Immigration News Weekly Roundup – 19 September 2025
Significant developments have occurred this week in multiple aspects of UK immigration policy and practice, at a time of increased scrutiny and enforcement across the sector.
The UK Government has confirmed the first removal under the “one in, one out” asylum agreement with France. This development comes just after a court decision halted the deportation flight for an Eritrean national this week, demonstrating that the scheme remains operational and that temporary halts for judicial consideration do not prevent future flights from proceeding.
It was the first major legal challenge to the Government’s “one in, one out” arrangement with France after Mr Justice Sheldon granted an interim injunction against the deportation of a 25-year-old Eritrean man, who had claimed to be a victim of trafficking. This was the first successful High Court challenge to the “one in, one out” scheme. His Honour held that reasonable suspicion of trafficking poses a statutory bar to removal. He was supposed to be removed on Wednesday morning but was granted limited relief pending proper investigation through the national referral mechanism of his trafficking claims.
However, the successful removal indicates that the Government has maintained momentum with the policy despite legal challenges, reinforcing ministers’ earlier statements that individual court interventions would not undermine the fundamental basis of the arrangement.
This is reflected in the statement from Technology Secretary Liz Kendall as she stated that the single instance of the halt of earlier removal, will not upset the whole basis of the deal, characterising the court ruling as disappointing but inconclusive to the future of the scheme. The Government insists that there will be further removal flights, with France expected to start reciprocal transfers on Saturday.
Enforcement activity has significantly increased in the employment sector, with the cancellation of licences for migrant worker visas doubling within the last year. The Home Office cancelled 1,948 licences in the first 6 months this year. An increase from 937 in the previous year. Employers in the construction sector, adult social care, hospitality and retail sectors were especially scrutinised for compliance with the law, including for underpayment, exploitation of workers and assisting migrants to circumvent immigration rules. The Government describes these actions as backed up evidence of robust border security measures, while critics argue that they are a portrayal of systemic issues more widely in the control of visas.
The legal services industry dealt with substantial disruption following the cancellation of Middlesex Law Chambers’ immigration legal aid contract. The firm earned £1.7 million in legal aid income despite only having five solicitors managing thousands of asylum claims. The dramatic increase from £43,000 income reported in 2021 raised serious questions about service quality and the capacity of the profession to manage this function. The loss of this contract will leave multiple asylum seekers without legal representation when the asylum grant rate has decreased from 58% to 48%, increasing the need for legal appeals which may now also be difficult to find representation for.
Professional standards in immigration practice have been on significant display following the Upper Tribunal’s decision in MS v Secretary of State for the Home Department. Barrister Muhammad Mujeebur Rahman was referred to the Bar Standards Board (BSB) after having used ChatGPT to generate legal grounds that cited a fictitious case, “Y (China)”. When challenged in a hearing about the existence of the stock fictitious case, Rahman made an additional error by claiming that ChatGPT confirmed that Y (China) existed. The Tribunal’s response was to find that Rahman had engaged in a deliberate attempt to mislead the tribunal and had acted without integrity, including his advice to his clients.
This case sets a significant precedent in respect to the appropriateness of lawyer use of AI tools in the practice of law. The tribunal noted that while it would not take prosecution action against Rahman for not knowing ChatGPT fabricated authorities, he could – and certainly should have been subject to disciplinary proceedings as a professional. The decision strengthens the fundamental obligation of lawyers to ensure the authorities they cite (regardless of the technology they utilize in their research!) are accurate and sourced from reliable law sources.
The challenges extend beyond visa applications alone, with pathways to naturalisation becoming equally demanding. Understanding British Citizenship registration has never been more critical, particularly as recent updates to Section 4L and discretionary provisions have significantly complicated the application process. The Home Office’s refined approach to historical unfairness cases now requires specialist expertise to achieve successful outcomes.
