
Immigration News Weekly Roundup – 26 July 2024
This week has witnessed significant shifts in UK immigration policy and practices under the new Labour government. The controversial Bibby Stockholm barge, currently housing 400 asylum seekers, is set to close in January 2025, marking a departure from previous accommodation strategies.
Home Secretary Yvette Cooper revealed that the failed Rwanda deportation scheme cost taxpayers £700 million, labelling it a “costly con”. In a significant policy shift, thousands of asylum seekers left in limbo by this scheme, they will now have their cases processed in the UK.
Prime Minister Keir Starmer has expressed openness to offshore processing of asylum claims, following discussions with European leaders. Meanwhile, the government has pledged £84 million for projects in Africa and the Middle East to address root causes of migration.
The Home Office is pivoting towards increased enforcement, with plans to reallocate resources to a new Returns and Enforcement programme. This includes expediting returns to countries of origin and increasing raids on businesses employing illegal workers. Dozens of failed asylum seekers from Vietnam are set to be deported as part of this strategy.
Tragically, one person lost their life in a channel crossing attempt near Gravelines, underscoring the ongoing risks faced by those seeking asylum.
Concerns have been raised about the treatment of vulnerable individuals within the system, following reports of an Albanian man being taken from a psychiatric unit to a deportation flight. Additionally, the plight of migrant workers came into focus with the story of Indonesian fruit pickers dismissed shortly after arriving in the UK.
The plight of migrant workers was brought into focus by the story of Indonesian fruit pickers who, after paying substantial sums to work in the UK, were dismissed within weeks for not meeting picking targets. This incident highlights the precarious situation many migrant workers face and the need for better protections and fairer labour practices.
With the constant revisions to Immigration policies, it has become increasingly vital that immigration advisors remain fully abreast of the developments.
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For the full list of updates on media news, reports and Home Office Guidance and Policy updates, see below.
Immigration News
Bibby Stockholm barge to close as asylum accommodation, says Home Office – The Guardian
The Bibby Stockholm, the controversial barge that has been used to accommodate asylum seekers, is to be shut down, the government has said. Use of the vessel, which is housing 400 people and is moored at Portland, Dorset, will stop when the current contract ends in January 2025.
For full report, click here
Albanian man taken from UK psychiatric ward to deportation flight report – The Guardian
An Albanian man who was being held in a secure psychiatric unit was taken directly from his hospital bed to a Home Office deportation flight, a report has revealed.
For full report, click here
Failed Rwanda deportation scheme cost £700m, says Yvette Cooper – The Guardian
The Conservative government spent £700m of taxpayers’ money on the failed Rwanda deportation scheme, which has proved to be a “costly con”, the home secretary has said. Yvette Cooper described the policy, which was introduced two-and-a-half years ago and sought to send UK asylum seekers to Rwanda for processing, as “the biggest waste of taxpayer money I have ever seen”.
For full report, click here
Indonesians who paid thousands to work on UK farm sacked within weeks – The Guardian
Indonesian workers who paid thousands of pounds to travel to Britain and pick fruit at a farm supplying most big supermarkets have been sent home within weeks for not picking fast enough.
One of the workers said he had sold his family’s land, as well as his and his parents’ motorbikes, to cover the more than £2,000 cost of coming to Britain in May and was distressed to find himself unemployed with few possessions.
For full report, click here
Newborn baby made homeless by Home Office in frenzy to clear asylum backlog – The Guardian
A father with a newborn baby and a mother with two children are among the asylum seekers made homeless by the Home Office after it wrongly withdrew their claims, it can be revealed.
The families were ordered to leave their accommodation and had financial support cut off for failing to attend interviews that they had not received invitations for because of the Home Office’s own errors.
For full report, click here
Former factory in Dublin intended to house asylum seekers is set on fire – The Guardian
A disused factory in Dublin earmarked to house asylum seekers has been set on fire following a protest at the site. More than 1,000 people were protesting at the former Crown Paints building in Coolock on Friday night, in the north of the Irish capital, and gardaí were on the scene.
