Government faces legal challenge over ‘unlawful segregation’ of asylum seekers – The Guardian

Posted October 26th, 2023 in asylum, housing, ministers' powers and duties, news, statutory duty by sally

‘The Home Office has been accused of unlawfully segregating asylum seekers from the local population based on their nationality by “falsely imprisoning” them on a remote Essex airbase.’

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The Guardian, 25th October 2023

Source: www.theguardian.com

What’s happening with the Afghan relocation legal challenges? – EIN Blog

Posted October 25th, 2023 in Afghanistan, asylum, government departments, immigration, news, Pakistan, refugees by sally

‘Under legal pressure, the UK government has reversed its policy requiring at-risk Afghans seeking relocation to the UK to first obtain suitable accommodation. This post outlines the background and provides an overview of the current legal challenges afoot.’

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EIN Blog, 24th October 2023

Source: www.ein.org.uk

Government consults on safe and legal routes for refugees – Home Office

‘Local authorities will be consulted on plans to determine an annual cap on the number of refugees resettled in the UK each year, based on the UK’s capacity to accommodate and support people coming to the UK via safe and legal routes, as the government continues work to deliver its plan to stop the boats.’

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Home Office, 20th October 2023

Source: www.gov.uk

Suspended quashing orders and rolling judicial review as a means of monitoring compliance – Doughty Street Chambers

Posted October 19th, 2023 in asylum, chambers articles, children, housing, judicial review, local government, news by sally

‘The recent judgment of Chamberlain J in R (ECPAT UK) v Kent CC, SSHD [2023] EWHC 2199 (Admin) (‘the ECPAT UK relief judgment’) provides a helpful example of the use of the new power under section 29A(1)(a) Senior Courts Act 1981 to suspend quashing orders, and the circumstances under which “rolling” judicial review may be appropriate to monitor compliance with a court order.’

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Doughty Street Chambers, 4th September 2023

Source: insights.doughtystreet.co.uk

Immigration Blog: Illegal Migration Act – An Asylum Apocalypse? – Garden Court Chambers

‘On 20 July 2023, the Illegal Migration Act 2023 (“IMA”) received Royal Assent and so passed into law. Whilst the detail of the Act’s provisions are complex, its message is simple: those entering without permission are not welcome in our home, and will not be allowed to remain. Though technically the Act applies to any person who enters the UK without permission, the clear focus of attention has been on asylum seekers.’

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Garden Court Chambers, 15th September 2023

Source: www.gardencourtchambers.co.uk

Bibby Stockholm: Resident loses High Court fight over Portland migrant barge – BBC News

‘There will not be a judicial review into the Home Office’s use of a barge to house asylum seekers.’

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BBC News, 11th October 2023

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

Caring for unaccompanied children – Law Society’s Gazette

Posted October 10th, 2023 in asylum, children, immigration, local government, news by sally

‘In a sorry adjunct to the debate on the government’s asylum and immigration policies, the recent High Court case of R(ECPAT) v Kent County Council & others [2023] EWHC 1953 (Admin) has provided a concerning insight into the government’s approach to the reception of children into the UK who have no adult to accompany or care for them.’

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Law Society's Gazette, 6th October 2023

Source: www.lawgazette.co.uk

Dangerous use of force, failure of safeguards and culture of dehumanisation – Brook House Inquiry report finds 19 instances of inhumane or degrading treatment – Garden Court Chambers

‘The BHI Inquiry has exposed the inexcusable and unconscionable dehumanising abuse of vulnerable people held in immigration detention by the Home Office. The Inquiry has found the safeguarding system in detention to be “dysfunctional”, resulting in a failure to protect detained people as intended. Vulnerable people were exposed to the risk of mistreatment and were subjected to actual harm; there were 19 incidents of credible breaches of Article 3 of the ECHR, which prohibits torture, inhuman and degrading treatment within a 5 month period.’

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Garden Court Chambers, 19th September 2023

Source: www.gardencourtchambers.co.uk

How UK plan to send asylum seekers to Rwanda ended up before supreme court – The Guardian

‘The UK government’s plans to send asylum seekers to Rwanda had generated controversy even before the former home secretary Priti Patel signed a deal with the east African country in April last year sealing the deal. Ministers claimed the plan would deter people from making the dangerous journey across the Channel on small boats.’

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The Guardian, 9th October 2023

Source: www.theguardian.com

Thousands of refugees could be made homeless in UK’s asylum backlog clearance – The Guardian

Posted October 5th, 2023 in asylum, delay, homelessness, news, refugees by sally

‘More than 50,000 refugees in the UK could be made homeless by the end of the year unless ministers take urgent steps to support them as it clears the asylum backlog, the British Red Cross has warned.’