HJT’s expert trainer Antonia Randall-Brandwood will address these complexities in an essential webinar on Wednesday 24th September at 4pm. The session will address new adult registration routes, Home Office discretion applications, and good character requirements using practical case studies. With regulatory bodies highlighting the need for up-to-date knowledge, this training offers CPD and aims to provide practitioners with resources for preparing applications. Limited spaces are currently available. For bookings, visit here
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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
First person removed to France under ‘one in, one out’ asylum deal, says UK Government – The Guardian
The UK has returned the first asylum seeker to France under a “one in, one out” agreement to remove people who arrive on small boats, the Home Office has confirmed. For full report, click here
UK deportation of Eritrean man to France under ‘one-in, one-out’ halted by judge – The Guardian
An Eritrean man has had his deportation to France under Labour’s “one-in, one-out” scheme halted at the 11th hour after he won a high court challenge. The 25-year-old man is the first to win a challenge in the high court against the removal scheme, which is itself new. The first removal flights were due to take place on Monday and Tuesday of this week but were cancelled. The man had been due to be on a flight to France at 9am on Wednesday. For full report, click here
Shabana Mahmood accuses asylum seekers of making ‘vexatious, last-minute claims’ – The Guardian
Shabana Mahmood has accused asylum seekers of making “vexatious, last-minute claims” to avoid removal to France as the Home Office said it would review modern slavery laws to save Keir Starmer’s returns deal. After an 11th-hour injunction that scuppered Labour’s “one in, one out” scheme, the home secretary said she would stop claimants “suddenly deciding that they are a modern slave on the eve of their removal”, adding that it made a “mockery of our laws and this country’s generosity”. For full report, click here
First ‘one in, one out’ deportation flight reportedly takes off without migrants –The Guardian
The first flight to France carrying people who crossed the Channel under Keir Starmer’s “one in, one out” deal has not taken place as planned, according to reports. A small group of individuals were removed from an Air France flight on Monday due to travel from Heathrow to Paris after a legal challenge, according to multiple newspaper reports. For full report, click here
‘One in, one out’ deal will go ahead, says Liz Kendall after last-minute injunction – The Guardian
Keir Starmer’s returns deal with France will go ahead, a cabinet minister has insisted, despite a high court ruling that temporarily blocked the deportation of an Eritrean man. Liz Kendall, the technology secretary, said the last-minute injunction stopping the 25-year-old from being flown to Paris would not scupper the “one in, one out” scheme for ever. For full report, click here
Record numbers of Americans seeking UK citizenship because of London’s values, says mayor – The Guardian
The Mayor of London, Sadiq Khan, has said a record number of Americans have applied for British citizenship following the election of Donald Trump, which he attributed to the city’s “liberal values”. In an opening salvo ahead of the US president’s state visit, Khan said he wanted to challenge the idea that London was in turmoil and said that more Americans than ever were seeking to make it their home. For full report, click here
Family of man who died on Bibby Stockholm question mental health care – The Guardian
The family of an asylum seeker who died on the Bibby Stockholm barge say they do not understand why a man “whose mental state was clearly not right” was moved there. An inquest into the death of Leonard Farruku, an Albanian asylum seeker whose body was found in a shower room on the barge in Portland Port on 12 December 2023, opened in Bournemouth on Monday. For full report, click here
‘We can’t eat. We can’t sleep. It’s a disaster’: the small boat detainees waiting to be sent back to France – The Guardian
Brook House immigration removal centre near Gatwick airport. It is one of two centres, along with Harmondsworth, near Heathrow, where an estimated 92 people who recently arrived on small boats have been detained in preparation for removal to France in a new deal hailed by the Prime Minister as a development that will finally “turn the tables” on the high number of asylum seekers arriving here in dinghies. For full report, click here
Immigration law firm making £1.7m in legal aid loses contract over standards – The Guardian
