Category: News

Home Affairs Sub-committee: deadline 3 February 2025

The Home Office has a duty to provide housing and subsistence to asylum seekers who are awaiting a decision on their claim and are destitute.

Asylum accommodation is primarily delivered by private providers through the Asylum Accommodation and Support Services Contracts (AASC). Home Office spending on asylum accommodation and support has increased significantly in recent years, from £739 million in 2019-20 to £4.7 billion in 2023-4.

The Home Affairs Committee has launched an inquiry into asylum accommodation. The inquiry will focus on how asylum accommodation is currently delivered, how the Home Office has managed the AAS contracts, and what lessons can be learned and applied to delivery of asylum accommodation in the future. The inquiry will also look at the impact that the current approach to delivering asylum accommodation has on local areas, and how the Home Office works with local partners, particularly local authorities.

Continue reading “Asylum accommodation – call for evidence”

People with a claim under modern slavery rules for Leave to Remain often have an asylum case because of their situation …

11 December 2024: Inspection report published: An inspection of the Immigration Enforcement Competent Authority (January – June 2024)

This inspection examined the performance of the Immigration Enforcement Competent Authority since its establishment in 2021.

This inspection examined the performance of the Immigration Enforcement Competent Authority (IECA), assessing its practices and processes for making decisions, its approach to assuring the timeliness and quality of those decisions, and its management of safeguarding issues.  

The inspection was initiated by my predecessor, David Neal, and the bulk of the evidence was gathered in January and February 2024. However, it was not possible to conclude the inspection in the usual manner as there was no Independent Chief Inspector in post from 21 February to 3 June 2024. In June, I asked the Home Office for some additional information and updated evidence. My report, including the Key Findings and Recommendations, reflects both the original evidence and this new material.     

Continue reading “ICIBI report: modern slavery decision-making”

19 Nov 2024: NACCCOM: Annual data briefing 2023-2024

Bridget Young, Director of NACCOM, said;

“Our research shows that thousands of people each year are needlessly pushed into destitution and homelessness as they go through the asylum and immigration system. No one should have to experience trauma, hardship and injustice simply because of their immigration status, but this is the reality for so many.  

 “Every member of our communities should be able to thrive, not just survive, but that’s impossible when you don’t have a safe or stable home, or enough to eat. Urgent change is needed to ensure that the asylum and immigration system doesn’t keep driving up levels of destitution and homelessness, and fuelling injustice in refugee and migrant communities.”

---

NACCOM’s latest Annual Survey data reveals that destitution and homelessness in migrant and refugee communities are on the rise in the UK, with thousands of people in the asylum and wider immigration system routinely experiencing trauma and hardship.

Our annual data briefing, Understanding destitution and homelessness in the asylum and immigration system, paints a comprehensive – and shocking – picture of the extent, impact and root causes of migrant destitution and homelessness in 2023/2024, and shines a spotlight on the increasing complexity of service provision in the sector, as voluntary organisations adapt to a turbulent policy landscape.

A hostile and failing asylum and immigration system, coupled with a chronic lack of social and affordable housing, and a general increase in demand for emergency homelessness assistance, are driving up levels of destitution and homelessness in migrant communities. NACCOM’s inspiring and dedicated frontline members continue to provide a vital safety net, but local capacity often can’t meet soaring demand, and unsustainable pressure is being placed on the voluntary sector – a bold programme of action is needed. 

The briefing also lays out a set of recommendations for policy reform to ensure that the asylum and immigration system doesn’t actively drive up levels of destitution and homelessness, as it is currently doing.

Read more here: https://naccom.org.uk/launching-our-new-data-briefing-2024-understanding-destitution-and-homelessness-in-the-asylum-and-immigration-system/

Continue reading “UK charity declares ‘refugee homelessness emergency’ as numbers hit record high”

19 Nov 2024: Open Democracy: Immigration crackdown sees British modern slavery victims imprisoned

Revealed: Former government’s anti-immigration laws have had horrifying consequences for modern slavery victims

In October 2022, the Home Office made what could have been viewed as a small change to its ministerial responsibilities. It stripped the safeguarding minister of the modern slavery brief, which it moved into the portfolio of the illegal immigration and asylum minister.

The change followed months of briefings from the then Conservative government that dangerous criminals, including terrorists and rapists, were “gaming” the modern slavery system by pretending they were victims of exploitation to avoid deportation.

Two years on, openDemocracy has analysed government data and spoken to academics and experts working to support modern slavery victims. We have uncovered that the former government’s ministerial change and accompanying legislation that equated modern slavery to migration has had two major impacts – with horrifying consequences for vulnerable victims.

Read more here: https://www.opendemocracy.net/en/british-modern-slavery-victims-prison-immigration-crackdown-small-boats

19 November 2024: Memorandum of Understanding between the Independent Chief Inspector of Borders and Immigration and His Majesty’s Chief Inspector of Prisons

This is good news – the Independent Chief Inspector of Borders and Immigration and HP Chief Inspector of Prisons have previously worked on inquiries, for example in relation to Penally and Napier camps, but this new document make transparent the ways in which they intend to collaborate –

https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/memorandum-of-understanding-between-the-the-independent-chief-inspector-of-borders-and-immigration-and-his-majestys-chief-inspector-of-prisons

24 October 2024: Inspection report published: An inspection of contingency asylum accommodation (November 2023 – June 2024)

The report by David Bolt, Independent Chief Inspector of Borders & Immigration – ICIBI and his team on contingency asylum accommodation has been released.

See the Chief Inspector’s comments here: https://www.gov.uk/government/news/inspection-report-published-an-inspection-of-contingency-asylum-accommodation-november-2023-june-2024

and the report, plus Home Office response here:

• An inspection of contingency asylum accommodation November 2023 – June 2024
• The Home Office responses to the Chief Inspector’s reports

16 October 2024: BBC: Migrant took own life after ‘multiple failings’ at UK detention centre

An inquest jury has found “multiple failings” and “missed opportunities” at an immigration detention centre contributed to a Colombian man taking his own life in 2023.

