This is followed by 'the men', which infers that there is a large group of soldiers tagging behind, emphasising the impact felt by the immigrants. Compassion is evoked by this concept of being trapped and accentuates the idea of exercising sympathy towards the immigrants. From these two contrasting ideas, Muir essentially poses a question as to whether the officers should action judicial order or sympathy on the illegal immigrants.
Despite the formality of the conduct by the officers, there is a distinct difference between the law enforcers and the immigrants in characterisation and opinion. Muir suggests that the officers are significantly better than the immigrants, which draws connotations of racism, discrimination and prejudice. Although the race of the immigrants is unknown, from the situation is can be assumed that the immigrants are escaping an undesirable place. The harsh, intense questioning of the immigrants asking 'where we have come from' and 'whose country or camp we plot for or betray' shows the immediate and unnecessary assumption that the immigrants are there to threaten the country. This assumption makes the officers seem very ignorant and aggressive. The use of commas between the questions, 'now, who, what we are,', creates a sense of an endless list, symbolising rigour and monotony. This is halted by a period at the end of 'plot or betray.'. The sudden pause infers silence as the pace slows, while creating tension and suspense. This emphasises the intensity of the interrogation and again, evokes sympathy towards the immigrants which lowers their status while making the officers seem like "the bad guys".
Muir presents the theme of longing half way through the poem, where the tone changes dramatically from a solemn, almost frightened tone as the immigrants 'stood by and waited' to hopefulness and lightness as just beyond 'the hedge the careless lovers go by'.