Welcome to the weekly Free Motion publication!
Apparently since 7 October 2023 each entry clearance utility constituted of Gaza has been rejected by the Residence Workplace. That was the place as much as the date of disclosure in this judicial review by a Palestinian refugee making an attempt to convey his household to the UK, and there may be no reason to assume that issues would have improved since then. Even with my low expectations of the Residence Workplace I discovered it unbelievable that this judicial evaluation was wanted, given we have already been here with Afghanistan, following which specific guidance was printed that’s alleged to cowl conditions like this.
In different information of poor choice making, final week noticed not one however two fast reversals of visa refusals for artists by the Residence Workplace, following public outcry. A Moroccan poet Soukaina Habiballah was due to attend an international poetry festival in Scotland, and an Afghan youth orchestra based mostly in Portugal who have been enjoying on the Southbank Centre in London. These selections danger the range of the humanities that we get pleasure from on this nation, as artists of sure nationalities are prone to be discouraged from even making an attempt to return right here in future, given the quantity of labor that goes into getting ready these occasions, all of which could be put in danger by an arbitrary choice from the Residence Workplace.
Right now the adjustments stopping care employees from bringing their household with them to the UK have come into force. The Bureau of Investigative Journalism has published an article trying on the horrific experiences some folks on this route are having, and the difficulties confronted in elevating them. Right now’s adjustments are solely prone to make issues worse as persons are left remoted and with out household assist.
On Free Motion, following the current and surprising closure of the Ukraine Household Scheme and our detailed explainer, we now have additionally organised a webinar looking at what immigration options Ukrainians and their family members now have. The webinar is on 15 April 2024. The 20% low cost for this and the webinar on exceptional circumstances in household immigration purposes is accessible till Friday.
In different coaching information, as our Could OISC dwell coaching course has offered out, we now have now launched the next one for July, which I will likely be educating. These do are likely to promote out fairly far upfront so reserving early is beneficial.
On the weblog, initially simply to flag up that the Residence Workplace has introduced a pause on decision making for sure victims of contemporary slavery topic to deportation proceedings following this decision. Additionally, I’ve tackled all 150-odd pages of the Unbiased Chief Inspector of Borders and Immigration’s report on asylum casework and my write up of that’s undoubtedly price a learn (by your fingers).
Lastly, for anybody who needs to study extra about what they will do to withstand the hostile surroundings, there’s a actually fascinating collection of seminars being run once more this 12 months. Stand Up, Speak Out is focused particularly at these working within the public sector, however will probably be of use for anybody working within the immigration and asylum sector.
Learn on for the remainder of the week on Free Motion and elsewhere.
Cheers, Sonia
What we’re studying
Call for evidence launched on Electronic Border Management – Justice and Residence Affairs Committee, 1 March
Asylum accommodation & Rwanda: Public Accounts Committee launches inquiry – Public Accounts Committee, 5 March
Home Office ordered to release data on five people that died in its asylum-seeker accommodation in first six months of 2023 – The Civil Fleet, 8 March
‘I thought I was going to die’: The reality of life on controversial asylum barge Bibby Stockholm – The Large Situation, 7 March
Baby scan clinic humiliated and degraded black worker – Wales On-line, 10 March
The Borders Inspector and Home Office accountability – Regulation Gazette, 6 March
The curious tale of how RNLI lifeboat crews became a target for right-wing hate – The Large Situation, 5 March
Has higher immigration saved the Chancellor again? – UK in a Altering Europe, 7 March
Faulty £71m Home Office IT system causes immigration errors and leaves staff ‘sobbing’ – iNews, 9 March
The (many) costs of border control – Border Criminologies, 6 March
Looking tough on migration is eroding human rights – Politico, 6 March
The Dillon Judgment, Disapplication of Statutes and Article 2 of the Northern Ireland Protocol/Windsor Framework – EU Regulation Evaluation, 8 March
‘I live in an asylum hotel – the Government has forgotten we’re people and not parcels’ – Birmingham Stay, 2 March
Civil legal aid review: MoJ kicks timetable into long grass – Regulation Gazette, 6 March
Victims of modern slavery are being held in UK prisons – Geographical, 4 March
‘Dysfunctional’ Home Office in need of reform, sacked borders watchdog says – Unbiased, 11 March
Home Office admits it does not tell families when asylum seekers die in its care – Guardian, 10 March
Rwanda bill: House of Lords inflicts further defeats on government plan – BBC Information, 7 March
