From The Economist:

This week it emerged that 88 of Slough’s Roma are unaccompanied minors. The young migrants came in small sibling groups, travelling in the backs of lorries for €75 (£51) apiece. Six had babies of their own, and seven were pregnant.

Lone minors of any nationality are entitled to a bed, a £45 ($89) weekly food allowance, a one-off £100 clothing grant, health care and, if they are under 16, free schooling. Perversely, being accompanied by an adult would immediately deprive them of these benefits.

That’s pretty cool. Children fleeing poverty in their home country by migrating alone. Some say they are parasites, leeching off the good will of the British taxpayer, but I say if the taxpayer is going to give a free handout to all comers, can you really blame those who take it? A decent education plus free board and lodging sounds like a good deal to me. I’m surprised Romania hasn’t dumped all its kids on us yet.

Sadly, this shows how open borders and the free movement of people are fundamentally hampered by the existence of the Welfare State. Borders should be security boundaries, designed to keep bad guys out, not generosity boundaries designed to keep welfare in.