NationStates Jolt Archive

I just heard in the news that the Australian Navy has intercepted a boat near Christmas Island because they didn't think it was seaworthy. On board are 85 men from Sri Lanka who wanted to reach the island (which is Australian territory).

My first reaction was "Well, get them off that boat and in here!"

Which then made me think...I know I'm not the only person in the world who thinks immigrants are actual people who need and deserve help in a difficult time. I deliver pizzas, so maybe I can't afford a new family member for a year or so, but there have to be plenty of people who can.

Rather than detention centres, wouldn't it be much better to give people the opportunity to sign up for a program to help these guys by giving them a place to stay and introducing them to life in whatever country it happens to be?

It would:

a) save money for the government
b) eliminate the need for these atrocious prisons in which people are being kept just because they had the dream to start a new life
c) be much nicer for the immigrants and greatly help with integration

What do you reckon?

Of course this wouldn't be even considered by Howard because it would encourage illegal immigration.

ok, here is this immigrant's POV on the matter:

putting people in detention centres is stupid. Not only they will suffer there... from the fault of the government, but they will also be a drainig resource on the state money.

I have been out of my country for 7 years now. While I have never been an illegal immigrant ( communist and post communist education affording me enough letters after my name to not need such extreme measures), I know a thing or two about being an immigrant.

From the country that receives immigrants's POV, an immigrant is a better investment than a native. Why?

Most countries in the civilised world invest a certain degree of money into education for their young'uns. In return, the young'uns are supposed to grow up and become tax payers that keep the system going. This is to some extent, the social contract.

I'm an immigrant. I came to this country fully trained, therefore it hasn't invested any money in me ( child tax credits, schooling, etc). Yet, I pay the same amount of tax as the locals.

Considering that most Western countries have a negative population increase, from their POV it is necessary to ensure that the number of tax payers is maintained in order to keep the system going, isn't it?

The situation you talk about happens in England as well. Asylum seekers- some of them legitimate ( emphasis on some of them), are being kept in poor conditions, paid for by the state, and the time to fully process an asylum claim- getting into the country, receiving asylum seeker status and housing, investigation, going to court, having first claim rejected, appealing, etc) takes 3 to 5 years.

Why not let them work and fend for themselves instead of keeping them in humiliating and shitty conditions?

this "adopt an immigrant" idea is a valid one from a humanitarian POV, and in the name of all immigrants I know, I thank thee.

Too bad it wouldn't work because most people are selfish assholes

It's an interesting idea, and although could be open to abuse, I don't see why it couldn't be made safe. We foster children, after all.

Better than dumping people in London or detention camps, at any rate.

Id happily look after some random family fleeing from an African warlord or something, but as it has been said it would be abused.

Human traffickers just really wouldnt give up on a chance to get big £££ for this and they would seriously abuse the system. There would have to be safety checks, etc, which would take ages and be a big drain on financing.

But i like the idea :) almost as brilliant as some of mine...

My opinions of illegal immigration aside, it's an interesting proposal. With 85 people it might even work.

However, with more people, you'll quickly run out of volunteers to adopt the immigrants. Most people wouldn't be willing to spend their time and money to take care of an immigrant; I know I wouldn't, even if I did have enough to spare. Eventually there could be hundreds, if not thousands of people waiting for someone to adopt them.

There are several possibilities to solving this problem. Perhaps those, who aren't adopted, could be sent back to their country? Or maybe they could be held in some kind of waiting centers? Or just release them into the public? In other words, the options are pretty much the same as you'd have without the adoption system.

After a closer examination, it seems to me that although your idea is well-meaning, its impact would be rather insignificant.

sounds like transportation to me :p

Did someone suggest bringing back slavery??

If so sign me up for one. I f*cking hate housework.

For a while, I briefly volunteered with an organisation that did something like that:

http://www.rods.sk.ca/

Basically, we 'adopted' a Cambodian family. When they arrived, we helped them furnish their house, gave the father a bicycle so he could get to work, our neighbour (a landscape architect) found the father a job at a local greenhouse. Had them over for supper, etc.

Good times were had by all.

For a while, I briefly volunteered with an organisation that did something like that...
Awesome.

Though that would be after all the legal stuff has gone through, and after the guys were released from whatever holding centres there are, right?