Rwanda bill: what does the latest delay mean? – The Guardian

‘Rishi Sunak’s plan to fly people seeking asylum to Rwanda this spring appears to have been put back to the summer after House of Lords insisted on changes to the scheme.’

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The Guardian, 19th April 2024

Source: www.theguardian.com

Ukrainians granted sanctuary in Britain sent to live with suspected gangsters – The Independent

Posted April 15th, 2024 in asylum, gangs, government departments, immigration, news, refugees, Russia, Ukraine, war by tracey

‘Ukrainian refugees fleeing the horrors of war to find sanctuary in British homes were sent to live with suspected gangsters under the government’s flagship Homes for Ukraine scheme, The Independent can reveal.’

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The Independent, 14th April 2024

Source: www.independent.co.uk

Changes to legal migration rules for family and work visas in 2024 – House of Commons Library

Posted April 12th, 2024 in families, government departments, immigration, news, parliament, visas by sally

‘On 4 December 2023 the Home Secretary, James Cleverly, announced future changes to visa rules in what he described as a “five-point plan” to reduce immigration. The Home Office released more information on 21 December, including some adjustments to what had initially been announced.’

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House of Commons Library, 11th April 2024

Source: commonslibrary.parliament.uk

Court of Appeal disapproves of Tribunal’s decision in Capparelli – EIN Blog

‘The Court of Appeal has held that a child born to a French national mother who was ordinarily resident in the UK while she was exercising her right of free movement as a worker had not automatically acquired British citizenship at birth under section 1(1)(b) of the British Nationality Act 1981 as the child of someone “settled” in the UK. In so concluding, the Court of Appeal held that the Immigration (European Economic Area) Regulations 2000 were “immigration laws” which subjected the mother to a restriction on her entitlement to remain in the UK and meant that she had not been “settled” for the purposes of section 1(1)(b) at the time of the child’s birth. At first instance Eyre J had dismissed Mr Roehrig’s claim for judicial review of the decision made by the SSHD refusing his application for a British passport. The issue in this appeal, as it was before the single judge, was whether Mr Roehrig automatically acquired British citizenship at birth under section 1(1)(b) of the British Nationality Act 1981. Notably, section 1(1)(b) of the 1981 Act provides that “A person born in the United Kingdom after commencement shall be a British citizen if at the time of the birth his father or mother is …(b) settled in the United Kingdom.” The SSHD refused the application stating: “As you were not able to provide documentary evidence to show your Mother was free from immigration time restrictions at the time of your birth, we are not able to issue a passport to you at this time…”.’

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EIN Blog, 10th April 2024

Source: www.ein.org.uk

Lack of immigration advisers “encourages illegal services” – Legal Futures

Posted April 10th, 2024 in immigration, legal advice, news, statistics by sally

‘A lack of immigration advisers “encourages those who seek to provide advice illegally”, the Office of the Immigration Services Commissioner (OISC) has warned.’

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Legal Futures, 10th April 2024

Source: www.legalfutures.co.uk

The Strange Case of the Seven Year Child – EIN Blog

Posted April 9th, 2024 in children, families, human rights, immigration, news, young persons by tracey

‘The Private Life immigration route was introduced along with many other changes to the rules in July 2012 to implement the government’s view of its obligations under Article 8 ECHR. These rules have been amended several times since then, often in response to judicial findings and particularly in relation to children and young adults, by which we mean those under 18, and those aged between 18 and 24.’

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EIN Blog, 9th April 2024

Source: www.ein.org.uk

Albanians willing to be repatriated detained for weeks in UK, watchdog finds – The Guardian

Posted April 9th, 2024 in delay, deportation, detention, immigration, news by tracey

‘Albanians volunteering to be repatriated under a fast-track deportation deal are being detained unnecessarily for several weeks at taxpayers’ expense, the prisons watchdog has found.’

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The Guardian, 8th April 2024

Source: www.theguardian.com

New laws to cut migration and put British workers first in force – Home Office

Posted April 4th, 2024 in government departments, immigration, news, recruitment, remuneration by tracey

‘Changes that are now in force will slash migration and prevent the undercutting of British workers by employers looking to recruit cheap labour from overseas.’

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Home Office, 4th April 2024

Source: www.gov.uk

Barred from Europe: 2.4m Brits caught in post-Brexit passport chaos – The Independent

Posted March 28th, 2024 in brexit, EC law, immigration, news, passports by tracey

‘Millions of Britons are barred from entering the EU by post-Brexit passport rules that are set to cause chaos over the Easter holidays. With the getaway starting in earnest on Thursday, an estimated 2.4 million travellers have documents that can’t be used for trips to the EU because of the change in expiry requirements.’

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The Independent, 28th March 2024

Source: www.independent.co.uk

Anti-trafficking Chains: Analyzing the Impact of Transparency Legislation in the UK Construction Sector – Law & Social Inquiry

‘A recurring conundrum lies at the heart of current anti-trafficking law and policy. Despite enormous efforts by civil society organizations, corporations, and governments to reduce human trafficking in supply chains, and the introduction of legislation in various countries that requires corporations to take active actions in this field, there is wide agreement that, so far, the desired change has not occurred. This article addresses this puzzle through studying the vibrant anti-trafficking activity in the UK construction sector that emerged following the enactment of the UK Modern Slavery Act 2015 (MSA). Applying socio-legal methods, the article unpacks the structural dynamics that shape the implementation of the MSA in the construction sector. We find that the Act exacerbates the imbalanced power relations between firms and anti-trafficking initiatives, positioning the latter as suppliers of modern slavery risk solutions that are dependent on corporate will and funding. The article demonstrates that anti-trafficking initiatives in the construction sector largely follow a “supply chain logic” that significantly limits their capacities to transform corporate behavior. We develop the notion of “anti-trafficking chains” to describe the dynamics of anti-trafficking activities in supply chains and to problematize the entanglement of anti-trafficking actors in supply chain power structure and logic.’