The coroner examining the death of Frank Ospina said he had been let down by the state “in numerous ways” which were “utterly regretful”.

Continue reading “Migrant took his own life after multiple failings at UK detention centre”

Saturday 12 October 2024: Guardian: Calls for investigation of Uber Eats and Deliveroo after raid on Bristol caravan camp

Migrant workers accuse Home Office of targeting the victims of labour exploitation rather than companies profiting from them

Migrant workers living in a caravan encampment raided by immigration enforcement officers have accused the Home Office of targeting the victims of labour exploitation rather than companies profiting from the hidden economy.

Continue reading “Calls for investigation of Uber Eats and Deliveroo after raid on Bristol caravan camp”

1 October 2024: Rethinking Security: Alternative Security Review

The Alternative Security Review was undertaken to create public dialogue in the UK on human and ecological security. It aims to show that there are other ways of creating security strategies, centring human and ecological security in policymaking.

Public engagement has been an important part of the Alternative Security Review. As well as the formal research activities that sought the opinions of ordinary people, such as the surveys and photovoice research, we ran a several informal projects as part of the ASR.

In the early stages of the project, we convened a series of Roundtable Discussions with Civil Society to explore the state of human security issues in the UK. What do groups working on or experiencing insecurity think about the government’s attitude towards and policy on human security? Where are the links with militarised ‘national security’? Does ‘national security’ harm the human security of certain groups within the UK? And what about climate breakdown?

• Read the full report
• Read the executive summary

Read more on the different components of the project here, and read the Executive and Full Reports: https://rethinkingsecurity.org.uk/alternative-security-review/

26 September 2024: Gov.uk: Independent report : Historical Roots of the Windrush Scandal: independent research report

‘What this history tells us, above all, is that individual episodes or events do not happen in chronological isolation. Government departments operate in societies with long and complex histories which affect both the formulation and also the effects of policy. In the case of the Windrush Scandal, the ‘hostile environment’ policies implemented in the 2010s did not consider properly the people whose lives and heritage have been defined by the events described in this report.’

Executive summary: Learning lessons from history

This report tells two stories alongside one another. The first story it tells is that of the administration of what might loosely be called ‘immigration policy’ in the United Kingdom, in which the movement of people across the borders of the British Isles was periodically restricted and controlled. The second story it tells is that of the history of black people and other ethnic minorities in Britain, whose lives were profoundly shaped by the politics of race in the British Empire and, latterly, the United Kingdom.

Continue reading “The Historical Roots of the Windrush Scandal”

3 September 2024: Guardian: Women fleeing rape face coercion and control by Home Office contractors

Survey says refugee women are subjected to voyeurism and sexual harassment by male staff at hotels

Women who have fled rape, forced marriage and sexual exploitation are being subjected to coercion and control by Home Office contractors in hotels, according to new research.

The charity Women for Refugee Women has carried out the first research specifically focusing on the experiences of women in Home Office asylum seeker hotels. The researchers include seven women who have previously lived in such accommodation.

Continue reading “Women fleeing rape face coercion and control by Home Office contractors”

30 August 2024: Guardian: UK immigration strategy increases risk of exploitation, say charities

Home secretary urged to to make it easier for undocumented migrants to regularise their immigration status

The government’s policy of ramping up immigration raids and detaining and deporting undocumented migrants is driving more people underground and increasing their risks of exploitation, dozens of charities have warned.

In a letter on Friday, coordinated by Migrant Voice, more than 80 organisations including Care4Calais, City of Sanctuary UK, Anti-Slavery International, Doctors of the World UK and Safe Passage International are calling on the home secretary to make it easier for undocumented migrants to regularise their immigration status so they can work with less risk of falling prey to exploitative employers and human trafficking gangs.

Continue reading “UK immigration strategy increases risk of exploitation, say charities”

Thank you BFAWU: https://www.facebook.com/share/p/cFCL7WHTMacH5tDs/

6 August 2024: JCWI: Our statement on the racist attacks across the UK

The escalation of far-right, racist and Islamophobic violence against our communities in recent days is horrifying. These targeted attacks on migrants, Muslims and people of colour do not occur in isolation – they are the direct result of years of racist, dehumanising policies and language being peddled by our politicians and the media.  

The far right has been emboldened by hateful media narratives and a race to the bottom in migration policies, with established parties battling it out to see who can enact the most cruelly and publicly.  

Now, we see the results – people up and down the country are scared for their lives, terrified that they have a target on their backs because of the colour of their skin or the way they speak. That fear is very real, because the violence is very real. Look at events in Rotherham – an attempt to burn down a hotel housing people seeking sanctuary is an attempted mass murder, and it’s time we named that.  

For too long, politicians and the media have scapegoated our communities to distract from the very real issues we all face. We’re living through a cost-of-living crisis that makes life harder for all of us, huge NHS waiting times and the ever-growing impacts of climate breakdown. Those in power, and those who support them, have preferred to distract us from these issues by demonising people who move, and targeting Muslims and people of colour. 

Continue reading “JCWI statement on the racist attacks across the UK”

6 August 2024: It’s a matter of safety

Right to Remain and other organisations are calling on the Home Office to immediately suspend all in-person immigration reporting and all other appointments, on account of the overwhelming fear of violent racist attacks in our communities.

There are people travelling all the way to reporting centres on a weekly basis who are only inside for 2 minutes – and in the current situation this is very stressful. In person reporting should be stopped immediately as it was during Covid for different safety reasons..

Read more: Suspend immigration reporting now!