'They look older because war has toughened them up'

[Vergennes]

@flamer84 @Blue Marlin @waz @mike2000 is back 'children'.
-
'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.'

 

[Vergennes]

In total more than 140 unaccompanied children have been accepted into the UK under the Dublin Regulation, with more than 80 from France.

Around 300 unaccompanied children with family already in the UK will be brought across the Channel by the end of the week, according to French police.

Police chiefs in Calais said a coach load of children were transferred to Britain yesterday and officials planned to take similar numbers every day this week.

A team of British officials were sent to Calais to help French officials speed up the transfer of minors ahead of the demolition.

Under a law known as the Dublin Regulation, children with close relatives in the UK can seek asylum in this country regardless of whether they have sought asylum elsewhere.

A number of other 'at-risk' unaccompanied children are also allowed following the Dubs Amendment to the Immigration Act that was passed in May.

A Home Office spokesman said 'essential checks' have been carried out on these young people, including security checks, verifying their ages and confirming their identities and eligibility to come to the UK.

Chef Asif Khan, 25, said his 14-year-old brother Aimal was among those who arrived yesterday. The brothers have not seen each other for more than a decade after Asif fled their home in Afghanistan.

Asif, who has lived in Britain for 11 years, said he was simply looking forward to giving his little brother a hug.

He said: 'I really appreciate this. My brother was in Calais for the last six months.

'It was a blessing to receive him from there. I'm really happy. His journey was so difficult, it was by walking, by bus to Calais.

'He gets a new life now, because there are many people who died in Calais.'

Other members of the group who arrived in Croydon were taken away in a coach last night for another day of assessment and screening. One man had a chance to embrace his relative through the coach's open window.

The man, Jan Ghazi, 37, from Wallington, south London, said seeing his 16-year-old nephew Haris, who fled his family home in Afghanistan after the Taliban murdered his father, two sisters and a brother, was like a 'dream'.

A brother Haris escaped with was later murdered by people traffickers.

'Many children will sleep safely in warm beds tonight but in the coming days we must make sure every last child with a right to sanctuary here is brought to safety.'

Campaigners say they have identified hundreds of children in the camp who have a right to come to the UK, either because they have family ties here under the so-called Dublin regulations, or through the Dubs amendment.

Claims of asylum must normally be made in the first safe country a migrant arrives in - but children can have applications transferred to any country a relative is living in.

The Government has faced criticism over efforts to identify and transfer youngsters through the routes.

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/art...d-conflict-REFUSE-carry-intrusive-checks.html

 

[flamer84]

They re practically toddlers.......

 

[Talwar e Pakistan]

Many of them arent even from war-torn countries.

 

[Aryzin]

Those are children? Europe has enough issues as it is. They certainly don't need a bunch head choppers to come in. These people are not even close to European culture and identity. Better keep them with their own .

I would like to know why do European countries have to host these folk. Plenty of land in Arab lands. Muslims have plenty of open space to keep these.

 

[randomradio]

They all look like teens. Pretty normal.

Not it makes me wonder how British teens look like.

 

[Fenrir]

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

Look, if this guy was Norwegian I'd give him the benefit of the doubt:

But with that stubble? Yeah, you're not fooling anyone bud. Some of the others do look like young adults though, but not all of them.

 

[waz]

Right folks, I teach young men for a living, and I have taught every possible minority in the UK, including Afghans and Arabs. None of these men in the pictures are of secondary school age. Most are in their early 20's, some older. This has now become the norm i.e. to lie about your age in order to meet family members already in the UK. The government is ruling out dental checks as they are considered to "intrusive". There has been an outpouring of rage from the publication of these pictures, after many wet behind the ears "campaigners" kept on talking about bringing the "young vulnerable children" to the UK. I expect this is just the beginning, this isn't going to wash with the people.
All hail the "child" refugees.

@flamer84 @Blue Marlin @waz @mike2000 is back 'children'.
-
'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.'

Have you also noticed there are no women? Apparently the few girls that were at the camp have "disappeared".

 

[Chinese-Dragon]

Seem to be mostly young men of fighting age.

 

[TheNoob]

Those are children? Europe has enough issues as it is. They certainly don't need a bunch head choppers to come in. These people are not even close to European culture and identity. Better keep them with their own .

I would like to know why do European countries have to host these folk. Plenty of land in Arab lands. Muslims have plenty of open space to keep these.

Like what?
Gulf states are just as much responsible for their freaking situation, Where else would they go?

 

[waz]

Seem to be mostly young men of fighting age.

That's exactly what they i.e. they ran away from their countries. With all these young men abandoning their homelands, who will build their countries? Why should other countries be bothered with them?

 

[Vergennes]

Right folks, I teach young men for a living, and I have taught every possible minority in the UK, including Afghans and Arabs. None of these men in the pictures are of secondary school age. Most are in their early 20's, some older. This has now become the norm i.e. to lie about your age in order to meet family members already in the UK. The government is ruling out dental checks as they are considered to "intrusive". There has been an outpouring of rage from the publication of these pictures, after many wet behind the ears "campaigners" kept on talking about brining the "young vulnerable children" to the UK. I expect this is just the beginning, this isn't going to wash with the people.
All hail the "child" refugees.

That makes me feel sick that very vulnerable children,sometimes uncacompanied are still in this dirty camp,sometimes being abused by other 'refugees',young innocent,and they are at the end of the queue....
Those uneeded men are ready to do everything to get to the UK,even claiming to be children,but you don't need to be a magician whatsoever to know they aren't 'children'. I mean look at the first guy,seriously.

Have you also noticed there are no women? Apparently the few girls that were at the camp have "disappeared".

The vast majority of the people in the jungle are men,violent men,all king of oppotunists who think that coming illegally to countries,rioting,destroying everything,terrorising local populations and drivers will make them feel wanted or whatever. They don't know that nor France or the UK want them,they are an uneeded burden.

Let's be serious one minute.

 

[MarkusS]

That's exactly what they i.e. they ran away from their countries. With all these young men abandoning their homelands, who will build their countries? Why should other countries be bothered with them?

Is this comedy? They look like 25 - 35 years old.

Why is teh UK bringing them in? In italy we even send "children" back Sudan and Eritrea without medical checks.

I dont understand this. They laugh about you.

 

[Blue Marlin]

They re practically toddlers.......

thank god, also there tooooooooooo young to come here. the cold weather will give them a cold

 

[khujliwal]

My relative and her hubby are well settled general practitioners in UK. Yet they are planning to migrate to Canada along with two kids and start afresh. Understandably so.
UK had a very strict skilled migration program. Wasn't expecting this laxity in allowing refugees.