how does the film relates to current refugee crises around the world. Is the treatment of refugees similar or dissimilar to the treatment of the aliens

The Prawns can be seen as a metaphor for refugees today. The aliens are deprecatingly referred to as “prawns” which provide a further obstacle between them and any aspirations toward attaining a sense of humanity. As far as movie aliens go, the prawns definitely stand out from the crowd for being unique in their concerted anti-humanoid design. They are purposely made to truly look alien and even approach at least a level of repulsiveness. Their hideous appearance engenders a natural reaction of the aliens as monstrous with the coincident expectation that their actions and behavior will match that physical appearance. While the prawns can hardly be said to be innocent and noble savages, their violence is primarily a reactionary one whereas the bulk of humans treat them pretty badly and those in charge at MNU can only fairly be described as infinitely more monstrous in the things they do to the aliens compared to the what the aliens do to humans. Refugees, are also seen, by some, as the "other" and, like the Prawns. not physically or morally desirable.