Letter: Honest conversation needed on immigration based on facts, compassion, security, and common sense – not slogans or accusations

We need doctors from India, scientists from Japan, engineers from Brazil, and teachers from across Europe.

We should welcome and support people who come here legally to work, contribute, pay taxes, and become part of our communities.

However, there is a legitimate debate to be had about illegal migration and the asylum system. Many people believe that those who pass through multiple safe countries before arriving in the UK or Ireland should not automatically be granted asylum here.

This is where the line should be drawn. Countries have a responsibility to offer refuge to those genuinely fleeing persecution, but they also have a responsibility to maintain secure borders and ensure that immigration policies work in the interests of their citizens.

Sinn Féin's support for more liberal immigration is a matter of public debate, and voters are entitled to question whether those policies are in the best interests of local communities.

There is nothing racist about wanting the government to prioritise housing, healthcare, education, and opportunities for its own citizens while also maintaining a fair, controlled, and lawful immigration system.

We need an honest conversation based on facts, compassion, security, and common sense – not slogans or accusations from either side of the debate.

John Miller, ex TUV candidate