@flamer84 @Blue Marlin @waz @mike2000 is back 'children'.
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'They look older because war has toughened them up': Home Office claims Calais 'child' migrants have been aged by conflict as second wave arrive in the UK
Migrant 'children' arriving in Britain from Calais to critics claiming they look 'old enough to be adults' may appear older 'because war has toughened them up', the Home Office claims.
The second wave of 'child' migrants from the Jungle Camp arrived in Britain at lunchtime today with 300 more set to follow in their footsteps in the coming week.
Refugees, who the Government claims are aged 14 to 17, arrived at the UK Visas and Immigration office in Croydon, south London, by coach as part of a fast-track system to move youngsters from the French migrant camp before it is demolished.
Some waved to the waiting cameras as they stepped off the packed bus before being escorted into the main building by UK border enforcement officers.
The youngsters, from war-torn countries including Syria and Sudan, join the 14 that arrived at the immigration centre yesterday.
They are entitled to move to the UK under EU asylum law due to their family ties to those already in the UK - and 300 more are expected to arrive in the coming days.
It comes as critics claim some of the 'children' arriving look older than their teenage years, and warned that some adults may be posing as children to abuse the scheme.
A second group of migrants have arrived from the Calais jungle camp at the Home Office immigration centre in Croydon, south London, today as part of the fast-track scheme
UK Border Force staff escort a group of unaccompanied minors from the Jungle migrant camp in Calais as they arrive at an immigration centre in Croydon, south London this lunchtime. There is no suggestion those pictured arriving in London today are lying about being under 17
After photographs of the refugees arriving were published, Conservative MP David Davies wrote on Twitter: 'These don't look like 'children' to me. I hope British hospitality is not being abused.'
Meanwhile, Iain McGregor wrote: 'Does the British Foreign Office think we are stupid? I was expecting kids under the age of 16, not over the age of 21.'
Another added: 'When I read child migrants I thought it was youngsters. These are young men!!'. And David Moore said: 'Lie about your age and you get a ride into the land of milk and honey. Don't think they will be asked for ID at the pub.'
Others commented that some of the 'children' had managed to grow facial hair, while Mr Davies questioned why no girls or women had been brought to Britain.
He told
The Telegraph: 'These young men don't look like minors to me. They are hulking teenagers who look older than 18. I'm all for helping the genuine children but the well of goodwill is rapidly being exhausted here.
'I'm also curious that there are no young women - I would have thought they would be much more vulnerable. I worry that once again British hospitality is being abused.
'There is no way of knowing if someone is a child. We could end up causing even more misery if we are not careful. We should invite anyone who wants to come to the UK to take dental tests.'
Officials insist the migrants have undergone rigorous interviews and document checks to establish they are aged under 18. But it has emerged that this is simply a screening process where they are verified as a child based on their 'physical appearance' and 'demeanour', with social workers signing off an 'age assessment'.
A Home Office spokesman admitted that routine medical tests, such as checking dental records, have not been carried out because it could be 'intrusive'.
An aid worker in Calais also raised concerns that adults may be lying about their age to gain entry into Britain.
The worker said: 'It is a complete mess. Those at the front of the queue are not the most needy and vulnerable – they are adults pretending to be children.'
Daniel Gadi, a nine-year-old boy from Eritrea, was also among those still left at the camp.
His father Abaye said he wanted his son to be looked after by his late wife's sister in London, but had not been accepted as he is not an unaccompanied child.
Neha, a British volunteer working in a café for child migrants in the camp, said: 'I know there are vulnerable kids, kids with epilepsy, who are still here that have family in the UK they could be with right now.
'It's a shambles. Children are not being told what they are queuing up for, they are not being given information, there is complete confusion.'
However, a Home Office spokesman said the child migrants may look older because fleeing war zones had 'probably toughened them up so they've grown up a bit quicker'.
Officials insist the migrants underwent rigorous interviews and checks on documents they carried to establish they were aged under 18.
Migrant 'children' arriving in Britain from Calais to critics claiming they look 'old enough to be adults' may look older 'because war has toughened them up', the Home Office claims. Pictured: An Afghani migrant waves as he leaves Saint Omer, France and heads to Britain today
They youngsters are entitled to move to the UK under EU asylum law due to their family ties to those already in the UK - and many more are expected to arrive in the coming days. Pictured: 'Young' migrants place their belongins into a van as they depart Saint Omer, France today
Jan Ghazi said it was 'like a dream' when the first teenagers arrived from the the Calais jungle camp in France included his nephew, Haris. They had a brief embrace yesterday
UK Border Force staff escort the first group of unaccompanied 'minors' (pictured in grey hooded tops) to the Home Office HQ in Croydon. Many claim the boys look 'too old' to be teens
The youngsters (one pictured in a green jacket and another in a red jacket) are the first of dozens of children who are expected to make the same journey across the Channel this week
Many have raised concerns that the 'children' may be adults posing as youngsters to get to Britain. Pictured: One of the group (centre) to arrive into Croydon, south London, yesterday
Speaking to reporters in Croydon in south London, where the teenagers were being processed, he said yesterday: 'I really hope it will be the beginning of some kind of new life experience with none of the horrors they've endured.'
More than 80 unaccompanied children have so far been accepted to Britain under EU asylum law this year, according to the Home Office.
Earlier this year, the government also agreed to accept a limited number of vulnerable refugee children without family ties, but campaigners say that this has yet to be applied.
Charities estimate up to 10,000 migrants from Africa, the Middle East and Asia have settled in the 'Jungle' in the hope of reaching Britain, but French authorities are expected to close it down by the end of the year.
'No child must be left behind in the chaos of demolition,' said Lord Alf Dubs, who fled the Nazis for Britain in 1939 and helped force the change in the law on child refugees.
A Home Office spokeswoman said Britain had agreed to transfer 'as many minors as possible' under EU asylum law before the Calais camp is closed.
She said that those eligible under British law must be looked after while their cases were assessed, adding: 'Work is continuing on both sides of the Channel to ensure this happens as a matter of urgency.'