For full report, click here
Home Office will decide asylum claims of thousands stuck in Rwanda scheme limbo – The Guardian
Thousands of asylum seekers left in limbo for more than two years as they awaited a decision on the Rwanda scheme will now have their cases decided in the UK. The decision, revealed during a high court challenge on Friday, is a sharp shift in position from the previous government, which had passed various laws declaring that the claims of those who arrived after January 2022 were “inadmissible” – and so could not be processed in the UK.
For full report, click here
Keir Starmer says he is open to processing asylum seekers offshore – The Guardian
The Prime Minister says he is open to the idea of Britain processing claims offshore, after a day spent discussing illegal migration with fellow European leaders at Blenheim Palace. Those talks, as part of the European Political Community summit, included a meeting with Edi Rama, the Albanian prime minister, whose country processes asylum claims on behalf of Italy.
For full report, click here
One person dies in Channel crossing attempt near Gravelines – The Guardian
A person has died trying to cross the Channel to reach Britain in an overcrowded dinghy, French officials have said.
A further 71 people were rescued after the vessel deflated off Gravelines on France’s northern coast on Wednesday, the regional maritime police authority said in a statement.
For full report, click here
Failed asylum seekers to be sent back to Vietnam – BBC News UK
Dozens of failed asylum seekers from Vietnam are to be sent back to the country on Wednesday, using resources the last government had earmarked for the Rwanda scheme. The Labor government scrapped the plan, which would have seen some asylum seekers sent to the east African country, within hours of taking power, describing it as a “gimmick” and a waste of money.
For full report, click here
UK pledges £84m to stop illegal migration ‘at source’ – BBC News UK
Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer has pledged £84m for projects in Africa and the Middle East to stop illegal migration “at source”. The government said the new funding for education, employment opportunities and humanitarian support would help address the factors driving people to leave their homes.
For full report, click here
UK to fast-track returns of illegal migrants to safe nations like India – Business Standard
UK Home Secretary Yvette Cooper has said she has begun the work to move staff from the previous Conservative-led government, now-abolished Rwanda scheme, to a new Returns and Enforcement programme. In place of the policy of trying to fly out illegal migrants to the African country, the Home Office plans to increase the returns to the countries of origin, starting with an increase in raids on businesses employing illegal workers.
For full report, click here
Case Law
Islam, R (On the Application Of) v Secretary of State for the Home Department [2024] EWHC 1838
The High Court ruled that issue estoppel prevents His Majesty’s Passport Office from refusing to issue a passport to Mr Moynul Islam, despite lack of evidence, due to an unchallenged First-tier Tribunal finding that he is British. The court held that the Home Office cannot now contest this finding, as they failed to appeal it at the time. Although Mr Islam’s British citizenship was questionable based on the facts presented, the court emphasised that the proper time to challenge the tribunal’s decision was when it was made, not years later.
For full decision, click here
HOME OFFICE GUIDANCE AND DOCUMENTS POLICY UPDATES
Guidance: Registering other British nationals caseworker has been updated on 24th July 2024. To view updated Guidance, click here
Guidance: Youth Mobility Scheme visa: ballot system has been updated on 24th July 2024. To view updated Guidance, click here
Guidance: Uzbekistan country policy and information notes has been updated on 24th July 2024. To view updated Guidance, click here
Collection: Country policy and information notes has been updated on 24th July 2024. To view updated Collection, click here
Guidance: Cambodia tuberculosis test clinics for a UK visa has been updated on 24th July 2024. To view updated Guidance, click here
Guidance: Asylum screening and routing caseworker has been updated on 24th July 2024. To view updated Guidance, click here
Guidance: Nigeria tuberculosis test clinics for a UK visa has been updated on 24th July 2024. To view updated Guidance, click here
Guidance: Renounced British citizenship casework has been updated on 24th July 2024. To view updated Guidance, click here
Form: Application for a certificate of entitlement to the right of abode (form ROA) has been updated on 24th July 2024. To view updated Form, click here
Guidance: Forms has been updated on 24th July 2024. To view updated Guidance, click here
