Migration news roundup 13 June 2022

A selection of stories about migration-related policy, research and statistics from the past week. 

• 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

Sleman, a Refugee Week 2022 ambassador, shares his story of moving to the UK in 2012 and opening the much-loved Mood Café in Huddersfield. [Source: Imix]

International news

As part of World Refugee Day, an Italian developer company is launching the Mygrants for Ukraine app that aims to match Ukrainian nationals with businesses that are looking for employees. [Source: InfoMigrants]

Thousands of migrants, mainly from Venezuela and Central America, are heading to the US in a record 'caravan' to coincide with the Summit of the Americas. The caravan includes families and children who demand access to immigration procedures and dignified treatment by the authorities. [Source: BBC]

UK borders and migration policy

The Home Affairs Select Committee examined the work of the Independent Chief Inspector of Borders and Immigration [ICIBI] where it was revealed that publication of ICIBI reports is frequently delayed by the Home Secretary beyond agreed timescales and Priti Patel has not yet met with the inspector in person since his appointment 14 months ago, cancelling multiple meetings. [Sources: Parliament TV, Independent]

More than 10,000 people have crossed the Channel on dinghies in 2022 so far, according to the Ministry of Defence. Meanwhile, two men were jailed for smuggling migrants across the Channel in small boats. [Sources: the Guardian, BBC]

Several items on Rwanda in anticipation of the first removals due on 14 June include:

• The Home Office is facing a High Court challenge against its Rwanda policy. Around 80 detained asylum seekers facing relocation to Rwanda have lodged legal challenges to block their removal. Some asylum seekers facing removal are on hunger strike in protest.
• The Home Office has reportedly offered asylum seekers the choice of being returned to their country of origin or being relocated to Rwanda.
• Charities say the Home Office is seeking to remove unaccompanied children to Rwanda, raising concerns of children being wrongly assessed as over 18 under the Home Office’s new age-assessment policy. Unaccompanied minors are technically exempt from third country removal under the Home Office inadmissibility policy.
• Actress Emma Thompson has spoken against the scheme. [Sources: the Guardian, Al Jazeera, Independent, Home Office, Sky News]

A few new reports have been published recently:

• A report from Refugee Action reveals the scarcity of legal advice in some parts of the country. It provides national and regional breakdowns – in Yorkshire and Humber, Hull and North Yorkshire are mentioned as areas experiencing particular shortages of provision. [Source: Refugee Action]
• A recent report from Doctors of the World found migrant women are facing high charges for NHS maternity services in the UK, even when exemptions should apply. [Source: the Guardian]

This article criticises the new High Potential Individual visa for favouring middle class immigration, with no universities from Africa, India or Latin America included in the rankings. [Source: the Guardian]

Specific migrant groups

On EU nationals:

• the Independent Monitoring Authority [IMA] launched an investigation into the Home Office’s delays in issuing a certificate of application to EU Settlement Scheme [EUSS] applicants. The inquiry is open until 8 August. [Source: IMA]
• latest EUSS statistics show a total of 6.65 million of applications under the scheme, with over 50,000 received in May. [Source: Home Office]

On Ukraine schemes, Wales temporarily paused its super sponsor scheme for Ukrainian refugees [separate to the Homes for Ukraine scheme] to ‘refine’ arrangements. Elsewhere, this story tells of the impact of policy on unaccompanied children, as a 13-year-old Ukrainian girl had to return to Ukraine after the Home Office refused her a visa to enter UK since she was accompanied by her older sister rather than their parents. [Sources: BBC, National World]

Cohesion and integration

This Jubilee Britain report explores popular views of what it means to be British and how migration contributes to British society [see pages 12-15]. It demonstrates changing attitudes on immigration particularly in the area of healthcare and also provides findings on practical ways in which the public are prepared to welcome refugees. [Source: British Future]

We’ve collated points from stories in the public domain to create this page, it’s a selection and not comprehensive. For more detailed coverage of some policy issues, see our Policy briefings page.