Category: What else you can do

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Start with Hope, Change will follow

Little Amal’s Walk: Start with Hope, change will follow: https://www.goodchance.org.uk/stories/2021/10/4/little-amals-uk-plans-revelead

also https://www.walkwithamal.org/events/

Amare has invited Little Amal to visit The Hague from 15 to 21 November 2021 and will welcome her as a special guest at the Open Festival on 19, 20 and 21 November.

“After the immense welcome Little Amal has received from so many thousands of people across the 8000km of The Walk, her visit to The Hague – city of Peace and Justice – is an important next step in the new journey and the new life of Little Amal. As Amare itself begins a new journey and a new life, it is right that Amal should open this new centre of art and welcome.” – Amir Nizar Zuabi

https://www.walkwithamal.org/amare/

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Trade Unions: Organising and Promoting the Rights of Workers who do not have Settled Status

7 October 2021: Trade Unions: Organising and Promoting the Rights of Workers who do not have Settled Status

Why do we call for StatusNow4All?
We call upon the British and Irish States to act immediately so that all undocumented, destitute and migrant people in the legal process in both the UK and Ireland are granted Status Now, as in *Indefinite Leave to Remain. In this way every human, irrespective of their nationality or citizenship can access healthcare, housing, food and the same sources of income from the State as everyone else.

There are many people working precariously in UK and at real risk of exploitation by unscrupulous ‘employers’, due to not having settled status.
Visas expire and personal circumstances change. Without settled status – Indefinite Leave to Remain – people are very much at the mercy of uncertainty as employees, and of employers. See the StatusNow4All website for a wide variety of posts about why people need settled status, and about the racist and hostile environment that puts them at risk.
• People become undocumented when they do not possess an authorisation to be in the country they are in. Some may have been born here, or lived here for many years (think of Windrush), others may have been trafficked, and most have had authorisation at some point. Their precarious situation may be due to a change in the law that complicates their situation, or an asylum application for international protection that has been refused in this deliberately hostile environment, or their visa is no longer valid so maybe someone whose student visa has finished, or lost their job whilst on a work visa, or suffered domestic abuse whilst on a spousal visa
• They may be domestic workers, care workers, or working in the garment trade, in a carwash, a sweatshop, the local takeaway, nailbars, prostitution, for gangmasters etc. etc.
• There are others who have been given a Deportation Order for what may have been a miscarriage of justice, or a crime in order to survive, and they are living indefinitely without permission to work

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Justice Secretary’s ‘open-mind’ suggestion needs Activation and Expansion

StatusNo logo

3 October 2021: The flyer below was distributed outside the Conservative Party conference in Manchester by members of Status Now

2 October 2021: Justice Secretary’s ‘open-mind’ suggestion needs Activation and Expansion

The Justice Secretary’s ‘open-mind’ about allowing asylum seekers to work while their claims are being processed needs activation and expansion. Dominic Raab, who is also Deputy Prime Minister, reportedly said that allowing asylum seekers to work would assist with integration and contribute to resolving the country’s labour shortages. His remarks are supported by some senior Tories which may indicate a growing recognition that the current law, banning people who seek asylum from being contracted in paid work while they wait for a Home Office decision, is morally and practically wrong. It is irrational that we have tens of thousands of residents in this country who can contribute to alleviating the current labour crisis but are denied the right to work and forced into years of unemployment and poverty while employers are desperate to fill job vacancies.

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Racial Justice and Migrant Rights

27 September 2021: Here is the Motion submitted by Sevenoaks Constituency Labour Party [CLP] to the Labour Party Conference taking place right now. The Motion did not make it onto the list for discussion because there were other issues that people prioritised. It is however heartening to see that our concern is shared in that forum and we encourage Party members to use the motion in their own CLPs, Trades Unions etc for discussion:

The Motion reads: Racial Justice and Migrant Rights

This CLP notes:

  • Structural racism exists.

This CLP believes:

  • The Labour Party must seek to dismantle structural racism and campaign for racial justice in the UK and around the world.
  • The more unequal a society, the greater the reliance on a carceral system.
  • Successive governments have exploited the labour of migrants while failing to acknowledge the contribution of migration to our economy, culture, and society.

This CLP resolves that the Labour Party must:

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Access to healthcare at the point of need?

