Immigration

The unasked question

Not waving. Photo by Jakob Owens on Unsplash

Why do they want to come here?

I’ve just read another think-piece about illegal immigration to the UK.

As usual, the discussion ranged around: stopping small boats; reinforcing border controls; dreaming up tougher immigration policies.

Nobody ever talks about why they want to come here.

They — “they”; ha! We’re talking about human beings here — “they” struggle ashore on the southern coast of Europe.

Then, “they” — the mothers, fathers and children who have survived that first dangerous small-boat crossing and arrived in a safe place — “they” make the decision to travel across the European land mass — the EU — to the western edge.

There, “they” pay dearly for the chance to attempt another dangerous sea-crossing in another small, unseaworthy inflatable dinghy already overloaded with other families.

Why?

And how can we help them?