Posted on

Open Letter(2) to the Prime Minister of the UK and the Taoiseach of Ireland

25th March 2021 

Dear Sirs

RE: ACCESS TO HEALTHCARE, HOUSING AND FOOD FOR ALL

On March 27th 2020 we called 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 Leave to Remain.  (Copy enclosed)

Shortly after your office’s acknowledgement of receipt we thanked you, Taoiseach.  We have yet to receive acknowledgement of receipt from yourself, Prime Minister.  Neither of you have actually responded directly to us but we note, and are glad for, the recent announcement regularising undocumented workers in the Republic of Ireland by the end of 2021.  

We have refined our call further to specify that Indefinite Leave to Remain is what is required by the Status Now Network, a unique coalition of 120+ organisations and community action groups, alongside individuals, who are campaigning for Status Now 4 All.  This coming Saturday, March 27th 2021, exactly one year since we wrote to you both, we are holding our Status Now Summit: One Year On. 

Continue reading “Open Letter(2) to the Prime Minister of the UK and the Taoiseach of Ireland”
Posted on

The Status Now 4 All Calling Card for All Communities of Faith

“Not having my status limits my joy, my happiness, nothing makes me excited. People take advantage.

I cannot even work. The pain is terrible. Terrible. People cry at night. There are suicides. 

In limbo, I cannot do anything I want to do, and I don’t know what is going to happen to me.

Locked down all the time, not just now. Let us have a chance.”

(Voices of people without status)

Who we are: The Status Now Network is a unique coalition of almost 130 organisations and community action groups, alongside individuals, who are campaigning for Status Now 4 All.  Our member organisations are listed on our website:   https://statusnow4all.org. 

What we do: Most StatusNow4All members have worked for years ‘in the frontline’ supporting migrants living with chronic insecurity.  Increasingly, we are working together.  Through the Covid lockdowns, SN4A members are, and have supported, migrants with Covid or at grave risk of catching Covid – from which some have died without access to medical care.   SN4A members are, and support, migrants who do not have secure employment, secure housing, access to medical care, protection from exploitation and secure immigration status.  We have provided basic food, advice, friendship, help with access to services, and help in dealing with the Home Office and its sub-contractors.

Continue reading “The Status Now 4 All Calling Card for All Communities of Faith”
Posted on

Glasgow: the impact of the pandemic on refugees and asylum seekers

BBC: Eòrpa Series 28: Episode 15

Angela Maclean reports on the effect of the pandemic on refugees and asylum seekers in Glasgow. During the first lockdown many were moved into hotel accommodation for their safety and welfare but concerns emerged about the effect of this on their mental health. A year on many remain in hotels and further concerns have been raised about conditions in a new mother and baby unit in the city. The renewable energy industry has grown in Scotland over the years. But how can the Highlands and Islands harness the natural resources at their disposal to ensure they are part of the burgeoning industry? Eòrpa visits Orkney, a world-leader in tidal power; Nigg Yard, which is working between sectors; and Lewis, where community projects have proven to be effective.

Continue reading “Glasgow: the impact of the pandemic on refugees and asylum seekers”
Posted on

Choose Love petition

Choose Love TAKE ACTION: We have to stand against the UK government’s new plan for immigration. The new plans are cruel, misleading and will destroy lives.If the government was serious about protecting lives and smashing smuggling gangs, they should be making it simpler and easier for people at risk to claim asylum – not embarking on these deeply inhumane plans.⁣ Please sign this petition calling on the government to scrap this cruel and destructive plan:

https://action.helprefugees.org/page/78976/petition/1 #RefugeesWelcome #ChooseLove

Posted on

Human Beings, Not Commodities: Status Now 4 All Summit

25 March 2021: People seeking asylum should be treated like human beings, says a major organisation supporting migrants.

Responding to Home Secretary Priti Patel’s ‘biggest overhaul of the UK’s asylum system in decades’, Nazek Ramadan, the Executive Director of Migrant Voice who will be chairing the Status Now 4All Summit: One YearOn (https://statusnow4all.org/status-now-summit-one-year-on/) this Saturday, said:

“It is based on false premises – particularly on the actual availability of legal routes – and tears apart the principle of the right to claim asylum.

Continue reading “Human Beings, Not Commodities: Status Now 4 All Summit”
Posted on

In advance of the new overhaul the immigration system:

The Home Office MP Account Management Team: We are fixing a broken asylum system and creating a new one which will be fairer and firmer and compassionate towards those who need our help.

This post will be updated as reports come in about how the Government may plan to do this:

24 March: Government Consultation process announced – responses to be filed by 6 May 2021 11.45pm: https://www.gov.uk/government/consultations/new-plan-for-immigration

Priti Patel’s statement today: https://www.gov.uk/government/speeches/home-secretarys-statement-on-the-new-plan-for-immigration

Statement by Nazek Ramadan, director of StatusNow4All signatory organisation Migrant Voice

Home Secretary Priti Patel’s proposed “biggest overhaul of the UK’s asylum system in decades” is based on false premises – particularly on the actual availability of legal routes – and tears apart the principle of the right to claim asylum.