Updated 24 September 2021: Bare Life films: NHS Borderlands – An investigative documentary into the human cost of charging migrants for accessing the NHS

After fleeing persecution in Zimbabwe in fear for her life, Angela sought asylum in the UK where she has lived with her husband for 20 years. Following a vital hysterectomy operation Angela is – without warning – issued a bill for £8,000 by the NHS, jeopardizing her life in the UK forever. Angela’s story exposes the real cost of the recent introduction of NHS charges for migrants, where discrimination undermines our society’s commitment to universal healthcare. The most vulnerable are left unable to pay and scared to seek care. There are many stories like Angela’s, most untold and undocumented. This film documents how healthcare workers and campaigners are fighting alongside Angela to keep the border out of hospitals.

Contact Bare Life films for more information:

About Bare Life films:

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Justice for Simba: Carnival of Resistance to the Hostile Environment in the NHS

Event organised by SNN signatories: Docs Not Cops, Medact ,Migrants Organise, and also Justice for Simba🎉✊🏿🏥 Justice for Simba: Carnival of Resistance to the Hostile Environment in the NHS 📅✊🏿🎉 Sat 18th September ✨ Join the action in solidarity!

On 18th September, the Justice for Simba campaign are hosting a carnival of resistance to the Hostile Environment in the NHS, taking place in Sheffield. Join us to take action in solidarity against racist immigration policies in healthcare – wherever you are!

Meet at 2pm, Devonshire Green! There will be music, dancing, speeches, and a spirit of solidarity and resistance to hostile and cruel immigration policies! We will then hand in Simba’s petition to Sheffield Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust.

👉🏾 Here’s what you need to do! 👈🏾
⭐️ Sign and share Simba’s petition on your social media and with your friends and colleagues – we want to hit 70,000 signatures to hand in! http://change.org/justiceforsimba
⭐️ Spread the word https://linktr.ee/JusticeForSimba
⭐️ Print and share Simba’s poster! So we can share pics on the day https://tinyurl.com/SimbaPosters

Our friend Simba has been charged over £100,000 for his life-saving treatment following a stroke — all because of his immigration status. Two years on, Simba is fighting for his recovery but Sheffield Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust is still chasing him for payment.

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Scottish Housing Forum for Asylum Seekers and Refugees

Reminder: Date for your diary – 21 September 2021: Are you an asylum seeker, refugee or a supporting organisation in Scotland? If yes, please join us for this tenancy participation event.

MigrationUK, Scottish Asylum and Refugee Action Group, Status Now 4 All (Scotland) and Tenancy Participation Advisory Service (Scotland) are inviting you to a scheduled Zoom meeting.

TOPIC: Scottish Housing Forum for Asylum Seekers and Refugees: Tenancy Participation

SPEAKERS :
Tony Kelly, Tenancy Participation Advisory Service (Scotland)
Asylum Seekers and refugees with lived experience on housing issues
Peer group representatives
Support services

TIME:
Sep 21, 2021
06:30 PM London

About this event: The aim is:

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Scottish Government Act – Stand against the New Immigration Bill: 2 September 2021

Peaceful demonstration: Scottish Government Act – Stand against the New Immigration Bill: 2 September 2021

StatusNow4All Scotland

See the videos of the livestreams here: https://www.facebook.com/MigrationukServices and here: https://www.facebook.com/StatusNow4All

The National: Holyrood demo over Patel’s Nationality Bill

MEMBERS of a group campaigning to end evictions in Scotland have mounted a demonstration in Edinburgh over the UK Government’s Nationality and Borders Bill, claiming it would see the criminalisation of asylum seekers.

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The impact of living without settled status

Please note: We draw your attention to the scale of inequality that is in evidence to focus attention on what needs to change to secure equity of access and STATUSNOW4ALL. This new report https://highpaycentre.org/latest/publications/ shows that the median FTSE 100 CEO was paid £2.69 million in 2020, 86 times the median full-time worker in the UK. The figure represents a 17% fall from median CEO pay of £3.25 million recorded in 2019.

Meanwhile …

Updated 3 September 2021: The Progressive Policy Think Tank: IPPR: Locked out of a livelihood: The case for reforming ‘no recourse to public funds’

Many people in the UK immigration system are subject to the ‘no recourse to public funds’ (NRPF) condition, which means that they are unable to access mainstream welfare benefits. This includes most benefits, tax credits and housing assistance provided by the government. As a result, several cohorts within the UK population are at a serious risk of becoming destitute.

