Channel migrants; target dinghy buyers to stop sea crossings – Yorkshire Post Letters

THERE appears to be an air of bewilderment as to how so many illegal immigrants are now crossing the English Channel.

In my naivety my focus is on the rubber dinghies that are bringing them over.

Unlike a bag of Smarties, these boats will not be available in every French corner shop, so there must be limited outlets including ordering online.

I thus feel if the UK Border Control in conjunction with 
their French counterparts were to scour the French coastline areas they may find possible outlets.

Any potential purchasers could be questioned by the gendarmes which may reveal who some of these smuggling gangs are.

Incarcerating them could drastically reduce this illegal trade. Any boats intercepted should be escorted back to France.

From: Bob Watson, Baildon.

THE Home Secretary is rightly concerned at the high number of illegal migrants who are currently crossing the Channel, as are many others,

Charities are calling for the Government to establish safe and legal routes for migrants to claim asylum, but why should this be necessary?

All migrants are expected to claim asylum in the first country that they reach, and not cross several borders simply to try and access the UK.

The choice of country in which to claim asylum is not like picking a holiday destination, but far too many seem intent on coming here whatever the cost.

It is time that the vast majority of these migrants (often economic migrants or ones who purposely hide their true identity/age) were returned from whence they came. These routes have indeed to be made “completely unviable”.

From: J Hutchinson, York.

I WATCHED a programme on TV about the children of prominent Nazis. One man was the grandson of the commandant of Auschwitz. In fact, his father grew up in the house next to the camp.

This young man went to the concentration camp and was talking to young Jews when a survivor came and shook his hand.

He said what his grandfather had done was no reflection on the character of the descendants and then gave the young German a hug. Why, when after 70 years, an act of understanding can be so freely given are we supposed to be embarrassed and feel responsible for something that happened 300 years ago?

Perhaps it is time for the descendants of slaves to take a lesson from this old gentleman and realise what is past is past and has no reflection upon modern times.

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Thank you

James Mitchinson