When is it too harsh to separate a child from their parent? – UK Human Rights Blog

‘There has, in recent years, been a proliferation of case law on appeals against deportation by foreign national criminals on grounds of private and family life. The statutory scheme is complex enough, but the various tests (“unduly harsh”, “very compelling circumstances”) have also been subject to extensive judicial gloss, leaving practitioners and judges to wade through a confusing sea of alphabet-country soup case names.’

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UK Human Rights Blog, 16th October 2020

Source: ukhumanrightsblog.com

Family of NHS consultant stricken by Covid face removal from UK – The Guardian

‘The family of an NHS consultant who has treated many patients during the coronavirus pandemic, and who is now critically ill with Covid himself, are facing removal from the UK.’

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The Guardian, 15th October 2020

Source: www.theguardian.com

New Brexit law will let vulnerable EU citizens apply late to stay in UK – The Guardian

‘The government is to fast-track legislation that it believes will stop vulnerable EU citizens becoming Windrush-type victims of Brexit, it has emerged.’

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The Guardian, 15th October 2020

Source: www.theguardian.com

Watchdog warns Home Office must use ‘neutral language’ after outrage over ‘activist lawyers’ tweet – The Independent

‘A Home Office watchdog has said the department must use “neutral language” after its repeated use of the term “activist lawyer” prompted outrage.’

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The Independent, 15th October 2020

Source: www.independent.co.uk

High Court upholds order to stop barrister from acting – Legal Futures

‘The High Court has upheld a highly unusual order prohibiting counsel from continuing to act for the father in a bitter child custody dispute because of acrimony between her and the mother.’

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Legal Futures, 14th October 2020

Source: www.legalfutures.co.uk

Barristers on AG panels “should consider resigning”, says top QC – Legal Futures

‘One of the country’s leading QCs has suggested that barristers on the Attorney General’s panels should consider resigning in protest at the government’s hostility to the law and lawyers.’

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Legal Futures, 13th October 2020

Source: www.legalfutures.co.uk

David Greene: Condemning lawyers for doing their jobs is inherently dangerous – The Guardian

‘The new president of the Law Society on why it’s crucial to defend the rule of law in these febrile times.’

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The Guardian, 14th October 2020

Source: www.theguardian.com

Lawyers claim knife attack at law firm was inspired by Priti Patel’s rhetoric – The Guardian

‘Britain’s top lawyers have written to Priti Patel to express their concern after a knifeman threatened to kill an immigration solicitor last month in an attack colleagues say was directly motivated by comments made by the home secretary.’

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The Guardian, 10th October 2020

Source: www.theguardian.com

‘I have nothing’: Roma people left without support and at risk of exploitation due to digital-only status – The Independent

Posted October 6th, 2020 in benefits, brexit, citizenship, EC law, immigration, news by tracey

‘People from Britain’s Roma community are being left unable to access vital support and are exposed to exploitation due to the government’s new digital-only status for EU citizens, research reveals.’

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The Independent, 5th October 2020

Source: www.independent.co.uk

Vulnerable people left without access to solicitors during Covid – Legal Futures

‘Some of the most vulnerable people have been left isolated and without proper access to solicitors because of the official response to the Covid-19 crisis, according to a report from the Law Society.’

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Legal Futures, 25th September 2020

Source: www.legalfutures.co.uk

The impact of digitalisation on the immigration process – EIN Blog

‘The coronavirus pandemic created an impetus for the legal world to finally begin accepting digitalisation of processes, moving away from the traditional paper process to an online version. The immigration process is already faced with a myriad of concerns which leaves the applicant in a weak position, and most often, with a lack of funds to cover their costs. The Home Office’s inability to train and effectively manage applications, outsource services to dubious third-party contractors has been exacerbated further by the haphazard application of online processes which do not match the needs of the immigration process. Despite the fact that online applications are easier to complete for legal representatives a number of issues have arisen as a result of this sudden change.’

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EIN Blog, 21st September 2020

Source: www.ein.org.uk

Home Office’s £400m immigration unit bases policies on ‘assumptions and prejudice’, MPs warn – The Independent

Posted September 18th, 2020 in diversity, enforcement, equality, government departments, immigration, news by tracey

‘The Home Office appears to be formulating its immigration policies on “anecdote, assumption and prejudice” rather than evidence, MPs have warned.’

