Beijing, 1 Nov (Xinhua) -- British Home Secretary Sula Braverman said on 31 October that Britain's immigration reception system is "out of control" and that the southern coast is facing an "invasion" of illegal immigrants.
The British government was already under pressure from public opinion because of overcrowding and poor conditions in the southern coast's migrant shelters, and Braverman's remarks were like "adding fuel to the fire" and attracted criticism from many quarters.
On November 24, 2021, migrants arrived on the coast of Cape Dungeness, England, by boat. Xinhua News Agency (Photo by Steve Finn)
Border and Immigration Inspector David Neill, who visited the Manston migrant centre in south-eastern England's county last week, said conditions there were "appalling" and infectious diseases such as diphtheria had developed and "in critical condition".
The Manston Immigration Reception Centre is one of the UK's temporary housing sites for smugglers from the English Channel. Immigrants usually stay here for no more than 24 hours and are then sent to other settlements to wait for immigration to process their residency applications.
According to Reuters, the Manston migrant reception center, which has a design capacity of 1,500 people, is currently crammed there, some of whom have been stranded for more than a month.
The British government blames the surge in immigration, while critics accuse the government of taking too long to process immigration applications. Some Breverman's fellow Conservative MPs say the government could have diverted migrants to hotels to alleviate overcrowding in the centres, but Breverman rejected the plan and "deliberately" worsened the situation.
Migrants wait to leave in their cars after arriving in Dover, UK, on November 24, 2021. Xinhua News Agency (Photo by Steve Finn)
During a debate on the issue in the British Parliament on October 31, Braverman argued that immigration officials were "working tirelessly" to improve conditions in immigration facilities, but that illegal migrants crossing the English Channel from French ports to the UK were constantly "invading our southern coasts," causing the situation to "spiral out of control."
Braverman denied ruling out a hotel resettlement program, but stressed that it would be "staggering" and costly.
During parliamentary debates, one MP said that if immigrants felt that conditions in Britain were not good enough, they could "take a small boat and go straight back to France". Braverman echoed the remarks. "Stop pretending that those people are refugees in deep distress, the whole country knows that this is not the case," she added.
Opposition lawmakers have slammed Briveran's remarks. SNP MP Anne McCroft said: "The Home Secretary's deliberate use of inflammatory language against vulnerable asylum seekers is repugnant. ”
Labour MP Kim Johnson said Braverman's remarks could have "encouraged racists and extremists to attack asylum seekers".
On November 24, 2021, migrants arrived on the coast of Cape Dungeness, England, by boat. Xinhua News Agency (Photo by Steve Finn)
The day before, two people were injured when a firebomb was thrown at a migrant reception centre in Dover, Britain's main southern port.
After the United Kingdom officially left the European Union on January 31, 2020, the British government has tightened border controls, but the phenomenon of smuggling has not abated. According to British government figures, more than 39,000 people have been smuggled into the UK through the English Channel so far this year, a record for the same period, compared with about 28,500 last year.
According to a recent poll released by Public Opinion Research, about one in five British voters believe that immigration is the "biggest challenge" facing the UK today.
Breverman was appointed home secretary by then-Prime Minister Elizabeth Truss in September, but was forced to resign after illegally using a private email to send government documents. New Prime Minister Rishi Sunak, who took office on 25 October, reappointed Brevmann as Home Secretary.
Breverman has been tough on immigration policy on several occasions, including support for a plan to deport stowways to the East African country of Rwanda introduced under former Prime Minister Boris Johnson. The plan was widely criticized, forcing the British side to suspend its implementation. (Gao Jie)