New reforms to tackle ‘abuse’ of modern slavery laws by criminals – The Independent

‘Tough new rules will make it harder for migrants convicted of serious offences to claim to be victims of modern slavery, under plans announced by the Home Secretary.’

Full Story

The Independent, 30th January 2023

Source: www.independent.co.uk

Revealed: scores of child asylum seekers kidnapped from Home Office hotel – The Guardian

‘Dozens of asylum-seeking children have been kidnapped by gangs from a Brighton hotel run by the Home Office in a pattern apparently being repeated across the south coast, an Observer investigation can reveal.’

Full Story

The Guardian, 21st January 2023

Source: www.theguardian.com

Judges allow partial appeal against Rwanda asylum seeker ruling – The Guardian

Posted January 17th, 2023 in appeals, asylum, deportation, news, Rwanda by sally

‘Two judges who ruled that the Home Office’s plan to send asylum seekers to Rwanda to have their cases processed was lawful have granted permission for parts of their decision to be challenged at the court of appeal.’

Full Story

The Guardian, 16th January 2023

Source: www.theguardian.com

Home Office accused of failing vulnerable groups in detention centres – watchdog – The Independent

Posted January 13th, 2023 in asylum, detention, government departments, immigration, news, refugees, torture, victims by tracey

‘A watchdog says a belief among some Home Office staff that migrants are trying to abuse the system is causing “shortcomings” in the care of vulnerable groups in immigration removal centres. The Independent Chief Inspector of Borders and Immigration’s (ICIBI) report focuses on the Home Office’s Rule 35 process, calling it “ineffective”.’

Full Story

The Independent, 12th January 2023

Source: www.independent.co.uk

Afghan refugees made to move school take UK to court – BBC News

‘A group of Afghan families brought to London after the Taliban took power are taking the government to court because a subsequent move north meant their children had to leave a local school during their GCSE studies.’

Full Story

BBC News, 22nd January 2023

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

Calls for public inquiry into abuses at Manston asylum centre in Kent – The Guardian

Posted January 5th, 2023 in assault, asylum, detention, inquiries, news by sally

‘Lawyers and human rights campaigners are calling for a public inquiry into abuse and other mistreatment at Manston, the controversial Kent processing centre for small boat arrivals, after it emerged that police were investigating allegations of assault.’

Full Story

The Guardian, 4th January 2023

Source: www.theguardian.com

Divisional Court upholds Government’s Rwanda policy – an extended look – UK Human Rights Blog

‘On 14th April of this year, the then-Prime Minister, Boris Johnson, announced a new ‘Migration and Economic Development Partnership’ between the UK Government and the Government of Rwanda to enable the removal of certain persons to who enter the UK to claim asylum (particularly those who arrive in small boats crossing the English Channel) to Rwanda, where – if their claims succeeded – they would be resettled.’

Full Story

UK Human Rights Blog, 20th December 2022

Source: ukhumanrightsblog.com

Rwanda Policy Ruled Lawful But ‘Awful’ – Each Other

‘The High Court has ruled that the government’s ‘awful‘ Rwanda policy is lawful. This follows an intervention from the European Court of Human Rights, which in a last-minute ruling stopped any flights under the scheme until the UK’s domestic courts could determine if it was legal. While the policy was ruled legal, eight individual cases will be determined separately and another hearing could be launched in 2023 if an appeal is made.’

Full Story

Each Other, 20th December 2022

Source: eachother.org.uk

High court rules Rwanda plan is lawful – Free Movement

Posted December 20th, 2022 in asylum, deportation, government departments, immigration, judicial review, news, Rwanda by sally

‘The High Court has concluded in the case of AAA and others v Secretary of State for the Home Department [2022] EWHC 3230 (Admin) that the UK government’s Rwanda plan is lawful. The individual decisions in the case were inadequate and will need to be re-made, but that is no obstacle to the plan proceeding.’

Full Story

Free Movement, 19th December 2022

Source: freemovement.org.uk

Accommodating asylum seekers: legal issues arising from the use of hotel accommodation – Local Government Lawyer

‘The Home Office’s policy of placing asylum seekers in hotels and hostels has given rise to a number of legal issues for local authorities. Dean Underwood and Jack Barber detail the areas of concern.’

