Migration news roundup 12 June 2023

• 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

The Musicians Union launched free union membership for refugees. Music therapist Harmin Sijercic explains the importance of music to him after arriving in the UK from Bosnia in the 1990s. (Sources: Musicians Union, Metro)

St Augustine’s Centre is inviting local people to make paper birds for their Refugee Week exhibition in Halifax. (Source: Halifax Courier)

International news

UNHCR raised concerns over refugees trapped in Khartoum – it’s unable to carry out humanitarian activities beyond telephone support due to increased violence and security issues. (Source: Info Migrants)

EU ministers agreed new migration and asylum laws that allow individual countries to return asylum seekers to third countries they decide are safe, but they have included charges for not hosting relocated refugees at €20,000 per person. (Source: the Guardian)

UK borders and migration policy

The Prime Minister visited Dover with Border Force officials - here’s analysis of his claim that ‘stop the boats’ policies are starting to work. (Sources: Prime Minister’s Office, BBC)

On the Illegal Migration Bill:

• Debate continued in the House of Lords, with peers sitting through the night. The Prime Minister suggested he could use the Parliament Act to push the legislation through if necessary. (Sources: the London Economic, iNews)
• This briefing highlights risks of children growing up in the UK without a route to citizenship. (Source: KIND UK)
• There are reports that government plans to detain and remove over 3,000 people seeking asylum each month from January 2024, simultaneously needing to invest in legal aid at detention sites. Elsewhere it’s claimed government modelling shows the number of people arriving via irregular routes would need to be below 10,000 annually for the new law to be workable. (Sources: the Guardian, the Times)
• Migration Yorkshire’s briefing on the Bill is now available. (Source: Migration Yorkshire)

This article provides an interesting insight into (anonymous) former home secretaries’ views on the challenges of reducing net migration. (Source: BBC)

Specific migrant groups

On asylum:

• People seeking asylum will no longer receive differential treatment based on their route into the UK, which has been the case since the Nationality and Borders Act came into force last year. The move will make it easier to tackle the backlog of outstanding asylum claims. You can see immigration minister Robert Jenrick’s full statement here. The Illegal Migration Bill is set to replace this policy approach should it become law. (Sources: the Guardian, UK Parliament)
• The government announced its latest measures will move up to 5,000 asylum seekers out of hotels into alternative accommodation sites, with two new vessels procured (Liverpool has been ruled out as a location). Additionally, there will be room sharing in asylum hotel accommodation, despite unsuccessful attempts to require people to share four to a room at a London hotel recently. There’s been criticism of the moves.  (Sources: Home Office, Sky, the Guardian)
• The Home Office is facing compensation claims after its blanket policy of seizing asylum seekers’ phones was found last year to be unlawful, as the UK’s surveillance watchdog has written to affected individuals. (Source: the Guardian)

Cornwall’s first leadership conference focusing on the resettlement of refugees in local communities will take place on World Refugee Day. (Source: Cornwall Council)

An inquiry found that for certain types of EU settlement scheme applications, the Home Office failed to fulfil its obligation to issue Certificates of Application to applicants that immediately provide evidence of their rights. (Source: Independent Monitoring Authority)

The UK security minister stated that China has closed unofficial ‘police stations’ in Britain. Meanwhile, Hongkongers in the UK held vigils to mark the 1989 Tiananmen anniversary. (Sources: the Guardian, Hong Kong Free Press)

Modern slavery news:

• This briefing considers the impact of changes to the ‘reasonable grounds threshold’, where the Home Office makes a decision on a referral, changed by the Nationality and Borders Act 2022. (Source: Human Trafficking Foundation)
• An update on the Gangmasters and Labour Abuse Authority (GLAA). (Source: GLAA)
• Guidance for healthcare professionals encountering survivors. (Source: VITA Network)
• ‘Taking Stock’ is a ten minute awareness raising video about exploitation in UK warehouses. (Source: Stronger Together)
• This powerful article written by someone with lived experience argues that the trafficking sector should have a focus on ‘survivorship’, similar to oncology services. (Source: Open Democracy)

A briefing on the exploitation of young people highlights added pressures of the cost of living and summer holidays. (Source: Barnardo’s)

Why the Windrush matters today is a new report that explores public attitudes towards race and diversity in Britain. The report also describes what people know about Windrush, identifying a lack of awareness among many. Check out these events to celebrate the 75th anniversary since the arrival of the Empire Windrush to UK shores, plus this google calendar highlights more local events. (Sources: British Future, Windrush 75 network, Google)

Cohesion and integration

There’s a new report on English language learning and integration in Scotland. (Source: University of Glasgow)

Two thirds of the UK think immigration is too high according to a poll for the i newspaper. While 44% of respondents said immigration was an important issue facing the country, it was far behind the cost-of-living crisis and healthcare as priorities. (Source: BMG Research)

Student Action for Refugees celebrated a different story for each day of Volunteers’ Week 2023. (Source: STAR Network)