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The Independent, 18th September 2020

Source: www.independent.co.uk

£60k fine and JR ban for immigration solicitor – Legal Futures

‘An immigration solicitor who brought meritless judicial reviews (JRs) has been fined £60,000 and banned for an indefinite period from making further applications.’

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Legal Futures, 17th September 2020

Source: www.legalfutures.co.uk

High Court dismisses challenge to conditions at Brook House Immigration Removal Centre – an extended look – EIN Blog

Posted September 10th, 2020 in detention, human rights, immigration, news, religious discrimination by sally

‘In Soltany and Others v SSHD [2020] EWHC 2291 (Admin), the High Court dismissed a challenge to the conditions at Brook House Immigration Removal Centre (IRC), which at the material times in 2017 and 2018, was run by G4S.’

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EIN Blog, 10th September 2020

Source: www.ein.org.uk

Passports: Foreign law must be proved by expert evidence – EIN Blog

‘Hussein and Another (Status of passports: foreign law) [2020] UKUT 250 (IAC): CMG Ockelton VP has explained that (i) a person who holds a genuine passport, apparently issued to him, and not falsified or altered, has to be regarded as a national of the State that issued the passport, (ii) the burden of proving the contrary lies on the claimant in an asylum case, and (iii) foreign law (including nationality law) is a matter of evidence, to be proved by expert evidence directed specifically to the point in issue. The appellant Mr Hussein, who had permission to appeal, and the applicant Mr Abdulrasool, who was seeking permission to appeal, were father and son who made asylum claims, which were refused. The applicant, who was born in 2000, additionally claimed that he was so dependent on his parents that it would be disproportionate to remove him from the UK. Mr Hussein’s wife and two minor children were included in the appellant’s claim as his dependents. Both men gave their oral evidence in a hearing before FTTJ McAll in January 2020 as did Mr Hussein’s brother. The SSHD was not present and FTTJ McAll considered Mr Hussein’s claimed history in detail. He decided that he was untruthful and concluded that he had fabricated important parts of his account supporting his asylum claim. He decided that Mr Hussein was a national of Tanzania and could be returned there. He disbelieved the asylum claim and concluded that there was no good article 8 reason why he should not leave the UK and return to his country of nationality. Both appeals were dismissed.’

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EIN Blog, 7th September 2020

Source: www.ein.org.uk

Home Office wrong to refer to ‘activist lawyers’, top official admits – The Guardian

‘The most senior civil servant at the Home Office has conceded that officials should not have used the phrase “activist lawyers” in a promotional video posted on Twitter, although the tweet remains online.’

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The Guardian, 27th August 2020

Source: www.theguardian.com

Windrush payout scheme not fit for purpose, say lawyers – The Guardian

‘The Windrush compensation scheme is failing to provide access to justice and is worsening people’s trauma, according to a letter sent from nine law firms to the home secretary.’

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The Guardian, 27th August 2020

Source: www.theguardian.com

Asylum seekers in last-minute UK legal bid to prevent removal – The Guardian

Posted August 26th, 2020 in asylum, deportation, government departments, immigration, news by sally

‘Dozens of asylum seekers who arrived in the UK on small boats are due to be put on charter flights over the next two days, while lawyers have launched last-minute high court challenges to prevent their removal.’

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The Guardian, 25th August 2020

Source: www.theguardian.com

Council warns of potential breach of statutory duty in relation to unaccompanied asylum-seeking children – Local Government Lawyer

‘The Leader of Kent County Council has warned that the local authority “cannot safely meet our statutory duty” when it comes to its capacity to care for new arrivals of unaccompanied asylum-seeking children (UASC).’

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Local Government Lawyer, 18th August 2020

Source: www.localgovernmentlawyer.co.uk

Naturalisation for EU citizens: comprehensive sickness insurance, the elephant in the room – EIN Blog

Posted August 19th, 2020 in brexit, citizenship, EC law, health, immigration, insurance, news by sally

‘As we head towards the end of the UK’s Brexit implementation period on 31 December 2020, the thoughts of many EU nationals (here I use the term to include EEA & Swiss citizens too) who have lived, studied and worked in this country, often for many years, are turning to becoming British.’

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EIN Blog, 19th August 2020

Source: www.ein.org.uk