A briefing by Bail for Immigration Detainees (BID), based on its support work, reveals that the latest update to bail conditions are giving some of the most vulnerable individuals in detention an inhumane alternative: stay detained indefinitely (which increasingly appears to be the default scenario), or become homeless. In January 2018, the government changed bail […]
The following is a transcript of MRN Chair Wayne Farah’s speech at an event celebrating the legacy of anti-racist intellectual and activist A. Sivanandan. The event, organised by the Institute of Race Relations, was filmed in full and is available to watch at the bottom of this post. “Thank you everyone at the Institute of
In a study published in Science Advances last week, French economists have used cutting-edge statistical to demonstrate the positive impact of immigration on European economies. Drawing on a prize-winning dynamic statistical model and 30 years of data from 15 countries in Western Europe, the researchers distinguished different types of migration flow and isolated the macroeconomic
Following reports that asylum decisions were being undermined by unsustainable work pressures, we are now learning that immigration enforcement is driven by a culture of informal competition over arrest numbers. According to The Guardian, “immigration officers are being encouraged to compete to arrest the highest number of suspected illegal migrants and can be rewarded with
By Jilna Shah Bank account checks — part of the Home Office’s hostile environment strategy to identify irregular migrants — were suspended last month, as part of a series of government U-turns following the Windrush scandal. MRN welcomed the suspension of banking checks, but recognise that this remains a temporary measure to the government’s overall
Following a pretty shocking story late last year about MPs reporting constituents to immigration enforcement officers, Global Justice Now and Migrants Organise are launching a new campaign to end this unacceptable practice. In a democratic society, everyone should have the right to safely meet their member of parliament and expect representation without fear of being
Last month we launched our London Survey, a consultation designed to help MRN draw together our plans and help shape future collaborations and strategies for our work in the capital. Huge thanks to the organisations who took time to participate in our survey. Here are some preliminary results to 3 of the key questions: What
by Fabien Cante Refugee Week is live, and, as ever, it is a heart-warming occasion. Refugees’ testimonies of individual hardship and flourishing are still needed to remind the UK of its duties toward forcibly displaced people. Over the coming days, a flood of supportive campaigns, as well as events around the UK, will attempt to
In a press release last week, the European Commission proposed a threefold increase in spending on migration and border control in their 2021-2027 budget. Fortifying the Fortress? A key takeaway form this announcement is a new separate fund for integrated border management, and the further strengthening of the European Border and Coast Guard Agency with a
The Court of Appeal maintained that the Home Office had misused asylum seekers’ private data by publishing a spreadsheet containing private and confidential information for over 1,500 asylum applicants. The court, as Bindmans reports, had “no hesitation” in concluding that the Home Office’s practice was a breach of data protection rules, entitling individuals affected by
