British government places asylum seekers on military bases: ‘Basic needs, nothing more’ | outside

Last year, more than 45,000 migrants, a record number, reached British shores by crossing the Channel in small boats. Because of this large number, the British asylum system has come under a lot of pressure.

Secretary of State for Immigration Robert Jenrick said in parliament that hotel costs for migrants amount to €2.6 billion for British taxpayers. He pointed out that immigrants staying in hotels led to a decrease in tourism, cancellation of weddings and other losses.

“The reception of immigrants should meet their basic needs, nothing more,” said the Secretary of State. “We must not risk becoming a magnet for the millions of people who flee each year in search of a better economic future.”

The three outposts are located in Essex and East Sussex in the south of England and Lincolnshire in the east. By reusing old barracks and installing move-in-ready buildings, the project should provide shelter to “thousands of asylum seekers,” according to Jenrick.

The foreign secretary, James Cleverly, criticized the plans for the military base in Essex, his constituency. He wrote on Facebook on Tuesday evening that the remote location is not suitable for receiving asylum due to limited transport infrastructure and a narrow road network.

With a tough approach, the conservative British government wants to discourage immigrants from coming to the UK illegally. The controversial plan to send migrants across the Channel to Rwanda without a chance to apply for asylum has been put on hold pending a ruling on the merits. The United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees and the Commissioner for Human Rights in the Council of Europe sharply criticized the plan.