Afghan interpreter asks ‘how many more must die’ as he loses High Court fight – Daily Telegraph

Posted May 10th, 2016 in Afghanistan, appeals, armed forces, immigration, interpreters, news by sally

‘An Afghan interpreter who served alongside British troops on the front line has pleaded to be “allowed to live in safety, free of threats from the Taliban” after losing his High Court fight for better protection.’

Full story

Daily Telegraph, 9th May 2016

Source: www.telegraph.co.uk

Illegal immigrant exploited FGM laws to stay in Britain – Daily Telegraph

‘An illegal immigrant from Nigeria was granted leave to remain in Britain after falsely alleging that her daughters would be subjected to female genital mutilation if they were sent back.’

Full story

Daily Telegraph, 8th May 2016

Source: www.telegraph.co.uk

Bill forcing people to prove nationality slammed as discriminatory – The Guardian

Posted May 5th, 2016 in bills, documents, immigration, news, passports, police, race discrimination by tracey

‘Government measures making people prove their nationality or face prosecution risk damaging community relations and are discriminatory, critics have warned.’

Full story

The Guardian, 4th May 2016

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

Refugee held illegally after Home Office refused to believe he was 16 – The Guardian

‘Call for investigation into case of Syrian boy who was locked up for almost a month despite having documents proving identity.’

Full story

The Guardian, 4th May 2016

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

Age assessment and litigation fairness – Local Government Lawyer

Posted May 3rd, 2016 in appeals, children, immigration, news, social services, tribunals by tracey

‘The Court of Appeal has handed down a wide-reaching judgment that directly concerns age assessment cases, but the principles enunciated apply to all litigation (private and public), writes Peter Oldham QC.’

Full story

Local Government Lawyer, 28th April 2016

Source: www.localgovernmentlawyer.co.uk

Romanian sex workers challenge UK immigration policy – The Guardian

Posted May 3rd, 2016 in deportation, immigration, news, prostitution, self-employment by tracey

‘A policy aimed at deporting “high-harm” EU-national criminals and those not entitled to remain in Britain is to be challenged by Romanian sex workers who maintain they are self-employed.’

Full story

The Guardian, 1st May 2016

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

Two Parliament committees to investigate eBorders meltdown that left Britain exposed – Daily Telegraph

Posted May 3rd, 2016 in computer programs, immigration, news, select committees, visas by tracey

‘Two of Parliament’s most influential committees will next week investigate how Britain’s system of screening for terrorists crashed last summer without the public knowing.’

Full story

Daily Telegraph, 2nd May 2016

Source: www.telegraph.co.uk

Police try to keep rapist’s identity secret to protect his human rights – Daily Telegraph

Posted April 29th, 2016 in anonymity, human rights, immigration, news, rape by tracey

‘Police tried to protect the identity of a Polish rapist because of racial tensions between locals and eastern European migrants in the area.’

Full story

Daily Telegraph, 29th April 2016

Source: www.telegraph.co.uk

Asylum court fee hike makes access to justice a “luxury” for the few – The Bar Council

Posted April 28th, 2016 in asylum, barristers, civil justice, fees, immigration, press releases, tribunals by tracey

‘Plans put forward by the Ministry of Justice yesterday to increase fees for those seeking justice through the Immigration and Asylum tribunal system by 500% is yet another step towards putting access to justice beyond the means of those who most need it, warns the Bar Council.’

Full press release

The Bar Council, 28th April 2016

Source: www.barcouncil.org.uk

Transgender woman facing military service as a man can stay in UK – The Guardian

Posted April 28th, 2016 in armed forces, asylum, deportation, immigration, news, transgender persons by tracey

‘A transgender woman has been granted sanctuary in the UK to protect her from doing compulsory military service as a man in Singapore. In the first case of its kind, two judges ruled that she should not be forcibly returned to her home country, where she would be forced to do two weeks of military service a year for the next eight years.’