An immigration law firm that signed up thousands of asylum seekers and generated income of £1.7m in legal aid in the last year, despite only employing five solicitors to represent them, has had its Government contract terminated after concerns about its performance, the Guardian has learned. The decision leaves many asylum seekers struggling to find new legal representatives at a time when the Government is increasing the number of cases it refuses. For full report, click here
What do the immigration figures for the UK really show? – The Guardian
In August almost half of Britons (48%) listed immigration as one of the top issues facing the UK. This year has recorded the highest concerns over immigration, outside of one other period during the 2015 Europe migrant crisis – since polling company Ipsos started asking the question in 1974. For full report, click here
Hundreds of prison officers may have to leave UK after Labour’s visa rule change – The Guardian
Hundreds of foreign prison officers will lose their jobs and could be forced to return to their home countries at short notice because of a change in visa rules introduced by Labour, governors and a union have warned. More than 1,000 staff, mainly from African countries, have been sponsored by prisons across England and Wales allowing them to come to the UK on skilled worker visas. For full report, click here
Licence cancellations of migrant work visas double – BBC News UK
Twice as many licences allowing companies to bring in migrant workers were revoked last year compared to the previous 12 months, according to the latest data. The Home Office said bosses had their licences cancelled for abusing the immigration system, including “underpaying and exploiting workers” and using the work visas system to help migrants get around the law on how to enter or remain in the country. For full report, click here
Case Law
R (HI) v Secretary of State for the Home Department JR-2024-LON-002059.
The Upper Tribunal ruled that the Home Office unlawfully reversed its decision to grant refugee status to a Palestinian man after media coverage of the case. The court found the initial withdrawal created a legitimate expectation of refugee status that couldn’t be withdrawn without justification, ordering the Home Office to recognise him as a refugee after an 18-month delay. To view the full decision, click here
MS v Secretary of State for the Home Department (Professional Conduct: AI Generated Documents) Bangladesh [2025] UKUT 305 (IAC)
A barrister was referred to the Bar Standards Board after using ChatGPT to cite a fake case in court documents, then lying about it when questioned by the judge. The tribunal ruled this professional misconduct warrants disciplinary action. To view the full decision, click here
Home Office Guidance and Documents Policy Updates
Collection: eVisa support videos has been updated on 17th September 2025 to view the updated Collection, click here
Promotional material: How to update your digital photo on your UKVI account: video has been published on 17th September 2025. To view the Promotional material , click here
Collection: Children (asylum instructions) has been updated on 17th September 20225. To view the updated collection, click here
Caseworker Guidance: Home Office Gaza process has been published on 17th September 2025. To view the Guidance, click here
Guidance: Common travel area (immigration staff guidance) has been updated on 17th September 2025. To view the updated Guidance, click here
Guidance: Register of licensed sponsors: workers has been updated on 17th September 2025. To view the updated Guidance, click here
Guidance: Register of licensed sponsors: students has been updated on 17th September 2025. To view the updated Guidance, click here
Guidance: Syria: country policy and information notes has been updated on 16th September 2025. To view the updated Guidance, click here
Collection: Identity checks (immigration staff guidance) has been updated on 15th September 2025. To view the updated Guidance, click here
Guidance: Facial image search requests: caseworker has been updated on 15th September 2025. To view the updated Guidance, click here
Guidance: Victims of domestic violence: caseworker has been updated on 12th September 2025. To view the updated Guidance, click here
Guidance: Senegal: Knowledge Base profile has been published on 12th September 2025. To view the updated Guidance, click here
Guidance: China: tuberculosis test clinics for a UK visa has been updated on 12th September 2025. To view the updated Guidance, click here
Form: Apply for the migrant victims of domestic abuse concession has been updated on 12th September 2025. To view the updated Form, click here
Written by Shareen Khan – Legal Content Writer, HJT Training
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Disclaimer: This blog post is intended for informational purposes only and does not constitute legal advice. Immigration advisors should consult the full decisions and official policy documents when advising clients on specific cases.