This includes people on short-term visas, those without legal permission to be in the UK, as well as those who have been in the UK for extended periods but are on long routes to settlement.

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Stop deportations – events – what you can do

Zimbabwe Human Rights Organisation: ZHRO: join the demonstrations at the Zimbabwean Embassy, 429 The Strand, every week on a Wednesday 11:00am to 1:00pm, singing, drumming and protesting.

Updated 28 August 2021: TUI action from today:

Manchester: People showing solidarity at a demo outside the TUI offices on Market Street at 11am, Saturday, 28 August – as part of a nationally coordinated set of actions opposing all deportations that this holiday company is currently being paid by the British Government to deliver.

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We Need Practical Resources that Enable Positive Acts of Compassion with Everyone who Needs Them

“The support that is being offered to Afghans highlights the lack of help and resource being given to people fleeing similar threat and oppression elsewhere.”
Sir Peter Soulsby, City Mayor for Leicester

The plight of the Afghan people who are now fleeing from their homes is prompting positive and compassionate responses from a wide range of bodies and groupings across the UK. Councils such as Abergavenny, and conurbations such as Greater Manchester and Liverpool are receiving some additional monies via the Home Office to house people. However, as Sir Peter Soulsby, City Mayor for Leicester, an organisational signatory to the Status Now Network has observed to us this morning:

“As we have always done, Leicester will welcome those seeking refuge from conflict and oppression. We will be taking the opportunity to participate in the resettlement scheme announced today as a response to the truly awful situation in Afghanistan. We expect that resources will be provided to local councils so that we can provide and co-ordinate the support that will be needed. Leicester will proudly offer sanctuary and a new home to Afghans fleeing the Taliban. The support that is being offered to Afghans highlights the lack of help and resource being given to people fleeing similar threat and oppression elsewhere. These people too are welcome in Leicester and deserve better from the government.“

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Shoulder to shoulder – everywhere – until deportations stop and statusnow4all starts

StatusNow logo

This Network stands shoulder to shoulder with all those committed to ending the Home Office’s plans to deport anyone, to any country.

Like many other big businesses whose profits have increased during COVID, the travel company contracted by the Home Office to operate several of this summer’s flights, TUI, is making a killing – in more ways than one (See Corporate Watch’s depth analysis on TUI published in January of this year).

When signatory organisation Southeast and East Asian Centre (SEEAC) alerted us in April to a flight that targeted people from Vietnam, it was just days after the Home Office had been exposed – yet again – for breaching its own deportation rules.

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Regularisation of undocumented migrants will save lives and livelihoods – 19 July 2021 protest

Updated 19 July 2021: On 19 July 2021 the following petition https://petition.parliament.uk/petitions/567681 calling for people without settled status to be granted citizenship came to Parliament. The petition gathered more than 100,000 signatures and so will be debated. See below for a link to the Youtube video of the debate, and transcript of the debate itself.

Demonstrations have been held around the country in support of the essence of this petition . StatusNow4All is live-streamed here on our Facebook page : https://fb.watch/v/aq9tSGxAj/, and see photos below.

On 19th July the Status Now Network and Partner Organisations are Planning National Protest Actions to Coincide with the Amnesty Debate at Westminster Hall in London

***Below you will find details of the concern, events where you can protest in London and Coventry + a suggested letter to send to your MP + two leaflets to print off, a googledoc of social media suggestions, and an appeal for stewards.***

Status Now Network will join other organisations in a nationwide protest action while Westminster debates about providing ‘amnesty’ to undocumented migrants.

Status Now Network calls for Indefinite Leave to Remain for all undocumented migrants and those in the legal process living in Britain today. While SNN does not use the word ‘amnesty’ – because of its implication of wrongdoing – we nevertheless support all protest actions which aim to raise awareness of all the debates about routes to regularisation.

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I am a Londoner 20 July 2021 – keep the date free

Watch the recording of the event here: https://fb.watch/6SYzEynBHj/

The Festival of Ideas will explore our individual and collective visions and plans for strong communities in London.

About this event

Many Londoners are undocumented but rarely have the opportunity to share their experiences. This event will feature art, music, and poetry by people who are undocumented and living in London, reflecting on their experiences and sharing their hope and dreams. You will also have the chance to hear from several Londoners who are undocumented for an in-depth live moderated conversation during the session.

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