h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

"...use clever engineering methods to take money out of banks."

and are convicted of it!

"Cheats, liars and scoundrels" for trying to get into a more wealthy and liberal country that we had the luck to be born in?

Because of the "cheats,liars and scoundrels", our country is becoming increasingly illiberal. Allowed to continue unabated, it is dubious if it would be a wealthy country for much longer either.

So no, I've no sympathy with the "Cheats, Liars & scoundrels".

Go on SWL, blame it on the Muslims



So, does anyone have any real knowledge about asylum seekers in the UK and who ends up in detention centres?

I know that in Australia, many children are detained for long periods of time to the extent that their psychological health is undermined. These people are in no way criminals.

Ok, according this this website:

>>>
Immigration Detention Centres are holding centres for foreign nationals waiting decisions on their asylum claims or waiting deportation following a failed application.
<<<


Also, while prior to 2002 asylum seekers were held in prison like centres (or in fact in prisons) since 2002 another type of centre has been set up:

>>>
... the Accommodation or Reception Centre. These new centres will provide educative, health and leisure facilities and have advisory bodies to review their conditions.

The Reception Centres aim to improve the management of the asylum system and to socialise and prepare immigrants for acceptance into the wider community.
<<

http://www.politics.co.uk/issue-briefs/domestic-policy/immigration/immigration-detention-centres/immigration-detention-centres-$366686.htm


So presumably if the Govt intends that some of the people should be prepared for acceptance into the wider community, then some of those people are intended to stay. So what exactly have they done wrong?

what haven't they done wrong?

Well, presumably they haven't commited any kind of crime that would normally warrant being locked up in the UK, other than some of them may have broken some immigration laws.

There are different forms of migrants - most of those in these centres are called economic migrants - ie they are not under threat in there own country, but they are better off in this country.

Most are prepared to work - but they're not allowed to, they must live on the benefits provided - which aren't enough to keep a dog on, and mainly come in the form of vouchers.

They are forced to rely on charities and their local community - may I stress that many of these are decent law-abiding people who just wish to have a better, safer, way of life.

Not all of them are, others are gangsters who enter the country on false identities, they are mainly into prostitution and illegal work groups, though people trafficking and drugs are also things they are wuite happy to get involved in. Many of these are picked up by customs or police, in the main they're low-level scum, the real players come in on visas and then disappear. Police struggle to prove who they really are, they've always 'lost' their papers and so they sit in detention centres until they're ready to be shipped home.

The desciption Kea gave is a fantasy one - the reality is that these are doss houses which the government has handed over to the lowest bidder to run. They use un-trained staff on minimum wage working 60 hours a week, and more. Abuse is common, and sex is regarded as a perk of the job - I hasten to add there are honest men and women on this side of the counter too, but they're out-numbered, and out of their depth.

A lot of people here could benefit from a visit to an exhibition on migration and asylum presently being staged in The Museum of London. It was not only highly informative but also moving, and illustrates exactly how difficult it is to be granted 'asylum' in this country.

One example cited, for instance, included the staggering conclusion that 'whilst you describe being shot at by the police, the Home Secretary has concluded that had the police meant to shoot you they would have done so and thus your life cannot be said to be in imminent danger in your country'.

So far from being the low-end bottom feeders described here, I suspect that the populations of these centres are terrified of being returned to their home countries. Not suprising they get a bit uppity ocassionally.