If illegal immigrants are still miffed about the possibility of a one-way ticket home from the U.S., they may want to consider furling their Mexican flags, packing their bags, and high-tailing it to England. Once they hit British soil, it is merely a matter of declaring themselves to be "asylum seekers." At that point, they will have it made in the proverbial shade.
Americans have been up in arms about the impact illegal immigrants have had on safety, housing, medical care, and social services. Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson was recently accused of pandering to white liberals while ignoring the cries of his other constituents, many of them black and Latino. However, the UK has long been held up as an example of the dumpster fire that could engulf the U.S., and with good reason.
For example, the Telegraph notes that local councils around the UK have spent £141 million ($176,490,090.51) on the care of asylum seekers. It would appear that the sum does not include hotel stays, food, and probably access to socialized medicine.
That price tag encompassed funding for PlayStation consoles, yoga lessons, driving instruction, lessons on how to be a DJ, tickets to football matches, and, for some reason that defies all logic, lessons in "circus skills."
The PlayStation consoles are outrageous enough, but circus skills? Who needs circus skills other than circus performers? Is that humanitarian aid? That is a question for a whole other column, but the paper said that various local councils across the UK also spent money on bus passes, bicycles, laptops, and mobile phones.
While the UK is decidedly hostile to Christians silently praying in proximity to abortion clinics, it is a bit friendlier to other faiths. The Telegraph reported:
Councils also paid thousands for specific religious celebrations in the wake of around 30,000 arrivals from Afghanistan after the Taliban took Kabul in 2021.
Labour-led Halton council in Cheshire has spent a total of £5,000 of Home Office grant funding on Iftar dinners – the meal which breaks the Ramadan fast – since 2022. In 2024, the council was warned it would effectively go bankrupt after going more than £20 million over budget.
Southwark council, led by Labour, has spent £64,000 since 2022 on “catering materials” through Panjshir Aid, a charity which supports the Afghan community.
Cheshire West and Chester has spent £2,235 on transport to Eid prayers since 2022, while Middlesbrough paid £1,400 in 2023 for a Koran reading session.
The audit, which the Telegraph conducted, goes back to 2022.
All of this largesse is courtesy of the UK's taxpayers, and this news comes as these people have been worried about tax hikes, including council taxes.
Reform UK MP Rupert Lowe told the paper:
It is pure insanity. What message does this send to the millions looking to make the journey? No computer games, driving lessons, phones, laptops, or whatever else. They should receive a one-way plane ticket. Overall, the waste is simply staggering. How can the drain on the public purse be justified at a time when we’re all being asked to pay so much more? Every single penny being spent on this nonsense should be urgently reviewed, and if it doesn’t represent value for the British taxpayer, cancel the contract as soon as possible.
Elon Musk and the DOGE crew have their hands full at the moment, but after they get a breather and a cup of coffee, it might be interesting to see how much federal money the U.S. has similarly used. Very interesting, indeed.
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