Guidance: Registration as a BOTC – children caseworker has been updated on 24th July 2024. To view updated Guidance, click here
Form: Application to register child under 18 as British subject has been updated on 24th July 2024. To view updated Form, click here
Form: Application to register child under 18 as British Overseas citizen has been updated on 24th July 2024. To view updated Form, click here
Guidance: Form AN has been updated on 24th July 2024. To view updated Guidance, click here
Guidance: Registering children as British citizens caseworker has been updated on 24th July 2024. To view updated Guidance, click here
Guidance: Form RS1 has been updated on 24th July 2024. To view updated Guidance, click here
Guidance: Form T has been updated on 24th July 2024. To view updated Guidance, click here
Guidance: Registering as a BOTC following renunciation: caseworker has been updated on 24th July 2024. To view updated Guidance, click here
Guidance: Form B(OTA) has been updated on 24th July 2024. To view updated Guidance, click here
Guidance: Naturalization as a British citizen caseworker has been updated on 24th July 2024. To view updated Guidance, click here
Guidance: Naturalization as a BOTC: caseworker has been updated on 24th July 2024. To view updated Guidance, click here
Guidance: Form MN1 has been updated on 24th July 2024. To view updated Guidance, click here
Guidance: Register of licensed sponsors students has been updated on 24th July 2024. To view updated Guidance, click here
Guidance: Register of licensed sponsors workers has been updated on 24th July 2024. To view updated Guidance, click here
Guidance: Form UKM has been updated on 24th July 2024. To view updated Guidance, click here
Form: Application to register as British Overseas Territories citizen has been updated on 24th July 2024. To view updated Form, click here
Form: Extend your stay in the UK as a child of a non-parent relative with protection status in the UK FLR(P) has been updated on 24th July 2024. To view updated Form, click here
Guidance: Form B(OS): guidance has been updated on 24th July 2024. To view updated Guidance, click here
Transparency data: Visa fees has been updated on 24th July 2024. To view updated Transparency, click here
Policy paper: UK visa fees has been updated on 24th July 2024. To view updated Policy Paper, click here
Guidance: Registration as British if your mother had connection to a British Overseas Territory has been updated on 23rd July 2024. To view updated Guidance, click here
Guidance: Registration as a British Overseas Territories citizen (BOTC(F)) has been updated on 23rd July 2024. To view updated Guidance, click here
Form: Application to register as British citizen form EM has been updated on 23rd July 2024. To view updated Form, click here
Guidance: Form UKF has been updated on 23rd July 2024. To view updated Guidance, click here
Form: Apply for a duplicate citizenship certificate (form NC) has been updated on 23rd July 2024. To view updated Form, click here
Form: Application for review when British citizenship is refused form NR has been updated on 23rd July 2024. To view updated form, click here
Guidance: Tier 1 (Entrepreneur)caseworker has been updated on 23rd July 2024. To view updated Guidance, click here
Guidance: Iran country policy and information notes has been updated on 23rd July 2024. To view updated Guidance, click here
Guidance: Permitting access to public funds has been updated on 23rd July 2024. To view updated Guidance, click here
Guidance: Information booklet for asylum applications has been updated on 22nd July 2024. To view updated Guidance, click here
Guidance: France tuberculosis test clinic for a UK visa has been updated on 22nd July 2024. To view updated Guidance, click here
Guidance: Prove your English language abilities with a secure English language test (SELT) has been updated on 19th July 2024. To view updated Guidance, click here
Guidance: Nigeria country policy and information notes has been updated on 19th July 2024. To view updated Guidance, click here
Guidance: Ukraine tuberculosis test clinics for a UK visa has been updated on 19th July 2024. To view updated Guidance, click here
Guidance: Sudan country policy and information notes has been updated on 19th July 2024. To view updated Guidance, click here
Guidance: South Africa tuberculosis test clinics for a UK visa has been updated on 18th July 2024. To view updated Guidance, click here
Guidance: Assessing the English language requirement caseworker has been updated on 18th July 2024. To view updated Guidance, click here
Transparency data: Ukraine Visa Schemes visa data has been updated on 18th July 2024. To view updated Transparency data, click here
Guidance: India Young Professionals Scheme visa ballot system has been updated on 18th July 2024. To view updated Guidance, click here