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The Guardian, 5th October 2023

Source: www.theguardian.com

Suella Braverman asks if UN refugee rules are fit for modern age – BBC News

‘Politicians need to question if the UN’s 1951 Refugee Convention is “fit for our modern age”, Suella Braverman is expected to say in a speech.’

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BBC News, 26th September 2023

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

Use of x-rays in asylum age assessments “inaccurate” and “unethical”, experts warn – Local Government Lawyer

Posted September 21st, 2023 in asylum, children, consent, immigration, medical treatment, news, x-rays by sally

‘Medical experts have criticised the use of x-rays to determine the age of lone migrant children and young people seeking asylum in the UK.’

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Local Government Lawyer, 20th September 2023

Source: www.localgovernmentlawyer.co.uk

Asylum seekers ‘degraded’ at detention centre: key points from Brook House inquiry – The Guardian

‘Report on immigration removal centre details “crushing” abuse and excessive use of force that has left detainees with PTSD.’

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The Guardian, 19th September 2023

Source: www.theguardian.com

High Court judge lifts suspension of order quashing deal between Kent and Home Office over unaccompanied asylum seeking children – Local Government Lawyer

‘A High Court judge has decided not to extend the suspension of an order quashing a deal brokered between the Home Secretary and Kent County Council that capped the number of unaccompanied asylum-seeking children (UAS children) the council had to accommodate.’

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Local Government Lawyer, 6th September 2023

Source: www.localgovernmentlawyer.co.uk

Leeds: Child asylum seekers wrongly classed as adults – report – BBC News

Posted August 31st, 2023 in asylum, children, government departments, hotels, housing, local government, news, reports by tracey

‘Thirty child asylum seekers were wrongly categorised as adults by the Home Office, according to a council report.’

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BBC News, 31st August 2023

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

‘I struggle not knowing what the future holds’ – Asylum backlog reaches record high – BBC News

Posted August 25th, 2023 in asylum, delay, government departments, immigration, news, refugees, statistics by sally

‘The number of people in the UK waiting for a decision on their asylum claims has risen to a record high, latest Home Office figures show.’

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BBC News, 24th August 2023

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

What Is Being Done To Find Unaccompanied Missing Children? – Each Other

Posted August 24th, 2023 in asylum, children, government departments, housing, local government, news by sally

‘In total, more than 400 unaccompanied children have gone missing under while under the care of the Home Office. The government has faced growing concerns from both peers and charities regarding the safety of these children; but what is being done to find them?’

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Each Other, 24th August 2023

Source: eachother.org.uk

Court of Appeal dismisses appeal over whether hostel room was “suitable accommodation” – Local Government Lawyer

Posted August 24th, 2023 in asylum, disabled persons, homelessness, housing, local government, news by sally

‘The Court of Appeal has dismissed a woman’s appeal against a decision that a room in a hostel was “suitable” accommodation for her to continue to occupy.’

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Local Government Lawyer, 23rd August 2023

Source: www.localgovernmentlawyer.co.uk

MQM London member wins in Court of Appeal – EIN Blog

Posted August 18th, 2023 in appeals, asylum, government departments, immigration, news, Pakistan by sally

‘In a difficult case, Elisabeth Laing LJ allowed the appeal of “WAS” against the dismissal of his asylum claim by the Upper Tribunal owing to the fact that UTJ McWilliam “failed properly” to consider the factors relevant to WAS’s commitment to the notorious person of Altaf Hussain (founder of the Muttahida Qaumi Movement or “MQM”) and the effect on risk to him from the Pakistani authorities applying the historic judgment in HJ (Iran) v SSHD [2010] UKSC 31. The appeal was also allowed on the basis that the UT’s findings were contrary to the FTT’s preserved findings and contrary to the UT’s own conclusions. WAS entered the UK in June 2012 as student. In December 2015 he made an application for further leave to remain (as the spouse of a British citizen) which was refused in 2016. He then made a protection claim in October 2017 on the basis of his actual or perceived political opinion. He said that he was a member of the MQM, an opposition movement in Pakistan. The protection claim was refused in April 2018. The FTT dismissed his appeal in June 2018 and found that he was an active member of MQM in Pakistan for about 3 years from 2009 to 2012 and that his father is an active supporter of MQM. The FTT said that his credibility was damaged by the fact that he had not claimed asylum until October 2017 in circumstances where his political affiliations had not changed.’

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EIN Blog, 17th August 2023

Source: www.ein.org.uk

Bibby Stockholm: Ministers face legal action over barge planning permissions – BBC News

Posted August 10th, 2023 in asylum, housing, local government, news, planning, ships by tracey

‘Ministers are facing legal action from the Mayor of Portland over the Bibby Stockholm migrant accommodation barge.’

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BBC News, 10th August 2023

Source: www.bbc.co.uk