Plans to house more asylum seekers in Carlisle have been revealed.
The Home Office wants to open a site for single adult females in the city – and Carlisle MP John Stevenson said he was concerned about the plans.
Mr Stevenson said he has spoken to Government officials to tell them his concerns and see what can be done to mitigate the impact on the local community.
Mr Stevenson said: “I have spoken with the Home Office about the potential use of a new site in Carlisle to house asylum seekers. I have been assured by Home Office officials that the site will house single female adults only.
“I am in continuing dialogue with the Home Office to seek reassurances that where we have hotels being used in places like Carlisle, applications are being processed in a timely manner to ensure that there is limited impact on the host community. This includes for sites that are already in use.
“As a country, we have always been very welcoming to immigrants, refugees, and asylum seekers. Indeed, here in Carlisle we have welcomed immigrants over the decades who have gone on to make a valuable contribution to our civic life and our country’s prosperity.
“However, there are legitimate concerns about the level of immigration through illegal routes – such as boat crossings – and the real problems this is creating.
“On a national level, I am becoming increasingly frustrated at a system that is allowing the numbers we see arriving illegally. There needs to be immediate action on both the physical border level and the legal level to reduce these numbers.”
