Public inquiry launched into abuse at Brook House immigration detention centre – The Independent

Posted November 7th, 2019 in detention, immigration, inquiries, news, ombudsmen, police, professional conduct, standards by tracey

‘A public inquiry has been launched into allegations of abuse at the Brook House immigration detention centre.’

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The Independent, 6th November 2019

Source: www.independent.co.uk

Rise of the algorithms – UK Human Rights

‘The use of algorithms in public sector decision making has broken through as a hot topic in recent weeks. The Guardian recently ran the “Automating Poverty” series on the use of algorithms in the welfare state. And on 29 October 2019 it was reported that the first known legal challenge to the use of algorithms in the UK, this time by the Home Office, had been launched. It was timely, then, that the Public Law Project’s annual conference on judicial review trends and forecasts was themed “Public law and technology”.’

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UK Human Rights Blog, 4th November 2019

Source: ukhumanrightsblog.com

Social care support and persons subject to immigration control – Local Government Lawyer

‘The Administrative Court has revisited the issue of the denial of social care support to persons subject to immigration control, and the line between local authority social care support under the Care Act 2014, and accommodation and support provided by the Home Office. Jonathan Auburn analyses the ruling.’

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Local Government Lawyer, 1st November 2019

Source: www.localgovernmentlawyer.co.uk

AI system for granting UK visas is biased, rights groups claim – The Guardian

‘Immigrant rights campaigners have begun a ground-breaking legal case to establish how a Home Office algorithm that filters UK visa applications actually works.’

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The Guardian, 29th October 2019

Source: www.theguardian.com

The 39 people who died in the lorry were victims. Why does the law treat them as criminals? – The Guardian

‘As long as the justice system is focused on immigration status, not on ending modern-day slavery, desperate people will suffer.’

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The Guardian, 29th October 2019

Source: www.theguardian.com

Denial of social care support to persons subject to immigration control, and human rights – Community Care Blog

Posted October 29th, 2019 in asylum, immigration, mental health, news, social services by tracey

‘The Administrative Court has revisited the issue of the denial of social care support to persons subject to immigration control, and the line between local authority social care support under the Care Act 2014, and accommodation and support provided by the Home Office. R (Shehab Aburas) v London Borough of Southwark [2019] EWHC 2754 (Admin) concerned an apparently stateless 58 year old Palestinian who came to the United Kingdom from Kuwait, arriving in 1996. Mt Aburas had mental health issues and had been diagnosed with bi-polar disorder and depression. He was a failed asylum-seeker without regular immigration status. Southwark determined that he was in the category ‘no recourse to public funds’ as a ‘person subject to immigration control’ for the purposes of section 21 of the Care Act 2014. He was present in the United Kingdom as a ‘person in breach of immigration control’ for the purposes of Schedule 3 paragraphs 1 and 7(1)(a) to the Nationality Immigration and Asylum Act 2002. He faced barriers to a proposed removal to Kuwait.’

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Community Care Blog, 23rd October 2019

Source: communitycare11kbw.com

Separated migrant children given better access to legal aid – Ministry of Justice

Posted October 28th, 2019 in children, families, immigration, legal aid, Ministry of Justice, press releases by tracey

‘Vulnerable migrant children who have been separated from their parents will get quicker and simpler access to legal aid, after new government legislation came into force today (25 October 2019). The Legal Aid for Separated Children Order 2019 will bring non-asylum immigration and citizenship matters into the scope of legal aid for under 18s who are not in the care of a parent, guardian or legal authority.’

Full press release 

Ministry of Justice, 25th October 2019

Source: www.gov.www.gov.uk/government/organisations/ministry-of-justice

Shamima Begum faces ‘extreme scenario’ in citizenship appeal – The Guardian

‘Shamima Begum, the former east London schoolgirl who fled to Syria and joined Islamic State, is facing an “extreme scenario” in which she will be unable to fight the case against her, a hearing has been told.’

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The Guardian, 24th October 2019

Source: www.theguardian.com

Shamima Begum appeals decision to strip her of UK citizenship – The Independent

Posted October 23rd, 2019 in appeals, citizenship, immigration, news, terrorism by tracey

‘Shamima Begum will appeal the government’s decision to strip her of British citizenship at a specialist court hearing on Tuesday.’

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The Independent, 22nd October 2019

Source: www.independent.co.uk

Home Office reverses visa decision for second Oxford academic – The Guardian

Posted October 22nd, 2019 in children, deportation, families, immigration, news, universities, visas by tracey

‘The Home Office has made a sudden U-turn on its decision to ban the young children of an Oxford University professor, Amber Murrey, from living with her in the UK – the second time in a week it has reversed a visa refusal for the child of an Oxford academic following reports in the Guardian.’

