Advocacy Update – 18 July 2024

1. Advocacy and campaigning Initiatives
2. Government and Parliamentary updates
3. Reports and research
4. Resources, events, jobs and training
5. What we’re reading, watching and listening to

Post-election actions

A joint open letter to the new Prime Minister signed by over 300 organisations and 500 individuals working with people seeking safety was published in The Guardian on Monday, calling for urgent reform to our broken asylum system and for people seeking sanctuary to be protected rather than punished. The full letter can be found here. Thank you to all partners who signed, shared and amplified.

Young Legal Aid Lawyer / Migrants Organise have relaunched their ‘Take Your MP to Work’ campaign calling on community advisors, whether law firms or charities, to invite MPs to accompany you to your place of work and see access to justice in practice. You can sign up here and there are guides, templates and toolkits to help you get started.

Refugee Action have launched a tool for people to write to their new MPs. With this tool you can welcome your new MP with personalised local tips for your constituency, and find out where your MP stands on welcoming refugees at the same time.

UNHCR has made a number of recommendations to the new Government including: restore access to asylum including the repeal of the Illegal Migration Act; reform the asylum system; scale up resettlement and other safe, regular pathways; establish a coherent, locally driven refugee integration programme; restore the right to work; and strengthen regional and international cooperation.

Communities Not Camps

Up to 120 residents of the Bibby Stockholm barge have staged a protest over delays in processing their asylum claims, overcrowding and trouble accessing medical treatment, with one resident describing it as a ‘hell barge’. Local residents held a peaceful protest, organised by Portland Global Friendship Group, outside the barge in solidarity. Meanwhile, LBC reported the barge is ‘almost full’ with 410 people on board, and in fact beyond what a source close to the Home Office says is a ‘safe capacity’ of 300. The Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster Pat McFaddon told LBC he ‘couldn’t say’ whether the barge would still be in operation a year from now. Thursday 18th marks one year since the barge arrived in Portland.

This month also marks one year since the Wethersfield camp opened. The Runnymede Trust along with Care4Calais have produced this briefing which details the harrowing conditions in the camp and the harm that this causes to people of colour, amounting to racial segregation. Residents describe the camp as being ‘like a prison’ with one resident saying ‘Nothing about my life in the UK so far is about freedom’. Coverage here.

Care4Calais are holding a demonstration outside the Royal Courts of Justice WC2A 2LL on Wednesday 24 July at 0900 in support of four of their clients who are challenging the segregated and isolating conditions at Wethersfield camp in court. Please spread the word and if you are able go down to show your support!

Ministry of Defence officials have been urged to improve conditions for Afghan refugees living at Chickerell Camp in Dorset, where many traumatised children are said to be living in poor and inadequate conditions.

The new Labour MP for Lincoln, Hamish Falconer, had told Lincolnshire Live he remains ‘absolutely committed’ to scrapping the plans to establish an asylum accommodation centre at RAF Scampton, but that the process is ‘complicated’ and likely to take some time.

Tragedy in the Channel

On 12 July news broke of more tragic deaths in the Channel. Four people died after a boat capsized during an attempt to cross the English Channel, according to the French coastguard. Another person was killed in the Channel last night, bringing the number of deaths to at least five people just in the last week.

Border Security, Asylum and Immigration Bill announced in King’s Speech

In the King’s Speech on 17 July, a new Border Security, Asylum and Immigration Bill was announced, to establish the Government’s new Border Security Command, deliver ‘enhanced counter terror powers to tackle organised immigration crime’, and ‘modernise the asylum and immigration system’.

Home Office forced to apologise over asylum approval retractions

The Home Office has been forced to apologise to asylum seekers granted leave to remain in the UK who then had their decisions retracted. As reported by The Guardian, in some cases applicants were sent residence permits before being told by officials to cut them up.

Access to advice and asylum support – ASAP

ASAP have produced a new report giving an overview of the challenges faced by those in the asylum support system and to investigate a reduction in the numbers lodging an appeal against refusals. The research shows that the current system of support is having a severely negative impact on those needing support as well as those trying to assist them and that increasingly, people are navigating both the asylum application and the asylum support system alone.

