| Public majority in Britain are of the opinion that illegal | | | | been in the for at least five years. It is estimated |
| immigrants living in the UK, should be allowed to work | | | | that two thirds of illegal immigrants would be eligible. |
| so that they could contribute positively to the UK | | | | The report estimates that regularizing the status of |
| economy. | | | | illegal settlers would result in: |
| In a program entitled, "The Big Question", telecast by | | | | An increase in individual earnings of 25%. |
| BBC recently, the attendees were of the opinion that | | | | An increase in the rate of employment of 6%. |
| it would cost the government an arm and a leg to | | | | An additional GBP3 billion a year in national gross |
| send all the illegal settlers back home. Claims about | | | | domestic product. |
| the number of illegal immigrants living in UK, vary | | | | Amnesties and regularisation programmes have been |
| between 600,000 to three million. There is no way in | | | | common in a number of Countries, including in France. |
| which we can judge the authenticity of the illegal | | | | The amnesty idea was first mentioned by Boris |
| immigrants in UK. A technocrat said, "it would take | | | | Johnson more than a year ago in April 2008. This |
| the Home Office 35 years to send all the illegal | | | | sparked widespread controversy. The Immigration |
| immigrants back home - if their number remains the | | | | Minister at the time Phil Woolas said that it would lead |
| same." | | | | to more people trafficking. |
| A representative from the London Mayor's Office | | | | The LSE research came as a Commons public |
| said that illegal immigrants should not be given a | | | | accounts committee report showed it would be at |
| Carte blanche. Instead a restricted permission to | | | | least another four years before the UK Border |
| work in UK for five years would be a step in the | | | | Agency reached its "optimum capacity" to remove |
| right direction. Those granted amnesty during these | | | | failed asylum seekers. |
| five years should be monitored closely and if they | | | | Only 12,000 were removed last year. The MPs' report |
| are found contributing positively to the society | | | | said Home Office staff on asylum cases are still using |
| without committing any crime or creating a law and | | | | fax machines, paper files and handwritten interview |
| order situation, only then such illegal immigrants status | | | | notes and will not have a better IT system until 2013. |
| should be further regularised. | | | | It will also take four years to expand the availability |
| It may be worthwhile to add that a study | | | | of detention spaces to the 4,000 needed to step up |
| commissioned by the London Mayor Boris Johnson | | | | the pace of removals. |
| had recently suggested that an immigration amnesty | | | | The Home Office told the MPs that it was on track |
| would lead to a GBP3 billion boost to the economy. | | | | to finish working through the backlog of 400,000 to |
| The London School of Economics study also | | | | 450,000 cases, some of which date back years. The |
| concludes that an amnesty would not lead to large | | | | backlog will finally be cleared by 2011. |
| scale illegal immigration, as border controls would | | | | Edward Leigh, chairman of the public accounts |
| prevent this happening. The report's findings were | | | | committee, said: "The process of coming to decisions |
| welcomed by Boris Johnson. | | | | on whether to grant asylum is still too slow." |
| The main points in that report are as follows: | | | | UK Border Agency has turned down the idea of |
| Estimates that there are 618,000 illegal migrants in | | | | giving amnesty to illegal immigrants. A spokesman of |
| the UK. | | | | UKBA said: |
| More than two-thirds 442,000 are in London. | | | | 'The policy on an amnesty for illegal immigrants |
| If illegal immigrants were given legal status in the then | | | | remains unchanged and is very clear - there will be no |
| GBP 846 million a year would be raised in taxes. | | | | amnesty. Those here illegally should go home. |
| The public sector costs of granting indefinite leave to | | | | 'We have a proud tradition of offering sanctuary to |
| remain would be about GBP410 million a year. | | | | those who truly need our help, but to grant an |
| Total costs could rise to GBP1 billion a year in the long | | | | amnesty would create a significant pull factor to the |
| term if the immigrants receive welfare benefits and | | | | UK and would undermine the asylum system as a |
| public sector housing. | | | | whole. |
| The proposed amnesty would be for those who had | | | | |