Forced Migration in the UK National policy, CURRENT TRENDS and Local Activism QUARN 4th February 2017

National Policy – Asylum and Immigration Separate systems of law and moral separation Refugee Convention 1951 and Common European Asylum System Immigration Act 1971 and subsequent legislation EU free movement rights

Law…..reality Forced Migration E.g. Lone Eritrean woman brought up in Ethiopia as orphan, isolated, discriminated against, goes on false passport to Gulf state, travels with employer, is abused, is released by family while in UK. Refugee Crisis/Migrant Crisis/Crisis of inequality?/political crisis?

Home office business plan Asylum decisions taken in UK Visas and Immigration - immigration department Business plan – cut immigration, +++ enforcement objectives – cut appeal rights, mandatory tagging of offenders, illegal working Syrian VPRP

Welcome refugees Syrian Vulnerable Persons Protection Programme, January 2014. 239 settled up to September 2015 September 2015 – Europe is shocked by refugee crisis The UK is one of the largest bilateral donors to the Syria Humanitarian Response Plan (food, clean water, medical consultations, etc) 20,000 Syrian refugees to resettle in the UK by May 2020 4,414 Syrian refugees resettled in the UK to end September 2016 across 175 local authorities 49% under 18 National Audit Office September 2016 HC 626

Operation of the Syrian VPRP Syrians registered in Jordan, Lebanon, Iraq, Egypt and Turkey, not Syrians claiming at the UK border or in the EU UNHCR vetting Immediate status: humanitarian protection for five years Local authority provides housing, school places (both blocks to participation in some areas), questions about mental health and effect of trauma Central gov’t pays a diminishing amount each year over five years (year 1 ODA, years 2 to 5, departmental budgets) Community sponsorship added in autumn 2016. Application process

UK Border No legal route to travel and enter (though a person is not an illegal entrant if they claim asylum on arrival) Calais – exported border Not a refugee camp?

Applying for asylum on arrival Screening – fingerprinting, checking route of travel, reason for claim Dispersal to accommodation if no means. No right to work/ benefits, but asylum support of £36 per week Interview Decision Appeal Refugee status – 5 years leave to remain, most rights of citizen Refusal – destitution, maybe detention and removal

Problems with Asylum process Asylum seekers do not realise that the asylum interview is their only chance to put their claim to the Home Office Mistrust, fear, gender, shame, mean people miss important things out, or elaborate points that they think the Home Office will find more credible Friends and contacts give bad advice Little access to quality legal advice at the beginning of the process Home Office decision makers are based in immigration department Culture of denial

ACCESS TO THE PROCESS: Legal representation No right to be represented Legal aid – limited, no right to legal rep in asylum interview Quality of advice: Solicitors Regulation Authority study Advice deserts Unscrupulous advisers -> unqualified advice = criminal offence

Result of asylum refusal: destitution – the hostile environment Theresa May policy To ensure that people without leave to remain do not share the benefits of UK society This includes refused asylum seekers who are still afraid to return Offence to work, no right to benefits, limited access to health care, offence to use UK driving licence, no right to open a bank account, nor rent property Royal College of Psychiatrists

Citizen action and solidarity City of Sanctuary Anti-destitution: NACCOM Right to remain Calais +++

ASSIST Sheffield Accommodation – local donors, lessors and partners Weekly money – donors, mainly local Accompanying to appointments Interpreters Advocacy and help with e.g. solicitors, medical treatment, Home Office reporting requirements Events – local supporters and free activities Opportunities to volunteer