Exec summary here, full report here.

NRPF Guide – Right to Remain

Right to Remain have produced a new key guide on no recourse to public funds.

Finding a Safe Home – British Red Cross

British Red Cross have produced a new report ‘Finding a Safe Home’ which outlines thousands of Ukranians seeking safety in the UK have been placed at risk of homelessness and exploitation, as covered in The Guardian.

Behind Closed Doors – UCL & ECPAT UK

A new report has been produced by UCL and ECPAT UK ‘Behind Closed Doors’ which finds that placing unaccompanied children in Home Office hotels, as occurred between July 2021 and January 2024, increased their risks of trafficking and exploitation.

Survey on the Immigration Advice and Support Sector (Paul Hamlyn Foundation)

Paul Hamlyn Foundation has commissioned a survey of frontline immigration advice and support organisations across the UK to identify which forms of support and collaboration – including learning networks/communities, delivery partnerships and management support – are most valued and why. It should take no longer than 20 minutes to complete. It can be completed by as many people as you like from your organisation, and you’re welcome to share it within your networks.

How to effectively communicate about modern slavery report

Modern Slavery and Human Rights Policy and Evidence Centre have published a report and a messaging guide on framing of modern slavery, aiming to find effective ways of talking about modern slavery to improve the public’s understanding of the issue in the UK. The messaging guide includes practical tips on what to think about when communicating about modern slavery

The Home Office is racist by design: new Hostile Office report – Migrants’ Rights Network

Migrants’ Rights Network have produced a new Hostile Office report exploring how immigration legislation limits the ability of racialised people from coming to the UK and controls their freedom to live their lives. Read the full report here.

Family Reunion Report Launch Event 

RAMFEL have released a report ‘Safe Routes to Nowhere’ highlighting the failure of the UK family reunion system, and providing five key recommendations. An in person launch will be held on 25 July – details here.

Pre-Labour Conference Drop-In Event

Migration Exchange is holding a drop-in meeting on Zoom for those focused on migration and refugee issues who are planning to attend the Labour Party Conference in Liverpool in September, on Wednesday 31 July from 11:00 am- 12:00 pm. Register here.

British Future ‘Navigating Immigration in the New Parliament’ online event 

British Future are holding an online event on Monday 22nd July 2024, 14:00-15:30, in which they will give an analysis of relevant MPs and a breakdown of positions and people to engage in the new parliament. If you are interested in attending, please RSVP to [email protected].

Free Movement blog on eVisas: who is affected and what to do now

Free Movement have shared a blog outlining what information we currently have on the roll-out of eVisas and who will be affected.

New Asylos Country of Origin Information resources

Asylos has shared a number of new resources, including:

• Sudan: Children and Young People report and;
• A snapshot report on Access to Rights and Services for Children and Young People in Rwanda and;
• Asylos’ Principles Document which outlines 4 core principles to guide COI researchers.

Right to Remain’s Communications and Administration mini-Internship programme

RtR will open their internship in August for four months until November 2024. They are looking for someone with a good understanding and experience of using social media, and who wants to learn how a small migration justice organisation works on the ground. Info here.

Jobs

• We at Asylum Matters are recruiting for a Head of Campaigns and a Campaigns and Media Manager – both closing 24 July; and a part-time Finance and Admin Officer – closing 19 July;
• After18 is recruiting an Operations Manager, deadline 18 July 6pm
• the3million is recruiting a Community Organiser, deadline 5 August
• STOP THE TRAFFIK is recruiting a Head of Intelligence, rolling deadline
• BID are recruiting a Research, Policy & Parliamentary Officer, deadline 9am 19th August

• The Prospect Interview podcast with Mark Wilding of Liberty Investigates and Prospect and Ellen Halliday, in connection with their recent investigation into Clearsprings’ accommodation provision and the camp at Wethersfield
• UNHCR’s powerful video about the Refugees Olympics and Paralympics Teams ahead of Paris 2024
• Hope not Hate’s State of the Nation blog ‘What the government needs to know about communities in the UK’ to equip the new Labour government with ways to address the issues that can cause divisions in communities