News Update – 13 February 2026
This week’s news highlights major updates on the UK’s returns deal with France, including international attention, diplomatic advances on deportations, and legal challenges raising safeguarding issues.
The United Nations has officially intervened in the ongoing discussion regarding the one in, one out asylum scheme. On 8 December 2025, nine expert representatives, including seven special rapporteurs submitted a comprehensive twenty-page document to Downing Street and the Élysée Palace, which has now been released to the public. The experts highlighted what they deem to be potentially significant violations of international Human Rights obligations. With particular emphasis on the treatment of individuals under the scheme and concerns about the current operational framework’s compliance with established Human Rights law. The UN representatives granted both Governments sixty days to respond, and the publication of their letter serves as the formal disclosure deadline for these concerns.
In what the Government has framed as a significant diplomatic achievement, three African nations have agreed to facilitate the return of their nationals who lack authorisation to remain in the UK. The Home Secretary leveraged visa sanctions as a negotiating tool, with Namibia and Angola responding to these penalties within a month, whilst the Democratic Republic of Congo agreed to cooperate following the withdrawal of preferential visa treatment for senior officials and the removal of expedited visa processing for all citizens. This progression has been completed within three months of the initial threats, and the Government has indicated that deportation flights are already underway. Official sources have suggested that over three thousand nationals from these three countries may now be eligible for removal proceedings. The Government has characterised this outcome as demonstrating the effectiveness of a transactional approach to international relations on immigration matters, with indication that further visa penalties may be imposed against countries that continue to refuse cooperation.
Simultaneously, the scheme has faced a significant legal challenge coming from the migrants themselves. Sixteen individuals affected by the returns programme have initiated High Court proceedings, with claims anticipated to centre on breaches of modern slavery legislation. This legal action has coincided with the publication of a joint statement from a coalition of twenty-two charities operating across the UK and France. These organisations have characterised the scheme as dangerous and have demanded its immediate cessation, citing widespread failures in implementation and inadequate protections for vulnerable populations.
The charities statement highlights concern about conditions within the scheme. Reports indicate many detainees face severe mental health issues, including self-harm and suicide attempts, suggesting deficiencies in duty of care and questioning detention as a suitable method for handling removals. Clinicians have found high rates of PTSD and evidence of torture and trafficking, which could affect the legality of removal decisions.
Child safeguarding is a critical concern. Charities report at least 29 individuals believed to be children held in detention, with eight recognised as children by authorities or still undergoing age assessment. Nine age-disputed minors have been removed, while three remain detained pending review. Organisations highlight concerns over age assessments, noting reliance on physical appearance rather than thorough evaluations. These issues raise serious questions about adherence to safeguarding duties and the rights of children in immigration cases.
Access to legal representation presents a further barrier to fair outcomes. Detainees have reportedly experienced significant difficulties in securing legal advice, with immigration law firms reporting insufficient capacity to accept instructions from affected individuals. This situation creates a material disadvantage for those challenging removal decisions or raising modern slavery claims, potentially undermining the fairness of decision-making processes and limiting access to justice. The inability to secure prompt legal support is particularly consequential given that removal operations continue on an accelerated timeline.
The Government’s ministerial response has been to defend the scheme and signal intention to further restrict the capacity for modern slavery claims to be raised in the context of removal proceedings. The Minister for Border Security has stated that such claims must not prevent the removal of individuals who have entered the country through unauthorised means. This position reflects a policy emphasis on acceleration of returns processes and suggests that legislative reform may be pursued to limit the efficacy of safeguarding defences in immigration removal contexts.
