. Doucoure has used four false names and applied for asylum, claiming he saw rebels murder his parents in the Central African Republic. Police believe he made up the story to stay here and that he is from Mali where there is no political unrest. Det Con Irene Smith said, "It is a possibility that we will not find out who he really is. If we can't prove where he is from they will probably process his asylum application. Unfortunately I think that will probably happen." (Source: Daily Mirror, Mar/06)

The Pennine Hotel in Macklin Street was chosen by Accomodata, a company supported by the National Asylum Support Service. The Home Office said there were no immediate plans to bring it into use but the proposal was criticised by the leader of the city council Chris Williamson who said such a city-centre location would not be suitable. He also called for better co-operation between the Home Office and local authorities over the selection of such accommodation.

Mr Williamson added, "We are usually consulted and involved but there are times when we are not consulted, such as in this case, and that is when difficulties arise. Around 1,900 asylum seekers have been relatively successfully accommodated in Derby and this is because people on the ground here have been involved. It's a problem when we are left out for what appears to be solely financial reasons."

By 2040, the population of the UK will have increased by 15 million immigrants, according to figures calculated, or made up, by the government's actuarial department. That's an increase on our current population of more than a quarter, an enormous rise - even assuming that our natural population growth remains fairly static. It will be balanced, the actuaries suggest, by 10 million people leaving the country, which means a net increase of about 10% (5.4 million, to be precise), which is also pretty huge. The first question that occurs is - why the hell do they want to come here?

In the main, these are not asylum seekers or economic refugees. They are, according to the government, from Australia, New Zealand and Western Europe. What's wrong with them? Don't they know what it's like here? If they want a cold, damp and foggy continental appendage inhabited by morose and borderline xenophobic natives, why don't they try Kamchatka? It's cheaper and there's more room.

Britain is too crowded, and an increase in the population of 10% will make us much more miserable than we are now. Our infrastructure cannot cope with even the current level of population. The chaos on our railways, the pensioner waiting for days on a hospital trolley, the traffic pulverising our towns and clogging up the motorways, are as much a function of overcrowding as they are a result of under-funding or incompetent management.

So, why the hell do they want to come here? Two words: Welfare Benefits.

How good it was to see the Iraqi people celebrate the capture of Saddam Hussein and the celebrations on all the Iraqi city streets. These celebrations were also echoed in Derby by its large refugee community. Now, I think, the Derby folk living in sheltered accomodation and Derby folk on long housing waiting lists will also be celebrating. My point is that, now the Iraqi regime is dead and buried and its leader captured, all these Iraqi and Kurdish refugees can return home and we will wish them well. This will release hundreds of properties and also give our economy a welcome boost with fewer benefits being claimed. I expect the Iraqi and Kurdish people of Derby are already planning their triumphant return home - or maybe not. Christopher Hipkin

Derby Voluntary Sector Refugee Forum, which runs advice sessions for asylum seekers and refugees, claims that as many as 1,000 people are currently living in the city as what are known as "overstayers". These are people who have their applications for asylum turned down and then, within a fortnight, are stripped of state support usually provided by the National Asylum Support Service (NASS)

The forum estimates the figure of 1,000 because they advise dozens of overstayers every week and leaders of the 2,000-strong Kurdish community believe that 40 to 50% of them are failed asylum seekers. Derby City Council's deputy leader, Councillor Philip Hickson, believes there are about 1,500 illegal immigrants here, which includes overstayers and people who have never claimed asylum.

He bases this on reports from landlords about failed asylum seekers staying with friends. However, it is impossible to get an exact figure as it seems no records are kept of failed asylum seekers, they simply "disappear". David Callow, chairman of the forum, said, "These people fall into a black hole. They should be sent back, but it's not happening. It's a time bomb waiting to go off. They've been chucked out of their housing and have nowhere to go."

He is worried some overstayers have no choice but to take work illegally or get involved in crime and drugs. The Home Office admits removing failed asylum seekers does present "considerable problems" but maintains it is removing a "record" number. A spokeswoman said, "We don't recognise the 1,000 figure. Asylum seekers who are refused refugee status and have no other basis to stay are expected to leave the UK. If they don't, we will detain them and remove them. The Immigration Service conducts operations regularly to remove those who have no legal right to remain in the UK." Joanna Hill