I work as an immigration advisor, although I'm actually leaving in three weeks as I'm doing a masters in social work!

1) Economic migrants are seriously misunderstood, no, they're not horrible leeches, most are perfectly normal people in shitty situations who are following human nature and who are just trying to do their best in life.

2) Most asylum seekers aren't rapists or criminals, if they are disproportionately, that's purely due to serious trauma and poverty, although even if they were rapists, should they be condemned to a possible death due to war, say? Is thievery a capital crime worthy of torture? The fact is, many asylum seekers have been victims or witnesses of sexual abuse, assault or rape, they are far more likely to be victims of this than to be rapists themselves, although in detention centres or in large camps such as near borders in Greece, the cycle of abuse which can occur blurs the boundaries.

3) Most asylum seekers in the UK aren't from warring countries, but rather fleeing political repression and government slavery essentially- that's Eritrea, the North Korea of Africa- or are seeking asylum due to their sexuality.

4) Most people seeking immigration advice are not asylum seekers. Marriage visas, status fuck ups, child custody and child immigration cases, disputed residency, bringing children over, right to family life disputes etc etc.

5) Many are adult men- although why does that matter? They still suffer- but there's also many women, unaccompanied minors and family groups. Asylum seekers, economic migrants and so on are very diverse.

6) They're not parasites, they're fucking human beings, some people are dicks, some people are annoying, some people are pig headed, some people are arrogant, some people are lazy, some people are thoughtless...and some of those people in each category are migrants. Not because they're migrants, but because they're human. More are simply nice, friendly enough and just want to get on with life.

7) I've not met a single person who doesn't want to integrate in some form. That doesn't mean assimilate.

8) Immigrants are being fucked over by the government, financially in particular. Nothing is handed to them willingly. That includes children.

9) Appealing doesn't mean that the person is in the wrong, appealing is very common for immigration courts and cases.

10) No, it's not easy to 'pretend' to be LGBT, first, the proof required for people to claim asylum on the basis is very high, to the point where I, being bi, would not get in, it requires a lot of effort and is very invasive. Even then, you've got to prove that your home country is homophobic.

11) Torture, sexual abuse, violence, all very common among asylum seekers. For both economic migrants and asylum seekers, they're more likely to be at risk of violence than perpetrators.

12) None of them have ever cared about my sex, or have been openly misogynistic. Most are very polite.

13) Economic migrants aren't being greedy, they're fleeing 50%+ unemployment, sometimes no clean water, no healthcare access, no educational access. No, accepting them outside of our strict immigration system for non-EU migrants is rather impractical, but I think everyone should understand why many feel they have to try and emigrate.

14) Immigration alone is the least of most people I've worked with's problems. Financial, emotional and physical domestic abuse, divorce and child custody, health problems, unemployment and housing are the major problems among clients, however problems over status and access to certain benefits or support exacerbates the issue.

15) Yes, I work in a Christian charity, no I'm not Christian. We have a hostel for young people, most of whom aren't Christian. The vast majority of clients are not Christian.