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Law & Social Inquiry, 14th February 2024

Source: www.cambridge.org

Conor Crummey : The Safety of Rwanda (Asylum and Immigration) Bill and the Judicial ‘Disapplication’ of Statutes – UK Constitutional Law Association

Posted March 26th, 2024 in bills, constitutional law, deportation, immigration, judiciary, news, parliament, Rwanda by tracey

‘The myriad problems with the Safety of Rwanda (Asylum and Immigration) Bill, as well as the policy that the Bill is supposed to facilitate, have been clearly documented. One common criticism is that the Bill would precipitate a “constitutional crisis” by provoking the courts into refusing to recognise its legal effect. Adam Tucker argues that the Bill’s most problematic sections could very well “count as a novel entry in our canon of possible limits of parliamentary sovereignty”. Jeff King argues that the House of Lords would be justified in radically amending or voting the Bill down, precisely because of the danger that it might incite a constitutional crisis. The Lords suggested sweeping amendments to the Bill, all of which were rejected by the Commons. The Bill will continue to go through a ping-pong process between each House before a final wording is settled.’

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UK Constitutional Law Association, 26th March 2024

Source: ukconstitutionallaw.org

Shamima Begum loses bid to challenge removal of her British citizenship – The Independent

‘Shamima Begum has lost her initial bid to challenge the removal of her British citizenship by taking her case to the Supreme Court.’

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The Independent, 25th March 2024

Source: www.independent.co.uk

Consultation on proposed sentencing guidelines for immigration offences – Sentencing Council

Posted March 25th, 2024 in consultations, immigration, news, sentencing, trafficking in human beings by tracey

‘The Sentencing Council is consulting on the first ever sentencing guidelines for immigration offences. The guidelines reflect legislative changes to the Immigration Act 1971 brought in by the Nationality and Borders Act 2022.’

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Sentencing Council, 20th March 2024

Source: www.sentencingcouncil.org.uk

Small boat pilot jailed after endangering more than 50 lives – Home Office

‘A small boat pilot has been jailed after crossing the Channel with more than 50 migrants in a perilously overcrowded dinghy.’

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Home Office, 21st March 2024

Source: www.gov.uk

Rwanda flights: Lords inflict further defeats on government – BBC News

‘The House of Lords has inflicted fresh defeats on the government over its flagship Rwanda bill, meaning further delay to it becoming law.’

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BBC News, 21st March 2024

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

‘Disrespectful of the rule of law’? – Doughty Street Chambers

‘In Maleci (Non-admission of late evidence) [2024] UKUT 00028 (IAC) the Upper Tribunal, chaired by the President, has sought to address a long-running problem in both tiers of the Immigration and Asylum Chamber: the Home Office’s failure to comply with directions or co-operate in proper case management.’

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Doughty Street Chamber, 22nd February 2024

Source: insights.doughtystreet.co.uk

Migrant Work, Gender and the Hostile Environment: A Human Rights Analysis – Industrial Law Journal

‘This article addresses work-related and gendered harms of the “hostile environment”, a set of measures implemented through the Immigration Acts of 2014 and 2016, which aims to make life in the UK impossible for irregular migrants. The hostile environment criminalises work without legal status, facilitates data sharing between public bodies and immigration enforcement, and restricts access services and benefits. The article examines factors that can make women susceptible to irregularity and exposure to hostile environment measures, and distinctive forms of gendered harm such as workplace sexual harassment. It argues that the detrimental impacts of the hostile environment contravene international and regional human rights obligations. Barring certain migrants from access to the labour market may violate the socio-economic right to work and/ or the right to private and family life, while a lack of access to legal remedy or labour inspection fuelled can violate migrants’ right to decent work and undermine protections against forced labour. The UK’s recent ratification of the Council of Europe’s “Istanbul Convention” and ILO Convention 190 on violence and harassment at work signifies a renewed commitment to safeguarding women regardless of migration status, but the universalistic potential of these instruments is undermined by the hostile environment’s continued operation.’

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Industrial Law Journal, March 2024

Source: academic.oup.com

Rwanda bill could become law without independent scrutiny, says ex-watchdog – The Guardian

‘Rishi Sunak’s Rwanda deportation bill could be forced on to the statute books without fulfilling the government’s legal commitment to independent scrutiny, the former borders watchdog has told peers.’

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The Guardian, 19th March 2024

Source: www.theguardian.com

Home Office attempt to deport UK-born man was illegal, judge says – The Guardian

Posted March 19th, 2024 in citizenship, deportation, government departments, immigration, news by tracey

‘The Home Office acted unlawfully in trying to deport a British-born man who has never left the country to Portugal, from where his parents arrived more than 30 years ago, a judge has ruled.’

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The Guardian, 18th March 2024

Source: www.theguardian.com

Two jailed for trying to smuggle migrants out of UK – BBC News

Posted March 18th, 2024 in immigration, imprisonment, news, sentencing, trafficking in human beings by tracey

‘Two men have been jailed for a total of 12 years for trying to smuggle migrants out of the UK in a refrigerated lorry.’

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BBC News, 15th March 2024

Source: www.bbc.co.uk