September 2023

September 26, 2023September 26, 2023

X-rays for children

22 September 2023: Guardian: Fear of X-ray age tests in UK ‘may force child asylum seekers to flee’

Human rights groups criticise introduction of X-rays or bone scans to determine ages of asylum seekers

The Home Office insists many adult asylum seekers are pretending to be children but recent freedom of information data from 70 local authorities obtained by charities suggests that two-thirds of children – 867 out of 1,386 – deemed to be adults by the Home Office were later confirmed to be children.

Children wrongly classified as adults could be placed alone in unsupervised accommodation alongside adults they do not know, or wrongly placed in adult immigration detention centres. Some children as young as 14 have been forced to share rooms with unrelated adults.

September 26, 2023October 2, 2023

Direct attack on UN Refugee Convention and ECHR

These are direct attacks by Home Secretary – Suella Braverman on the 1951 United Nations Refugee Convention and the European Convention on Human Rights are not in our name:

26 September 2023: Guardian: UN rebukes Suella Braverman over her attack on refugee convention

UNHCR defends 1951 convention after UK home secretary’s speech on ‘uncontrolled and illegal migration’

Guardian: Braverman to ask world leaders to make refugee rules ‘fit for the modern age’

Home secretary’s address in Washington will urge reform of UN convention and has already prompted concern from charities

Suella Braverman will appeal on Tuesday to world leaders and political thinkers to consider rewriting key refugee rules so they are “fit for the modern age”.

In a move to alter an agreement that undermined UK plans to send asylum seekers to Rwanda, the home secretary will argue that the United Nations 1951 refugee convention must be reformed to tackle a worldwide migration crisis.

September 19, 2023October 2, 2023

Detention Centres

In comparison to the Brook House situation reported below, see:

UNHCR-Alternatives To Detention report [Aug 2023]

In conclusion, it is the voices of those involved who make the most powerful case for change in the UK. Their experiences should be considered by governments when seeking to create policy on detention and case resolution. In the UK, as the government considers next steps, it is the voices of those in the pilot that should be at the centre. By understanding their experiences we can build a more humane system for all:

September 18, 2023September 18, 2023

LEGAL AID CRISIS

18 September 2023: Public Law Project: LORD CHANCELLOR FACES LEGAL CHALLENGE OVER LEGAL AID CRISIS

Public Law Project has taken the first step in bringing legal proceedings against the Lord Chancellor, Alex Chalk KC, arguing that he is in breach of his constitutional duty to make legal aid available for immigration and asylum issues.

Explore our report written with Haringey Migrant Support Centre: ‘An Ocean of Unmet Need’

In a pre-action letter for judicial review, PLP claims that access to legal aid for immigration and asylum is now so poor that many people are being denied access to justice, which it is the Lord Chancellor’s duty to uphold.

September 14, 2023September 19, 2023

e-scooter batteries exploding

People are tragically dying and being seriously injured because their e-scooter battery has exploded, or they are trapped by this fire and are trying to get away.

People in asylum accommodation may not come across the warnings that are being sent out to help us all understand the risks. The batteries can explode when they are being charged – here are some safety points from the fire service.

Can we get this to as many people as possible, including those in hotels: https://www.manchesterfire.gov.uk/your-safety/fire-safety/house-maisonette-or-bungalow/electrical/e-bikes-and-e-scooters/

Thank you

Key messages:

September 13, 2023September 13, 2023

Government plans for borders and immigration 2023

[Just a reminder that it is within international law to seek asylum]

12 September 2023: From :Home Office and The Rt Hon Robert Jenrick MP: New Illegal Migration Act measures and age dispute assessment tests

Next steps set out for delivery of new laws to stop the boats.

A series of measures to strengthen the immigration system and prevent abuse are being introduced to Parliament this week, marking the next step in the delivery of the Illegal Migration Act 2023 and our plan to stop the boats.

Legislation signed on 11 September includes changes to strengthen the asylum decision making process to clamp down on abuse of the system. This will see updated criteria for caseworkers assessing credibility of claims by explicitly setting out that factors such as the destruction of, or failure to produce an identity document, as well as refusal to disclose information required to access an electronic device like a phone passcode when asked, should be considered when assessing claims.