I made the point that genuine asylum seekers are not 'illegals'; however, when they arrive via criminal people trafficker routes, who also traffic many who are not genuine asylum seekers, then they are taking part in an illegal and unsafe activity.
The fact that there is no alternative, should receive sympathetic consideration, but still it does not make the act of people trafficking in small boats either safe or legal and any government has to solve that problem first, if only because the media and the vast majority of the public demand it. Further more the likelihood of a 'proper' search for alternatives being found, will not receive any urgent consideration until the arrival of people, asylum seekers or whoever, on small boats is stopped.
There are methods and those with full identity paperwork and proof of the dangers they face and the persecution they fear that makes them legitimate asylum seekers, should use these methods, but we all know these methods are cumbersome and take too long and so people head to the people traffickers and illegal transportation.
Any government in the UK will have to stop the boats before they get public support to look for alternatives.
I agree, there are better solutions, safer and quicker, but the government, any government cannot undertake such alternatives until the issue of criminal gangs illegally trafficking 'legal asylum seekers' along with others who have no such claim, is ended.
I do believe the present government is making this a bigger issue than it should be, for political purposes, but anyone who thinks a change of government will see the small boats issue accepted, is living in dream land. End the small boats issue then there is a way forward to be found
Any trafficking of people across borders, without due process is, illegal. Asylum seekers are not illegal because of who they are, but how they have chosen to arrive, by paying criminal gangs to take them. Similarly women who have chosen/agreed to be trafficked over borders and who are paying for this are taking part in an illegal activity, if they are forced into illegal trafficking routes, then they have been kidnapped victims and have not chosen that route of their own free will.