The new government bill to stop the migration of thousands crossing the English Channel via small boats has aroused comments for and against the legislation from Christian Commentators.
Suella Braverman, the home secretary of the United Kingdom has released new legislation to address the number of migrants crossing the English Channel. He said the government had “pushed the boundaries of international law” through a bill that will prevent asylum claims from anyone who gets into the country by illegal means. The bill also detains illegal migrants without bail in the first 28 days of detention before they can be moved.
The convener of the Church of Scotland’s Faith Impact Forum, Rev. Karen Hendry, had pleaded with the government to have a rethink and reverse the proposal. He said; “The proposed ‘Illegal Migration Bill’ goes against everything that we uphold and value in our faith and communities – the dignity and value of all humans and their right to seek safety.
“Nearly two thirds of people who arrive by small boats are granted refugee status following rigorous checks by the Home Office. Many arrive from countries like Syria, Afghanistan, Iran and Sudan and do not have the opportunity to seek the promised ‘safe and legal’ routes that are open to a very limited number of people.”
Sources had it that over 45,000 immigrants had entered the United Kingdom through the English Channel Crossings the previous year, whereas in 2018, 300 were recorded.
In a statement to the Premier, Dr. Philip Bond of the right-of-centre think tank ResPublica said that the migrants coming into the country are from secured countries. In her words, she said; “They’re coming to this country not for reasons of our unique kind of hospitality or freedom from violence or repression. They’re coming here because of our unregulated labour market and the ease and ability with which they can integrate and have a viable economic life.”
“There is a Christian case for safety and support. But you could have almost three quarters of the world claiming political asylum under these conditions and that is not viable.”
“Open borders essentially creates massive social destabilisation, not least for the countries where the most economically active and wealthy leave. Whole nations are stripped of some of their best and most talented people, so it’s a mistake to think that the Christian response to the world’s problems of inequity is open borders. That’s just a category error.” He concluded.
Some critics of the bill had noted that Britain has no agreement or legal consent to send migrants who came through the English Channel boats to go back to their continents.
