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