Asylum: seeking the truth behind the headlines

Jessica Waldman argues that political and media portrayals of asylum seekers are misleading.

''The inherently confusing nature of the subject has left it vulnerable to exploitation by the right wing media and the populist, anti-immigration manifesto commitments of both the Labour and Conservative parties.'' ''In 2005 only 1,895 people were awarded asylum. This number is not nearly great enough to be liable for the extensive lists of problems that the stereotypical asylum seeker is blamed for.''

When researching this subject, I was drawn to the complicated definitions and legal procedures surrounding the asylum seeking process. I began to see that the inherently confusing nature of the subject has left it vulnerable to exploitation by the right wing media and the populist, anti-immigration manifesto commitments of both the Labour and Conservative parties.

These pervasive influences have played a key part in labelling the asylum seeker, exacerbating racial tensions, and providing a scapegoat upon which society’s grievances can be unloaded.

Confusion
Much of the unfair media coverage stems from a general confusion over the use of immigration’s principal terms. It’s only by deciphering the jargon that we can identify its misuse.

The label ‘asylum seeker’ is itself problematic because it doesn’t tell us whether or not the person has a genuine claim. An asylum seeker is someone who is in the process of applying for the right to remain in a country, having fled from his or her homeland due to persecution, widespread conflict or natural disaster. Asylum seekers are often confused with illegal immigrants who are unknown to the authorities and have no official status in the country they are living in.

Political manipulation
Undeniably the current process needs to be altered. However, simplistic and cynical slogans such as those used in the 2005 Tory election campaign only serve to deepen existing racial divisions. Data suggests that non-white Britons are the least welcoming to refugees (based on evidence from the Princess Diana Trust). The fact that a subject previously confined to the extremist right featured prominently on both Labour and Conservative manifestos is worrying in itself. Reform is necessary but, by advocating a non-compassionate approach, politicians set a poor precedent for the tolerance and respect they preach in other social issues.

Exaggeration
Contrary to media portrayal, those awarded asylum actually make up a tiny proportion of the total number of people who migrate to Britain. In 2005 only 1,895 people were awarded asylum, with a further 4,170 people being given other forms of leave to remain. This number is not nearly great enough to be liable for the extensive lists of problems that the stereotypical asylum seeker is blamed for.

Change
Instead of further alienating disrupted and often-traumatised refugees in British secondary schools by blaming them for poor overall GCSE performance, the media could act as a responsible educating force. Surely the government has a duty to adapt schools to communities, rather than the other way around.

If progress is to be made, it’s essential that asylum reporting change. I believe that education is key to improving this situation, through:

· Clarification of terms, and the realities of the asylum seeking process.
· Better education in schools about the conflicts that asylum seekers flee from.
· More support for asylum seekers learning English, which will in turn enable them to play a greater role in society.