Migration news roundup 8 July 2024

• Stories that inspired us this week
• International news
• UK borders and migration policy
• Specific migrant groups
• Cohesion and integration

Stories that inspired us this week

Much-loved children’s author Michael Rosen performed with pupils in Cambridge at a show in support of refugees. (Source: Cambridge City Council)

Chef Yotam Ottolenghi reviewed ‘Recipes of Life’ - a cookbook created by male migrants sharing recipes and stories of migration and advocating for better mental health support. (Source: Instagram)

Here in Yorkshire, Red Ladder Theatre Company has produced a new musical, ‘Sanctuary’ that asks ‘what kind of society do we want to live in?’. It opens in Wakefield in September. (Source: Yorkshire Times)

International news

‘Death in the Desert’ is an in-depth report and data visualisation looking at the cross-Africa routes to reach Europe and the ‘extreme horrors’ encountered by people making the journey. It is based on a three-year data collection with over 30,000 adults interviewed. (Source: UNHCR)

There was a small boat disaster off the West African coast where at least 89 people died, while a rescue boat in the Mediterranean funded by internationally-renowned artist Banksy was impounded after rescuing a group of people, as it did not stop at the assigned Italian port due to bad weather. (Sources: Al Jazeera, InfoMigrants)

The US deported more than 100 migrants back to China, and is planning further flights with the cooperation of the Chinese state. Olaf Scholz, the German chancellor, is also making promises to deport migrants who commit crimes. (Sources: AP news, Politico)

UK borders and migration policy

The General Election is over, but be aware of the different party positions on immigration policy for future reference. This article reflects on the Conservative government’s performance on immigration while the Refugee Council’s Chief Executive discusses what the Labour Party will have to do to improve the functionality of the of asylum system. (Sources: Evening Standard, the Guardian)

Looking back at the recent National Audit Office report the Guardian anticipated that, in the event of the Conservatives losing the General Election, £320 million will have been spent and lost on the Rwanda scheme, assuming the programme is scrapped by a new government. (Source: the Guardian)

The (now former) Home Secretary spoke out in criticism of artist Banksy after his installation at Glastonbury music festival contained a small boat carrying mannequins in life jackets, part of the migration theme this year at the festival with new area ‘Terminal 1’. (Sources: Sky, the Guardian)

Specific migrant groups

On asylum:

• The Asylum Support Tribunal decided it can hear appeals challenging the ending of asylum support because a person’s asylum claim was deemed 'withdrawn' by the Home Office. (Source: Free Movement)
• In a follow up report by the Helen Bamber Foundation, this report describes psychological distress amongst men seeking asylum who are held at the Wethersfield site. (Source: Helen Bamber Foundation)

The Home Office approach to automatically put an EU Settlement Scheme (EUSS) application on hold if an applicant had a pending criminal prosecution has been found unlawful by the Upper Tribunal. The Home Office must consider individual circumstances before delaying determination of EUSS applications. The judgement could help 20,000 individuals whose applications have been suspended. (Source: Public Interest Law Centre)

On children and young people:

• Refugee Council highlighted that the UK accepts just 0.1% of forcibly displaced children globally. The charity outlines current key issues impacting unaccompanied asylum seeking children in the UK and makes recommendations for how to protect the rights of these young people. (Source: Refugee Council)
• This research-informed policy report explores how young refugees experience the education system in England. Key issues found to be impacting young people include asylum policies, the dispersal model, temporary and inadequate housing, lack of access to internet and technology and language barriers. The report also comes in zine format. (Source: Bristol University)

Thelma Campbell, an 89-year-old pensioner affected by the Windrush scandal, faces uncertainty about her residency, as the Home Office says it cannot verify her identity. (Source: Independent)

Cohesion and integration

In the lead up to the election, media outlets talked to migrants, such as Commonwealth citizens, who were exercising their right to vote in the UK for the first time, voters from migrant backgrounds share about being represented by current political parties, and residents of Swindon share their views on migration in a ‘melting-pot town’, with a focus on Ukraine. (Sources: Reuters, the Guardian, BBC)

In case you missed this North Yorkshire story during Refugee Week, representatives from Refugee Council and Harrogate and Knaresborough District of Sanctuary describe the support they provide to refugee families. The article looks at the challenges new arrivals face, including housing, language learning and traumatic experiences, and how local volunteers provide solutions to those challenges. (Source: The Stray Ferret)