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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
Hong Kongers offered new lives as UK expands safe and legal routes – UKVI
Thousands more Hong Kongers will be able to build new lives in Britain as the Government strengthens safe and legal routes to the UK. The expansion honours the UK’s historic commitment to the people of Hong Kong and comes amid continuing deterioration of rights and freedoms in the territory. To view the full article, visit here
Three countries to take back illegal migrants after visa threat – UKVI
A month after the Home Secretary threatened visa penalties, Namibia and Angola agreed to cooperate on returns. The Home Secretary has now secured cooperation from the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) just weeks after she stripped VIPs and decision makers of preferential visa treatment, as well as revoking fast-track visa processing services for all nationals. To view the full article, visit here
Nurses’ families fear being torn apart in UK immigration crackdown – The Guardian
Families of nurses and carers have said they fear being torn apart under an immigration crackdown condemned as “an act of economic vandalism”. A survey of more than 1,000 people, many of whom moved to Britain to work or study, found that three in five worry about being separated from their relatives. To view the full article, visit here
300,000 children face 10-year wait for settled status under UK plans – The Guardian
The Institute for Public Policy Research (IPPR) found that nearly a quarter (23%) of the 1.35 million people already on routes to settlement are children, most of them dependants on their families’ work visas. The findings come as Shabana Mahmood faces opposition from Labour MPs over changes to permanent settlement rights. To view the full article, visit here
UK and France asylum deal could violate human rights laws, warns UN – The Guardian
The UN has called on the UK and France to halt the controversial “one in, one out” asylum system, warning there could be “serious violations of international human rights law”. The experts said the detention of torture survivors for the scheme “may in itself amount to cruel, inhuman and degrading treatment”, similarly raising concerns that there is a failure to protect people who are suicidal. To view the full article, visit here
Migrants in court bid to halt deportations under Starmer’s controversial one-in, one-out deal with France – The Independent
Migrants have launched a legal bid to halt deportations under the UK’s controversial one in, one out returns deal with France over concerns that Labour is failing victims of trafficking and modern slavery. The challenge comes as a coalition of 22 British and French charities has today called on the Government to immediately halt the “dangerous scheme” in a letter that says survivors of torture and trafficking are being put at risk in “prison-like” detention. To view the full article, visit here
Home Office says nearly 60,000 people deported from UK or left voluntarily since 2024 election – The Guardian
Nearly 60,000 unauthorised migrants and convicted criminals have been removed or deported from the UK since Labour took office, the Home Office has said. The announcement came amid claims that the Government was promoting “harmful stereotypes” by equating migration with criminality. Officials said the figure was the highest number in a decade. To view the full article, visit here
Loss of life was avoidable in worst small boat disaster in Channel, inquiry finds – The Guardian
The 454-page report by the former high court judge Sir Ross Cranston is highly critical of failings around the deaths of at least 24 men, seven women and two children in November 2021, four of whom are still missing. The inquiry was not able to conclusively determine the number of people on the boat. One of two survivors said there were others onboard, including an Ethiopian man and at least two other young children, who had neither been found nor accounted for. To view the full article, visit here
Restaurant loses licence after immigration raid – BBC News
An Indian restaurant has had its licence to serve alcohol and stay open late revoked again, following arrests over alleged immigration offences. Four Bangladeshi men were arrested at the restaurant during the multi-agency raid, two for overstaying their visa and two for breaching bail conditions. To view the full article, visit here
U.K. Leads World in Concern About Migration – Gallup
The United Kingdom is more likely than any other country in the world to cite immigration as its top national problem. In 2025, just over one in five Britons (21%) named immigration as their No. 1 concern, statistically tied with mentions of the economy (23%). To view the full article, visit here
Judge rejects disbarred barrister’s appeal over immigration firm – Legal Futures
An ex-barrister who failed to disclose he had been disbarred, has failed in a challenge to the Immigration Advice Authority’s (IAA) refusal to register his firm. Judge Harris in the First-tier Tribunal said Syed Idnaan Ali did not tell the IAA’s predecessor body, that he was being investigated or ultimately disbarred over three applications for registration in four years. Though immigration law is not a reserved legal activity, those who are not qualified lawyers have to be authorised by the IAA. To view the full article, visit here
Case Law
Nunes v Secretary of State for the Home Department [2026] EWHC 196 (Admin)
The High Court found the Home Office unlawfully denied an Angolan national’s settlement due to a 2000 conviction. Though 2020 rules would block settlement for long custodial sentences, he was initially granted leave under older, more lenient rules and should have remained under those policies, as his circumstances had not changed. To view the full decision, visit here
MXV, R (on the application of) v Secretary of State for Home Department [2026] EWHC 251 (Admin)
MXV, a Zimbabwean national diagnosed with HIV and a mental illness, was detained in anticipation of deportation beginning in March 2024. The court determined that his detention remained lawful until early June 2024, as the Home Office had made reasonable efforts to facilitate access to necessary HIV treatment. However, following the rescheduling of his appeal to September 2024, it became apparent that removal could not be effected within a reasonable period. Consequently, the court concluded that MXV should have been released by 1 June 2024, rendering his continued detention from 1 to 19 June unlawful. To view the full decision, visit here
Home Office Guidance and Documents Policy Update
Transparency data: Small boat activity in the English Channel has been updated on 11th February 2026. To view the full updates, visit here
Guidance Find an immigration removal centre has been updated on 11th February 2026. To view the updated Guidance, visit here
Guidance: How to email the AHRO Central Communications Hub has been updated on 11th February 2026. To view the updated Guidance, visit here
Guidance: Home Office register of forensic pathologists has been updated on 11th February 2026. To view the updated Guidance, visit here
Guidance on Internet access for detainees has been updated 11th February 2026. To view the updated Guidance, visit here
Guidance: Visiting the UK as an EU, EEA or Swiss citizen has been updated on 9th February 2026. To view the updated Guidance, visit here
Caseworker Guidance: Duplicate passport applications has been updated on 6th February 2026. To view the updated Guidance, visit here
Written by Shareen Khan