Free Movement Weekly Immigration Newsletter #31

Welcome to the weekly Free Movement newsletter!

It has been a week of terror for many after far-right racists have run riot across across the UK, culminating in the attempt to burn down two hotels where people who had come to the UK and asked us to protect them were living. The thugs are apparently not finished yet as there is a list of further targets circulating, which includes immigration lawyers. 

This is not the first time that hotels housing people in the asylum system have been targeted and the Home Office does not make the locations public for safety reasons. The locations are often known locally though, and unfortunately MPs do not have the same qualms about naming hotels and putting people at risk. One of the hotels set alight last week was specifically named by its MP during the debate on the King’s Speech. One would hope a bit of reflection on that may be taking place today. 

Last week the Home Secretary announced that that she will commission the Migration Advisory Committee to review the minimum income requirement and no further changes will be made until that is complete. The further increase was only meant to come in next year so at this point nothing has actually changed.

The increased focus on MAC and reliance on their reviews is interesting in the context of the government’s seeming refusal to expand permission to work for people in the asylum system beyond the extremely limited roles on Appendix Immigration Salary List. This is something that has been recommended by the committee on more than one occasion and would reduce the number of people who need to be provided with asylum accommodation such as hotels.

On Free Movement, the Solicitors Regulation Authority have published two important reviews which we have written up, we also have an update on what is going on with Tech Nation and the Global Talent route and the opening of a long awaited route to reunite separated Afghan families.

There is also a very important read on automatic extensions and potential curtailments under the EU Settlement Scheme as well as a post on how another secret pause on trafficking cases may mean that damages can be claimed by survivors. 

For everything else on the blog and elsewhere, read on.

Cheers, Sonia

What we’re reading

UK response to the implementation of the European Entry/Exit System – Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Immigration and Citizenship statement to the House of Commons, 29 July

Inside the Bibby Stockholm as work begins to rehome asylum seekers after Labour closure announcement – Independent, 30 July

Important changes to proving your UK immigration status: Student visa holders – Bindmans, 23 July

Nearly 100 migrants suing Government over ‘ill-treatment’ at Manston centre – The Standard, 3 August

How to Seek Access to Promulgated First-tier Tribunal (Immigration and Asylum Chamber) Decisions – Refugee Law Initiative, 1 August

Crackdown on Chinese Students Raises Fears for UK Tech Ambitions – Bloomberg, 1 August

Home Office threatened to deport man likely to be key witness in Bibby Stockholm inquest – The Guardian, 2 August

Boy, 15, becomes youngest British chess grandmaster – The Guardian, 5 August