Conservatives’ asylum policy on Syria criticised as ‘too low, too slow, too narrow’ – The Guardian

Posted October 12th, 2015 in asylum, human rights, immigration, legal profession, news, political parties, refugees by tracey

‘The government’s offer to take in 20,000 Syrian refugees over five years is far “too low, too slow and too narrow”, according to a statement published by 300 senior lawyers, former law lords and retired judges.’

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The Guardian, 12th October 2015

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

Detained asylum seeker entitled to damages, court rules – BBC News

Posted October 9th, 2015 in asylum, damages, detention, news, torture by tracey

‘An asylum seeker who says she fled from torture in Sudan is entitled to damages from the government after she was held unlawfully, the High Court has ruled.’

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BBC News, 8th October 2015

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

Home Office to compensate pregnant asylum seeker for unlawful detention – The Guardian

Posted October 6th, 2015 in asylum, compensation, detention, news, pregnancy by sally

‘The Home Office has offered a formal apology and will pay compensation to a pregnant asylum seeker who was unlawfully arrested and detained at Yarl’s Wood immigration removal centre.’

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The Guardian, 6th October 2015

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

Woman who fled sexual abuse deported to Jamaica ‘because Home Office fax machine broken’ – The Independent

‘A woman who fled sexual abuse in Jamaica was deported back to the country because the Home Office’s fax machine was broken, lawyers have claimed.’

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The Independent, 4th October 2015

Source: www.independent.co.uk

UN torture investigator says UK plan to scrap Human Rights Act is ‘dangerous’ – The Guardian

‘The UN special rapporteur on torture has accused David Cameron of a “cold-hearted ” approach to the migration crisis, warning that plans to scrap the Human Rights Act risk subverting international obligations designed to protect people fleeing persecution.’

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The Guardian, 3rd October 2015

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

Deport first, appeal later–the effects explained – Halsbury’s Law Exchange

‘Deport first, appeal later is part of the current strategy to cut net migration. As set out in the Immigration Bill 2015-16, the rule has been extended to all immigration appeals and judicial reviews, including where a so-called family life is involved, apart from asylum claims.’

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Halsbury’s Law Exchange, 30th September 2015

Source: www.halsburyslawexchange.co.uk

Report: “Serious irreversible harm” test case heard in Court of Appeal

Posted September 28th, 2015 in appeals, asylum, bills, consultations, deportation, human rights, immigration, news, public interest by sally

‘This week, Lord Justices Elias, Richards and McCombe sat in the Court of Appeal and heard the first test cases against Section 94B of the Nationality, Immigration and Asylum Act 2002. Section 94B, introduced by the Immigration Act 2014 and which came into force on 28th July 2014, provides the Home Office the power to certify human rights claims made by people liable to deportation, so they are not entitled to an appeal within the UK. Instead they are expected to bring their appeal from the country in which the Home Office propose deportation. This logic has been catchily titled “deport first, appeal later” and the Conservatives pledged in their manifesto to roll it out for all immigration appeals. Indeed, the Immigration Bill 2015, published last week on 17th September, does just that.’

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Free Movement, 25th September 2015

Source: www.freemovement.org.uk

Law and the ‘illegals’: reforming UK immigration detention – Halsbury’s Law Exchange

Posted August 28th, 2015 in asylum, deportation, detention, immigration, news, time limits by sally

‘The UK has the largest immigration detention estate in Europe, with approximately 30,000 individuals being detained under immigration powers over the course of the last year. The vast majority of detainees are held in Immigration Removal Centres (IRCs), however detainees can be held in a number of different locations including prisons, and even less satisfactorily, police cells. The UK is the only EU country to also not impose an upper time limit on the use of immigration detention. This article considers a number of policy areas relating to immigration detention which have come under heavy scrutiny and may identify potential opportunities for reform.’

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Halsbury’s Law Exchange, 27th August 2015

Source: www.halsburyslawexchange.co.uk

Asylum seekers fight deportation to Afghanistan – The Guardian

Posted August 25th, 2015 in appeals, asylum, deportation, news by sally

‘Lawyers have launched a series of last-minute challenges to the proposed deportation of failed asylum seekers on a charter flight to Afghanistan.’