Continue reading “In advance of the new overhaul the immigration system:”
Posted on

Status Now Network Glossary of Key Terms

Introduction

The UK Immigration System becomes increasingly complicated and unfit for purpose. In the 1970’s, when they began, the Immigration Rules covered 20 pages and now number 1100.  As the rules elongate so do the number of legal terms introduced by the Home Office.

Immigration terms can be confusing and imprecise.  In addition, very often, both politicians and media outlets use incorrect terminology.   

Continue reading “Status Now Network Glossary of Key Terms”
Posted on

Modern Slavery

Independent Anti-Slavery Commissioner: About modern slavery: The UK is both a country of destination, with thousands of victims arriving from other countries only to be exploited by criminals; and a source country with increasing numbers of British victims identified. Slavery takes many different forms and affects adults and children, males and females.

Those who are enslaved are exploited for the financial gain of their captors. The vulnerable are made to work in cruel conditions for long hours without pay. Examples include women and girls forced into prostitution for profit, young boys made to commit criminal acts against their will and men kept in slave-like conditions in factories.

Continue reading “Modern Slavery”
Posted on

A Letter to the People of the UK

16 March 2021: Hasting Community of Sanctuary: Speaking from the Heart about Napier Barracks

Erfan – a former resident held in Napier Barracks for nearly 6 months, and who was one of the nearly 200 people who contracted Covid in the massive outbreak in the barracks in January has written a powerful letter to the People of the UK. We are honoured to share it here.

The letter can also be found here: Help Refugees: https://helprefugees.org/news/a-letter-to-the-people-of-the-uk-from-a-former-resident-of-napier-barracks/

A Letter to the People of the UK

Dear People of the UK,

You may know me from the letters which were written on behalf of the Napier barracks residents. I am now outside of the camp and cannot talk on behalf of my other friends. However, I personally would like to say a few important things about what I have seen and learnt during my stay at Napier Barracks and the United Kingdom.

Continue reading “A Letter to the People of the UK”
Posted on

PICUM report: Navigating Irregularity:

March 2021 PICUM: The impact of growing up undocumented in Europe

Undocumented children are part of our communities and share the hopes and dreams of any other child. But their lives and the lives of their families are characterized by uncertainty and instability due to their irregular residence status. PICUM’s new report, Navigating Irregularity: The Impact of Growing up Undocumented in Europe, looks at how their residence status affects six areas of their lives: housing, access to services, income and socio-economic status, residence procedures and immigration enforcement (including detention), school life, and family life.

Continue reading “PICUM report: Navigating Irregularity:”
Posted on

Ireland: Undocumented Migrants Can Apply For Regularisation By End of 2021, Says Minister Helen McEntee

17 March 2021: Lucky Khambule from StatusNow4All signatory organisation MASI – Movement of Asylum Seekers in Ireland:

“This is a really positive move by the minister to regularise the undocumented in this country after so many year of fighting. It’s a welcome victory especially by the group like JFU, Justice For the Undocumented as well as MRCI who have been in the forefront of this campaign.

It is the first time such move happened in Ireland. It also gives hope to our own campaign for the international protection applicants that if we continue with our campaign to give papers to all, some day they will listen.”

Please note that this is not a Government decision to grant all undocumented people Leave to Remain/regularisation in Ireland.

22 Feb 2021: HotPress: A new initiative in relation to regularisation for undocumented migrants has been announced by the Minister for Justice Helen McEntee, as part of her Justice Plan 2021, unveiled this morning.

Thousands of undocumented migrants, currently resident in Ireland, can apply for regularisation by the end of the year, as part of the Department of Justice’s roadmap for 2021.

Continue reading “Ireland: Undocumented Migrants Can Apply For Regularisation By End of 2021, Says Minister Helen McEntee”
Posted on

Waiting for Nothing

Waiting for years – then told we must reply in 10 days!

People are telling us that they have recently received letters asking them to resubmit their original application for asylum or Further Leave to Remain and any updating evidence, within 10 days, or their case will be determined on the basis of documents already in the Home Office. The Home Office has told another person’s solicitor that they have lost the casefile.

We raise the following points:

Continue reading “Waiting for Nothing”
Posted on

ICIBI inspection of the use of hotels and barracks as contingency asylum accommodation

New Independent Chief Inspector of Borders and Immigration appointed

David Neal to begin his appointment on Monday 22 March 2021 as Independent Chief Inspector of Borders and Immigration (ICIBI) for a term of 3 years.

Home Secretary Priti Patel has today (15 March 2021) welcomed the appointment of David Neal as the new Independent Chief Inspector of Borders and Immigration.

Continue reading “ICIBI inspection of the use of hotels and barracks as contingency asylum accommodation”