Full story

The Guardian, 27th April 2016

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

Regina (Sino) v Secretary of State for the Home Department – WLR Daily

Regina (Sino) v Secretary of State for the Home Department [2016] EWHC 803 (Admin)

‘Claiming that he had been unlawfully detained, the claimant sought, through the route of judicial review, immediate release from detention, determination of the defendant’s liability for his false imprisonment and resolution as to whether, if false imprisonment was established, damages should be compensatory or nominal. The defendant had detained the claimant under immigration powers for periods totalling seven years and two months. The judge held that the claimant had been unlawfully detained between 13 July and 10 December 2013 and was entitled to more than nominal damages for false imprisonment, to be assessed on a compensatory basis. The claimant failed in his public law claim in relation to accommodation, deportation and removal. An issue arose as to costs. The defendant contended, inter alia, that as the claimant had succeeded on only one issue out of four he was entitled to only 25% of his costs.’

WLR Daily, 12th April 2016

Source: www.iclr.co.uk

Government defeated again in Lords over child refugees – BBC News

‘The government has been defeated again in the House of Lords over calls to take in child refugees from Europe.’

Full story

BBC News, 26th April 2016

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

Immigration tribunal can appoint litigation friend despite no provision in the rules – Free Movement

‘In the recent case of R (on the application of C) v First-Tier Tribunal and Others [2016] EWHC 707 (Admin) (not yet on BAILII but available on Westlaw) Picken J ruled that the immigration tribunal can appoint a litigation friend to represent a person who lacks capacity even though there is no provision to do so in the procedure rules, nor indeed in the statutory underpinnings of the tribunal.’

Full story

Free Movement, 27th April 2016

Source: www.freemovement.org.uk

Government avoids defeat over lone child refugees call – BBC News

Posted April 26th, 2016 in amendments, bills, children, immigration, news, refugees by sally

‘MPs have voted against an attempt to force the government to allow 3,000 unaccompanied child refugees into the UK from Europe.’

Full story

BBC News, 26th April 2016

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

Asylum and immigration court fees set to rise by over 500% – The Guardian

‘Asylum and immigration tribunal fees are set to increase by more than 500% in order to help pay off the Ministry of Justice’s funding deficit.’

Full story

The Guardian, 21st April 2016

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

Tribunal rejects Home Office fraud allegation in ETS case but fails to report determination – Free Movement

‘President McCloskey has firmly rejected the Home Office case against students alleged to have fraudulently obtained English language test certificate from ETS (“Educational Testing Services Ltd”) in the case of SM and Ihsan Qadir v Secretary of State for the Home Department IA/31380/2014. The President finds that the Home Office evidence suffered from “multiple frailties and shortcomings” and that the two witnesses produced by the Home Office were unimpressive. In short, the Home Office failed by a significant margin to prove the alleged fraud.’

Full story

Free Movement, 25th April 2016

Source: www.freemovement.org.uk

Home Office ‘shamefully’ used new refugee law to deport 700 secretly – The Guardian

Posted April 25th, 2016 in asylum, children, deportation, families, immigration, news, statistics by sally

‘The Home Office has been accused of “shameful” behaviour for using the agreement that allows vulnerable children to seek asylum in the United Kingdom to secretly deport more than 700 people.’

Full story

The Guardian, 23rd April 2016

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

Curtailment of 30,000 student visas each year sparks row – BBC News

Posted April 25th, 2016 in education, immigration, licensing, news, statistics, universities, visas by sally

‘More than 30,000 non-EU students a year have had their visas curtailed by the Home Office in the past three years, figures obtained by BBC News show.’

Full story

BBC News, 23rd April 2016

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

Government plan for 500% increase in immigration and asylum fee sparks anger – The Independent

Posted April 22nd, 2016 in appeals, fees, immigration, Ministry of Justice, news by tracey

‘The Ministry of Justice has revealed plans to increase the cost for immigrants to appeal against Home Office decisions by up to 500 per cent.’

Full story

The Independent, 22nd April 2016

Source: www.independent.co.uk

Border security: Guards ‘lack power to stop returning jihadis’ – Daily Telegraph

Posted April 22nd, 2016 in detention, immigration, news, terrorism, whistleblowers by tracey

‘British border guards are virtually powerless to stop and detain Britons they suspect of returning from jihad or terrorism training, a whistle-blower has disclosed. UK Border Force guards have “zero discretion” to detain and interview travellers trying to re-enter Britain if they hold a UK passport and have not been “flagged” by police or security services.’

Full story

Daily Telegraph, 21st April 2016

Source: www.telegraph.co.uk