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intelligence. It means international police cooperation. It means following the money. And it means making the organisers, rather than simply the passengers, the main target. ### The second weakness: processing Once somebody arrives in Britain and claims asylum, the government has to deal with the claim. That requires people to register the claim, establish identity where possible, gather information, examine the circumstances and make a decision. When there are more cases coming into the system than the system can process, a backlog develops. A backlog creates another problem. The longer people wait, the more expensive the system becomes. Accommodation is required. Staff are required. Legal processes continue. And the public becomes increasingly frustrated because there appears to be no clear end point. A good immigration system therefore needs something that sounds remarkably simple: **Fast, accurate decisions.** If somebody has a genuine need for protection, they should know as quickly as possible. If somebody does not have a legal basis to remain, that person should also know as quickly as possible. Leaving people in limbo for years helps nobody. ### The third weakness: returns This is perhaps one of the most difficult parts of the whole problem. A government can decide that somebody does not have a right to remain. That does not necessarily mean that person can be put on a plane the next morning. The receiving country has to accept them. The person's identity may need to be established. Travel documents may be required. There may be legal appeals. There may be other practical obstacles. This is why the phrase **?just deport them?** sounds easier than it actually is. But that does not mean returns are unimportant. Quite the opposite. A system that rarely removes people who have no right to remain can eventually lose public confidence. People begin to believe that the decision itself means very little. That is dangerous for any immigration system. ### The fourth weakness: incentives There is another question that cannot be avoided. What makes somebody choose Britain? The answer will not be the same for everyone. Some people may have family here. Some may believe Britain offers greater opportunities. Some may believe they will receive better protection. Some may simply believe that once they reach Britain, they will be able to stay. Whatever the reason, smugglers sell the idea that the journey is worthwhile. If that belief can be changed, the number of people willing to pay smugglers may also change. This is why simply making the boats harder to launch may not be enough. If demand remains high, the smugglers will keep looking for another way. ### The fifth weakness: public confidence There is one part of the system that governments sometimes underestimate. **Public confidence.** People need to believe that the immigration system is fair. They need to believe that the rules mean something. They need to believe that genuine refugees can receive protection. They also need to believe that people who have no legal right to remain will eventually leave. When people lose that confidence, anger grows. And when anger grows, political debate becomes more extreme. That is not good for anyone. A government should therefore be thinking not only about numbers. It should also be thinking about whether ordinary people understand what is happening and believe that the system is under control. ### So where do we go from here? We now have a clearer picture. The problem is not one single thing. It is a chain. **Smugglers ? journeys ? arrivals ? asylum claims ? decisions ? appeals ? returns.** If one part of that chain fails, pressure appears