Numbers of asylum seekers are down on previous years. They are at their lowest levels since 2014. That seems like kind of an important point to flag #r4today rather than making out that suddenly the Home Office is overwhelmed.
IT IS NOT ILLEGAL TO CROSS THE CHANNEL OR SEEK ASYLUM. It is illegal to penalize an asylum seeker for their manner of entry. #r4today
"Official" resettlement routes account for about 4% of asylum seekers globally. Last year the UK offered about 350 places on its resettlement routes. With other routes closed of course there is going to be an increase in channel crossings.
These are things which need to be talked about. For the, actually small number comparatively, of asylum seekers crossing the channel there are good reasons why they may not feel safe in France. They have a right to that safety though and states have an obligation to provide it.
You cannot, however, #r4today, have a "debate" about the increase in channel crossings without pointing out that overall numbers are down, yet those waiting more than 6 months for their application to be processed are up by more than 70%.
The system isn't "overwhelmed". It's designed to fail. It is designed to leave people out in limbo in the hope that they just give up. If the system is broken in anyway it is broken because of the actions of the @ukhomeoffice, not refugees.
We already had oblique suggestions on #r4today UK should violate international refugee law by penalising asylum seekers and conducting "pushbacks", so how about we don't then start talking about violating the international law of the sea by denying assistance to a vessel? Okay?
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