Free Movement Weekly Immigration Newsletter #103

Welcome to the weekly Free Movement newsletter! 

Plans for mandatory digital ID for everyone in the UK were dropped last week, although the government said that they will still be mandating that right-to-work checks are carried out digitally. The government’s position on this seems a little muddled, with the minister saying that for “British and Irish citizens, many of those checks are currently paper based”. But he then went on to say that the new digital system will mean that “[t]hose seeking to work illegally in the United Kingdom will no longer be able to provide fraudulent papers.” 

I am not sure if there is any data on the extent to which “fraudulent papers” is the issue with illegal working, as opposed to employers simply not carrying out checks for whatever reason, but that would be interesting to know. The vast majority of migrants have eVisas and right to work checks are already carried out digitally, so it is unclear what changes are actually needed. The government said that they will “be consulting imminently” on the design of the scheme.

At 3.30pm this afternoon, the Public Accounts Committee is taking oral evidence for its inquiry on the asylum system – I will admit slightly choking on my laughter when I saw the title of the session “Is govt ready to implement its plans for sweeping reform?”. Evidence will be given by officials from the Home Office, Ministry of Justice and Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government.

Greater Manchester Immigration Aid Unit has published a guide on responding to the earned settlement consultation. Reminder, for anyone who needs it, that the deadline to respond is 12 February 2026.

On Free Movement, today’s post is a write up by Alex Piletska of a potentially useful case on children’s settlement applications under part 8 of the immigration rules. There was also this important case on public order disqualifications in trafficking cases, which found that the Home Secretary’s approach to date has been unlawful. 

Also on the blog, Colin wrote up a letter from the Home Secretary which sets out a few more details about the proposed new immigration and asylum appeals system. The latest podcast is out, with Barry and I chatting all things December 2025. I also updated our bumper asylum statistics post.  

For everything else on Free Movement and elsewhere, read on.

Cheers, Sonia

What we’re reading

Overview of Practices in Relation to Country of Origin Information and Country Guidance – UNHCR, January 2026

‘They’re emboldened’: British far-right activists step up harassment of asylum seekers in northern France – The Guardian, 19 January

‘They were human beings’: Asylum seekers must be ‘at the heart’ of Manston centre inquiry – itv News, 16 January

‘Terrible’ December student visa numbers branded ‘a disaster’ – Research Professional News, 8 January

More than 100 asylum seekers stage ‘one in, one out’ protests at detention centres – The Guardian, 15 January

Swinney to consider buffer zones around asylum hotels – BBC News, 15 January

UK’s modern slavery response weakened by immigration legislation – Unseen, 14 January

Ex-Herts Police officer ‘stripped of citizenship for living in Russia’ – Watford Observer, 13 January

Home Office TikTok account posting deportation footage accused of turning ‘brutality into clickbait’ – The Guardian, 13 January

Illegal migrant worker crackdown sees record numbers of raids and arrests – Sky News, 13 January