n Shahid Malik MP Remove minority quickly
Worry over failed asylum cases
FAILED Kurdish asylum seekers should be sent back to Iraq, a senior Kirklees politician has said.
Dewsbury MP Shahid Malik added he had been inundated with complaints about gun and knife crime involving a minority of young men who have been refused asylum.
He said: "Failed asylum seekers should be removed quickly.
"I see no reason why Iraqi Kurds cannot return to their homeland which, unlike the rest of the country, is stable and safe.
"If they want to come to Britain to work they should apply through the normal immigration channels.
"The asylum process must not be abused by people using it as a back-door route to economic migration."
But the MP added that Britain should continue to offer refuge to those fleeing persecution.
Mr Malik has received complaints about a minority of failed asylum seekers involved in shootings, knife crime and anti-social behaviour.
He said: "Complaints included elderly people living next-door to dozens of young men who make noise late at night.
"Some middle-aged people are frightened to walk the streets because of gangs loitering and young people are in fear of knife crime.
"My fear is that it is only a matter of time before some of this violence and trouble could prove fatal."
Mr Malik raised these issues with minister for immigration Liam Byrne this week.
He said: "I would like to see Dewsbury being used for a pilot project involving police and immigration services to reduce criminality associated with gangs of failed asylum seekers."