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The Guardian, 24th August 2015

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

Calais migrant crisis—what are the human rights obligations of member states? – Halsbury’s Law Exchange

Posted August 24th, 2015 in asylum, EC law, human rights, immigration, news by sally

‘As the Calais migrant crisis continues, Greg Ó Ceallaigh, barrister at Garden Court Chambers, explains the human rights obligations of member states involved.’
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Halsbury’s Law Exchange, 21st August 2015

Source: www.halsburyslawexchange.co.uk

What happens to failed asylum seekers? – BBC News

Posted August 13th, 2015 in appeals, asylum, detention, EC law, immigration, news by sally

‘Thousands of migrants are camped around Calais in northern France. Many will risk their lives smuggling themselves across the Channel into the UK. What happens to those that get through?’
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BBC News, 13th August 2015

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

Yarl’s Wood conditions deteriorated so much women are being treated like ‘animals’ – The Independent

‘Conditions at a privately run immigration removal centre have “deteriorated” over the past year to the extent that almost half of the women held there fear for their safety, according to a damning report published by the Chief Inspector of Prisons.’

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The Independent, 12th August 2015

Source: www.independent.co.uk

UK prisons inspector seeks time limits on detention of migrants without trial – The Guardian

‘The chief prisons inspector has called for time limits on the detention of migrants without trial after fresh warnings of a significant deterioration in conditions at an immigration removal centre for women.’

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The Guardian, 12th August 2015

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

Consultation and impact assessment on ending support for failed asylum seekers – Free Movement

Posted August 6th, 2015 in asylum, consultations, news, reports by sally

‘A consultation and impact assessment on the new panic proposals to remove asylum support for failed asylum seekers have been published. These reveal the details of the proposals.’

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Free Movement, 4th August 2015

Source: www.freemovement.org.uk

Illegal immigrants to UK face eviction without court order under new plans – The Guardian

Posted August 3rd, 2015 in asylum, benefits, bills, housing, immigration, landlord & tenant, news, proceeds of crime by sally

‘Immigrants living in Britain illegally will face abrupt eviction from rental properties under new laws designed to make Britain a tougher place to live in, the government will announce as it redoubles its response to the Calais migrant crisis.’

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The Guardian, 3rd August 2015

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

Why do the “migrants” in Calais want to come to the UK? – Free Movement

Posted July 31st, 2015 in asylum, immigration, media, news, refugees, statistics by sally

‘”Cockroaches” according to Katie Hopkins. A “swarm” according to our likeminded Prime Minister, David Cameron, and The Daily Mail (again). An “army” according to the popular press, who seem to think we should literally send troops into France (without asking the French, we can assume) to hold the thin red line. “Migrants” to others. Why never “refugees”, though, which is what most of them are? What do we know about who these people are — brothers, sisters, mothers, fathers and children, all of them — and why they want to come to the UK?’

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Free Movement, 31st July 2015

Source: www.freemovement.org.uk

Court of Appeal agrees that Detained Fast Track appeals are inherently unfair – Free Movement

Posted July 30th, 2015 in appeals, asylum, case management, news by sally

‘In a judgment handed down this morning, the Court of Appeal has agreed with Nichol J’s earlier judgment in the High Court holding the Detained Fast Track appeal system to be inherently unfair. The new judgment is The Lord Chancellor v Detention Action [2015] EWCA Civ 840. The Home Office were an interested party.’

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Free Movement, 29th July 2015

Source: www.freemovement.org.uk

Court rejects government appeal over fast-track detention of asylum seekers – The Guardian

Posted July 30th, 2015 in appeals, asylum, detention, news by sally

‘Government hopes of quickly restarting the detention of asylum seekers under its fast-track process have been dealt a serious blow by the loss of a court of appeal challenge brought by the justice secretary, Michael Gove.’

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The Guardian, 29th July 2015

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

Divorce court fees to rise by a third – BBC News

Posted July 23rd, 2015 in asylum, civil justice, consultations, courts, divorce, fees, immigration, news by sally

‘The cost of getting divorced is to rise by about a third after the government announced increased court fees.’

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BBC News, 22nd July 2015

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

Hundreds of torture victims may sue UK over asylum detention – The Guardian

Posted July 7th, 2015 in asylum, detention, immigration, news by sally

‘Hundreds of torture victims may sue the government for unlawful detention after a landmark ruling in the high court. Many of these cases could now be reconsidered by the Home Office.’

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The Guardian, 3rd July 2015

Source: www.guardian.co.uk