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The Guardian, 22nd October 2019

Source: www.theguardian.com

Home Office overturns NHS eye doctor’s visa refusal – The Guardian

Posted October 18th, 2019 in doctors, immigration, news, visas by tracey

‘The Home Office has overturned its ban on an NHS eye doctor returning to Britain after the Guardian highlighted his case. Dr Chan, 38, who does not want to reveal his first name or exact Asian country of origin, was initially refused a new visa after he made a small error in his application, but he was told on Thursday that he would be allowed to re-enter the country.’

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The Guardian, 17th October 2019

Source: www.theguardian.com

Anurag Deb: Identity: Northern Ireland’s Gordian Knot – UK Constitutional Law Association

‘ On 14 October 2019, the Upper Tribunal (UT) handed down judgment in SSHD v De Souza, immediately dividing commentators both in and outside Northern Ireland. Briefly, the UT had heard the Home Secretary’s appeal against the First-tier Tribunal (FTT) decision which had declared that the American claimant (respondent in the UT) was entitled to apply to reside in Northern Ireland under the EU Citizen’s Directive because his wife was permitted to self-identify as an Irish national in accordance with the provisions of the Good Friday Agreement (GFA). British nationality, the FTT declared, could not be “imposed” on her at birth, flying in the face of the British Nationality Act 1981 (BNA), section 1 of which, it was argued, does precisely that. The UT allowed the appeal and overturned the FTT judgment, revealing a tension which goes far beyond immigration law.’

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UK Constitutional Law Association, 17th October 2019

Source: ukconstitutionallaw.org

Charity launches legal action against NHS fees for pregnant migrants – The Guardian

Posted October 17th, 2019 in charities, fees, immigration, news, pregnancy by sally

‘A charity has launched a legal challenge against the policy of charging vulnerable migrant women £7,000 or more to access NHS maternity care.’

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The Guardian, 16th October 2019

Source: www.theguardian.com

No-Deal Brexit: EU Citizens Could Gain New Appeal Rights – Rights Info

Posted October 16th, 2019 in appeals, bills, brexit, citizenship, freedom of movement, immigration, news by sally

‘EU citizens and their family members could gain the right to appeal decisions on their applications for settled status in the event of a no-deal Brexit.’

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Rights Info, 15th October 2019

Source: rightsinfo.org

Dishonourable discharge – Nearly Legal

‘SH, R (on the application of) v The London Borough of Waltham Forest (2019) EWHC 2618 (Admin). This was a judicial review of Waltham Forest’s decision that it had discharged its s.193 Housing Act 1996 duty (the full homeless duty) to Ms SH by an offer of private sector accommodation under s.193(7AA). In fact, WF maintained it had done so twice, and both purported discharges were challenged, by way of WF’s decision that Ms SH had made a fresh application, rather than it having a continuing duty. There is also a brief excursus into the relation of s.193 and s.189B duties.’

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Nearly Legal, 13th October 2019

Source: nearlylegal.co.uk

Emma De Souza: Home Office appeal of case is upheld – BBC News

‘People born in Northern Ireland remain British citizens according to the law, even if they identify as Irish, tribunal judges have determined.’

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BBC News, 14th October 2019

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

UK to deport academic to Democratic Republic of Congo – which she has never visited – The Guardian

‘Furaha Asani, a young academic at Leicester University, was shocked when her visa application was rejected in August. But real fear set in when she realised Britain plans to deport her in three weeks’ time to the Democratic Republic of Congo – a war-torn country she has never visited and where the Home Office agrees sexual violence is pervasive.’

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The Guardian, 15th October 2019

Source: www.theguardian.com

Hostile environment ruled not a factor in death of Windrush man – The Independent

Posted October 8th, 2019 in benefits, citizenship, colonies, immigration, news by tracey

‘A coroner has ruled that the Home Office’s “hostile environment” did not contribute to the death of a Windrush citizen who lost his life after spending months struggling to prove his right to live in the UK.’

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The Independent, 7th october 2019

Source: www.theguardian.com

‘Devoted’ Windrush sisters face separation because of birth dates – The Guardian

Posted October 7th, 2019 in citizenship, deportation, families, government departments, immigration, news by tracey

‘Two Windrush sisters who describe themselves as “inseparable” face being split up by the Home Office because of their different dates of birth.’

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The Guardian, 6th October 2019

Source: www.theguardian.com

Nearly all Home Office misconduct inquiries relate to immigration – The Guardian

Posted October 4th, 2019 in complaints, government departments, immigration, news, professional conduct by tracey

‘Almost all of the investigations into alleged serious misconduct by Home Office staff relate to immigration matters, the Guardian has learned. Although the department also has responsibility for policing and counter-terrorism, 96% of its internal investigations focus on immigration matters. Scores of these investigations have substantiated allegations against staff made internally or by the public.’

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The Guardian, 4th October 2019

Source: www.theguardian.com