Full Story

Local Government Lawyer, 16th December 2022

Source: www.localgovernmentlawyer.co.uk

Braverman acting unlawfully over asylum seeker support, high court finds – The Guardian

Posted December 19th, 2022 in asylum, benefits, government departments, immigration, news, refugees by tracey

‘The home secretary is acting unlawfully in failing to ensure the rate of support for more than 50,000 asylum seekers is adequate by not implementing an increase of almost £5 a week recommended by officials, the high court has found.’

Full Story

The Guardian, 17th December 2022

Source: www.theguardian.com

High Court grants council interim injunction preventing 60 hotels from taking in asylum seekers – Local Government Lawyer

Posted December 1st, 2022 in asylum, hotels, injunctions, local government, news by sally

‘The High Court has granted Great Yarmouth Borough Council an interim injunction restricting around 60 hotels in the resort town from accommodating asylum seekers.’

Full Story

Local Government Lawyer, 30th November 2022

Source: www.localgovernmentlawyer.co.uk

Child asylum seekers detained as adults after UK Home Office ‘alters birth dates’ – The Guardian

‘The Home Office is routinely changing the dates of birth of unaccompanied child asylum seekers to classify them as adults, according to experts who say the practice is now happening on a “horrifying scale”.’

Full Story

The Guardian, 27th November 2022

Source: www.theguardian.com

The UK asylum backlog and increased use of immigration detention are negatively impacting children’s welfare – EIN Blog

‘Children and their parents make up a significant part of the population seeking asylum in the UK, but this receives limited attention in public discourse. Ilona Pinter draws on the UK government’s data, alongside additional research, to explore how children and families are being affected by the growing asylum backlog and the increasing use of immigration detention.’

Full Story

EIN Blog, 22nd November 2022

Source: www.ein.org.uk

Council threatens Home Office with judicial review after third hotel used to house asylum seekers – Local Government Lawyer

‘Torbay Council has issued a second pre-proceedings letter for a judicial review of the Home Office’s plan to block-book a third hotel in the area in order to accommodate asylum seekers.’

Full Story

Local Government Lawyer, 18th November 2022

Source: www.localgovernmentlawyer.co.uk

High Court refuses to extend interim injunctions stopping hotels from accommodating asylum seekers – Local Government Lawyer

‘A High Court judge has refused to extend ‘without notice’ interim injunctions obtained by Ipswich Borough Council and East Riding of Yorkshire Council that blocked the acccommodation of asylum seekers in local hotels.’

Full Story

Local Government Lawyer, 14th November 2022

Source: www.localgovernmentlawyer.co.uk

Thousands of asylum seekers ‘in limbo’ waiting years for Home Office decision – The Independent

Posted November 14th, 2022 in asylum, delay, government departments, housing, immigration, news, refugees, statistics by tracey

‘Tens of thousands of migrants are waiting more than a year for a decision on their asylum claim, with hundreds waiting over five years, figures show.’

Full Story

The Independent, 14th November 2022

Source: www.independent.co.uk

UK’s treatment of asylum seekers must comply with international law, UN says – The Independent

‘The UK should make sure its “treatment of asylum seekers complies with international laws”, members of the United Nations Human Rights Council said.’

Full Story

The Independent, 10th November 2022

Source: www.independent.co.uk

Councils in court over hotels housing asylum seekers – BBC News

Posted November 10th, 2022 in asylum, change of use, hotels, injunctions, local government, news, planning by sally

‘Lawyers for two councils have urged the High Court to block the Home Office’s contractors from using large hotels to house asylum seekers, claiming the schemes break planning laws and harm communities.’

Full Story

BBC News, 9th November 2022

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

The small boats storm and the unlawful seizure of mobile phones – UK Human Rights Blog

‘The storm raging around small boats arriving on the south coast has been brewing for some time. In early summer the focus was a policy to send arrivals to Rwanda. Intervention by the European Court of Human Rights effectively suspended flights while a domestic ruling on the policy’s legality is awaited. Meanwhile, in Dover a migrant processing centre has been firebombed, another is dangerously overcrowded, and the new Home Secretary raises tensions by speaking of an “invasion”.’

Full Story

UK Human Rights Blog, 4th November 2022

Source: ukhumanrightsblog.com