That this House recognises that there are many barriers that prevent people from accessing and maintaining stable immigration status even when they were either born in the UK or have lived in the UK for many years; further recognises that the majority of undocumented migrants have lost their status through no fault of their own, including through an inability to pay application fees, lack of access to legal advice, mistakes on the part of decision-makers and complexity of immigration rules; understands that the harm done to individuals through hostile immigration policies extends to family members and the communities that they are part of; notes that the UK has one of the most complex and expensive routes to regularisation in Europe; further notes that all current routes to regularisation and settlement are far too long, complicated and inflexible, leaving people with no options but to live undocumented; understands that migrants who do not have access to the public safety net or the right to work are vulnerable to exploitation and; and calls on the Government to support recommendations made by Joint Council for the Welfare of Immigrants in its report, We Are Here: routes to regularisation for the UK’s undocumented population, published in April 2021 by introducing new routes to regularisation and removing barriers which cause migrants to become undocumented.
https://edm.parliament.uk/early-day-motion/58432
With Parliament back in session, JCWI’s Early Day Motion on routes to regularisation for undocumented people is now live! The EDM highlights the barriers within the immigration system that cause people to fall out of status and become subject to the Hostile Environment, and the harms to which migrants are then vulnerable.
The EDM has already garnered cross-party support, which is really encouraging, especially at such a crucial time for migrants’ rights.
JCWI has a template letter for campaigners to send to their MPs, asking them to sign the EDM. It’s online here: https://www.jcwi.org.uk/we-are-here-take-action JCWI would be so grateful if you are able to help amplify this. They have drafted some suggested Tweets, as below:
- Complex, expensive and arbitrary – that’s the UK visa system in a nutshell. But simple, workable reforms would stop hundreds of thousands falling through the gaps. Use @jcwi_uk tool to call on your MP to back these changes https://www.jcwi.org.uk/we-are-here-take-action #WeAreHere
- The UK’s confusing and costly visa rules are pushing migrants out of status. But simple reforms would stop this happening – use @jcwi_uk tool to call on your MP to back these changes now https://www.jcwi.org.uk/we-are-here-take-action #WeAreHere
- Government policy is pushing migrants into the Hostile Environment. Now is the time for simple, workable reforms to the visa system to stop this happening – write to your MP now via @jcwi_uk #WeAreHere https://www.jcwi.org.uk/we-are-here-take-action
Alternatively, their Tweet on it, in case it is easier to retweet, is here: https://twitter.com/JCWI_UK/status/1392486737490944003