Today [12th May] the Government has published it’s new immigration white paper – Restoring control over the Immigration System – laying out a blueprint for reform to the UK’s immigration system.
Whilst the focus of the white paper is on curbing net migration through the tightening up of legal migration routes to the UK, at its heart are principles that undermine the rights and dignity of migrants, refugees and people seeking asylum, as well as community resilience and cohesion.
Bridget Young, NACCOM’s Director, responds;
After nearly two decades of supporting people who have been left destitute and homeless by a dysfunctional and punitive asylum and immigration system, as a UK-wide network of frontline organisations, we know only too well that measures that prioritise enforcement and deterrence – whilst ignoring the more complex systemic issues – simply don’t work.
Without some fundamental pillars in place when approaching immigration reform, such as ensuring people can access justice and receive a fair hearing on any claim they have to be in the UK, a functioning asylum system that treats people with dignity, and holistic support for migrants and refugees to settle into their new communities, it’s all too easy for people to fall through the cracks into hardship, poverty and trauma – and to end up stuck there.
The immigration white paper does nothing to address some of the deep systemic challenges within the current asylum and immigration system, including the over-use of hotels instead of place-based approaches to asylum accommodation, the lack of safe routes to enable people to avoid dangerous Channel crossings, and a rise in migrant and refugee homelessness that has its roots in hostile environment policies such as No Recourse to Public Funds, as well as a wider housing crisis.
Further stripping migrants of identity, dignity and the chance to belong, for example by lengthening routes to settlement, or restricting access to citizenship, will only drive further hardship and discontent in communities. We urge the Government to pursue workable, evidence-based policy-making that supports, rather than undermines, a fair and just system for migrants, refugees and people seeking asylum.
We’ll be working with NACCOM’s frontline members, as well as partners, in the coming weeks to understand the full impact of the Government’s proposals, and to provide appropriate support as we seek to navigate the latest planned policy and legislative changes.
