British Government's Brutal Asylum Reforms Will Only Drive More People into Danger.
The government's brutal asylum reforms will only serve to further entangle and traumatize those already fleeing war, persecution, or torture in their home countries. Under the new policy, individuals will be required to reapply for refugee status every 2.5 years, with a 20-year wait for indefinite leave to remain after five years, effectively forcing them into limbo.
The economic misjudgment of this reform is stark: refugees are more likely to be in work than UK natives, yet Denmark's experience shows that refusing long-term asylum has had no deterrent effect on migrants. Instead, it leaves individuals uncertain and dependent on state or charity support, exacerbating the social costs.
This new policy raises serious questions about the government's commitment to protecting those fleeing persecution. Civil wars are not short-term affairs; risk of harm is not eliminated at speed. If a ceasefire is negotiated with Putin, will nearly 250,000 Ukrainians be forced to "go home" or be deported without a second glance?
Stella Creasy argues that common sense and compassion should guide our asylum policies. Concerns about whether asylum seekers are "genuine" should be interrogated when deciding whether to accept someone into the country, with deportation enacted if required. Instead of perpetuating uncertainty and exploitation, we need to make integration easier and a priority.
The UK urgently needs a grown-up conversation about immigration and asylum, disentangling these issues from one another. The problem is not immigrants but politicians themselves who are steering our discourse towards toxic tropes about foreigners.
A more nuanced approach would involve strengthening joint approaches with other countries to tackle safe routes, sharing data on those rejected, and collaboration to save thousands of unaccompanied migrant children from trafficking via family reunion.
Ultimately, it's time for the UK government to take responsibility for those in need of assistance, rather than shirking it.
The government's brutal asylum reforms will only serve to further entangle and traumatize those already fleeing war, persecution, or torture in their home countries. Under the new policy, individuals will be required to reapply for refugee status every 2.5 years, with a 20-year wait for indefinite leave to remain after five years, effectively forcing them into limbo.
The economic misjudgment of this reform is stark: refugees are more likely to be in work than UK natives, yet Denmark's experience shows that refusing long-term asylum has had no deterrent effect on migrants. Instead, it leaves individuals uncertain and dependent on state or charity support, exacerbating the social costs.
This new policy raises serious questions about the government's commitment to protecting those fleeing persecution. Civil wars are not short-term affairs; risk of harm is not eliminated at speed. If a ceasefire is negotiated with Putin, will nearly 250,000 Ukrainians be forced to "go home" or be deported without a second glance?
Stella Creasy argues that common sense and compassion should guide our asylum policies. Concerns about whether asylum seekers are "genuine" should be interrogated when deciding whether to accept someone into the country, with deportation enacted if required. Instead of perpetuating uncertainty and exploitation, we need to make integration easier and a priority.
The UK urgently needs a grown-up conversation about immigration and asylum, disentangling these issues from one another. The problem is not immigrants but politicians themselves who are steering our discourse towards toxic tropes about foreigners.
A more nuanced approach would involve strengthening joint approaches with other countries to tackle safe routes, sharing data on those rejected, and collaboration to save thousands of unaccompanied migrant children from trafficking via family reunion.
Ultimately, it's time for the UK government to take responsibility for those in need of assistance, rather than shirking it.